Changes: Be Prepared

Revision as of 05:10, 15 February 2020

"Do you see any other big, lovable chunk of warthog here?"

This article is about the 1994 version of "Be Prepared".
You may be looking for the stage musical version, the 2019 version, the deleted reprise, or the Festival of The Lion King version.

Be Prepared

Attribution information
Composer	Elton John
Lyricist	Tim Rice
Mixer	Jay Rifkin
Performers	Jim Cummings Whoopi Goldberg Jeremy Irons Cheech Marin
Release information
Released	May 31, 1994
Track	3
Length	3:40
Albums	The Legacy Collection: The Lion King The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) The Lion King: Disney Karaoke Series The Lion King: Special Edition
Appearances	The Lion King
Samples
Versions	Be Prepared.ogg (help·info)

“

Banzai: What are we supposed to do, kill Mufasa?
Scar: Precisely.

—Banzai and Scar^[src]

”

"Be Prepared" is a song composed by Elton John for The Lion King. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's soundtrack. It is sung by Scar and the hyenas in anticipation of Mufasa's death.

Lyrics

Scar:

I know that your powers of retention

Are as wet as a warthog's backside

But thick as you are, pay attention!

My words are a matter of pride

It's clear from your vacant expressions

The lights are not all on upstairs

But we're talking kings and successions

Even you can't be caught unawares!

So prepare for the chance of a lifetime

Be prepared for sensational news

A shining new era

Is tiptoeing nearer

Shenzi:

And where do we feature?

Scar:

Just listen to teacher

I know it sounds sordid

But you'll be rewarded

When at last I am given my dues

And injustice deliciously squared

Be prepared!

Banzai: (spoken)

Yeah! Be prepared!

Yeah-heh! We'll be prepared! Heh!

For what?

Scar: (spoken)

For the death of the king.

Banzai: (spoken)

Why? Is he sick?

Scar: (spoken)

No, fool. We're gonna kill him.

And Simba, too.

Shenzi: (spoken)

Great idea!

Who needs a king?

Banzai and Shenzi:

No king! No king!

La, la, la, la, la, la!

Scar: (spoken)

Idiots!

There will be a king!

Banzai: (spoken)

Hey, but you said-

Scar: (spoken)

I will be king!

Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!

Banzai and Shenzi: (spoken)

Yay! All right! All right!

Long live the king!

Hyenas: (spoken)

Long live the king!

It's great that we'll soon be connected

With a king who'll be all-time adored.

Scar:

Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected

To take certain duties on board

The future is littered with prizes

And though I'm the main addressee

The point that I must emphasize is

You won't get a sniff without me!

So prepare for the coup of the century

Be prepared for the murkiest scam

Meticulous planning

(We'll have food!)

Tenacity spanning

(Lots of food!)

Decades of denial

(We repeat!)

Is simply why I'll

(Endless meat!)

Be king undisputed

Respected, saluted

And seen for the wonder I am!

Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared

Be prepared!

All:

Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared

Be prepared!

Trivia

General

This song is briefly heard in The Lion King 1½ when Timon and Pumbaa wander into the Elephant Graveyard.^[1]

In Festival of The Lion King, this song is performed as the theater takes on a darker tone.^[2]

In the stage musical and the official soundtrack, the song starts with these lyrics:^[3]^[4]

"I never thought hyenas essential.

They're crude and unspeakably plain.

But maybe they've a glimmer of potential,

If allied to my vision and brain."

Jeremy Irons sang the beginning of the song, but he damaged his vocal chords singing, "You won't get a sniff without me!" Jim Cummings was brought in to finish the song.^[5]

Though Jeremy Irons is often credited for singing the song, Jim Cummings has stated that he sang most of the song, while Irons only did some of the talking.^[6]However, footage from the film's recording sessions available on the film's 2017 Blu-ray release reveals that Irons sang the entire first verse of the song, while a cursory analysis of the recording suggests (due to a subtle but evident shift in vocal timbre heard in Scar's lead vocal) that Cummings only sang the final verse ("Be prepared for the coup of the century" and onwards etc.) in the final cut of the film. Cummings has also confirmed this in other interviews, claiming that he sang this last verse due to Irons developing vocal problems during the recording session.^[7]

In Development

In early drafts of the film, "Be Prepared" was titled "Thanks to Me" and focused on Scar gloating to the hyenas about murdering Mufasa and chasing off Simba.^[8]

Tim Rice wrote a post-stampede reprise of the song in which Scar introduces the hyenas to the pride. However, it was ultimately scrapped due to a lively musical number being deemed inappropriate so shortly after the death of Mufasa.^[8]

Another reprise was written in which Scar tries to seduce Nala into being his queen. When she rejects him, he introduces the pride to his executive staff, the hyenas.^[9]

Media

References

The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Circle of Life • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Be Prepared • Hakuna Matata • Can You Feel the Love Tonight • This Land • ...To Die For • Under the Stars • King of Pride Rock • Circle of Life • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Can You Feel the Love Tonight

The Lion King: Special Edition
Circle of Life • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Be Prepared • Hakuna Matata • Can You Feel the Love Tonight • The Morning Report • This Land • ...To Die For • Under the Stars • King of Pride Rock • Circle of Life • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title) • Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Remix) • The Hyenas

The Lion King Collection
He Lives in You • Circle of Life • Lea Halalela • Upendi • Busa • One of Us • Love Will Find a Way • Can You Feel the Love Tonight • We Are One • One By One • It's Time • Noyana • In Youpendi • Be Prepared • He Lives In You • My Lullaby • Hakuna Matata • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • The Lion Sleeps Tonight

The Legacy Collection: The Lion King

Circle of Life • Didn't Your Mother Tell You Not to Play With Your Food • We Are All Connected • Hyenas in the Pride Land • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Elephant Graveyard • I Was Just Trying to Be Brave • Be Prepared • Simba, It's to Die For • Stampede • Mufasa Dies • If You Ever Come Back We'll Kill You • Bowling for Buzzards • Hakuna Matata • We Gotta Bone to Pick With You • Kings of the Past • Nala, Is It Really You? • Can You Feel the Love Tonight • Remember Who You Are • This Is My Home • The Rightful King • The Morning Report • Warthog Rhapsody • Circle of Life • I Just Can't Wait to Be King • Can You Feel the Love Tonight

[1] [1]

[2] [2]

[3] [3]

[4] [4]

[5] [5]

[6] [6]

[7] [7]

[Mouse-8] 8.0 ^8.1

[9] [8]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Multiple|the film version of "Be Prepared"|[[Be Prepared (reprise)|the deleted reprise]]}}
+{{Multiple|the 1994 version of "Be Prepared"|[[Be Prepared (stage musical)|the stage musical version]], [[Be Prepared (2019 Version)|the 2019 version]], [[Be Prepared (reprise)|the deleted reprise]], or [[Be Prepared (Festival of The Lion King)|the Festival of The Lion King version]]}}
+{{Clear}}
-<br />
-{{Song Infobox
+{{Song infobox
 |image = [[File:Lion-king-disneyscreencaps.com-3530.png|350px]]
 |composer = [[Elton John]]
 |lyricist = [[Tim Rice]]
+|mixer = [[Jay Rifkin]]
 |performers = [[Jim Cummings]]<br />[[Whoopi Goldberg]]<br />[[Jeremy Irons]]<br />[[Cheech Marin]]
 |released = May 31, 1994
 |track = 3
 |length = 3:40
-|album = ''[[The Legacy Collection: The Lion King]]''<br />''[[The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording)]]''<br />''[[The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)]]''<br/> ''[[The Lion King: Disney Karaoke Series]]''
+|albums = ''[[The Legacy Collection: The Lion King]]''<br />''[[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)]]''<br/> ''[[The Lion King: Disney Karaoke Series]]''<br />''[[The Lion King: Special Edition]]''
-|appearances = ''[[The Lion King]]''<br />[[The Lion King (musical)|The Stage Musical]]
+|appearances = ''[[The Lion King]]''
-|versions = {{Audio|Be Prepared.ogg|Original Version}}<br />{{Audio|Be Prepared (musical).ogg|Stage Musical Version}}
+|versions = {{Audio|Be Prepared.ogg}}
 }}
+{{Dialogue1|Banzai|What are we supposed to do, kill Mufasa?|Scar|Precisely.|[[Banzai]] and [[Scar]]|The Lion King}}
-'''"Be Prepared"''' is a song from ''[[The Lion King]]''. It is sung by [[Scar]] and the [[The Hyenas (characters)|hyenas]] in anticipation of [[Mufasa|Mufasa's]] death.
+'''"Be Prepared"''' is a song composed by [[Elton John]] for ''[[The Lion King]]''. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|soundtrack]]. It is sung by [[Scar]] and the [[Shenzi's clan|hyenas]] in anticipation of [[Mufasa|Mufasa's]] death.
 ==Lyrics==
@@ Line 211: / Line 213: @@
 ==Trivia==
 ===General===
-* This song is briefly heard in ''[[The Lion King 1½]]'' when [[Timon]] and [[Pumbaa]] wander into [[The Elephant Graveyard (location)|the Elephant Graveyard]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXmkz2L7Yhk&t=1m30s]</ref>
+* This song is briefly heard in ''[[The Lion King 1½]]'' when [[Timon]] and [[Pumbaa]] wander into the [[Elephant Graveyard]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXmkz2L7Yhk&t=1m30s]</ref>
 * In ''[[Festival of The Lion King]]'', this song is performed as the theater takes on a darker tone.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=891&v=UKRCI1Imh80&t=14m48s]</ref>
-* In the [[The Lion King (musical)|musical]] and the [[The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|official soundtrack]], the song starts with these lyrics:<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7uwV7pzCVw]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR_xyWIX5xU]</ref>
+* In the [[The Lion King (stage musical)|stage musical]] and the [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|official soundtrack]], the song starts with these lyrics:<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7uwV7pzCVw]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR_xyWIX5xU]</ref>
 ::"I never thought hyenas essential.
@@ Line 224: / Line 226: @@
 * [[Jeremy Irons]] sang the beginning of the song, but he damaged his vocal chords singing, "You won't get a sniff without me!" [[Jim Cummings]] was brought in to finish the song.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-hill/lion-king-voice-actors_b_968140.html]</ref>
-* Though [[Jeremy Irons]] is often credited for singing the song, [[Jim Cummings]] has stated that he sang most of the song, while Irons only did some of the talking.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmrdn9eFTK8&feature=youtu.be&t=3m15s]</ref>
+* Though [[Jeremy Irons]] is often credited for singing the song, [[Jim Cummings]] has stated that he sang most of the song, while Irons only did some of the talking.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmrdn9eFTK8&feature=youtu.be&t=3m15s]</ref>However, footage from the film's recording sessions available on the film's 2017 Blu-ray release reveals that Irons sang the entire first verse of the song, while a cursory analysis of the recording suggests (due to a subtle but evident shift in vocal timbre heard in Scar's lead vocal) that Cummings only sang the final verse ("Be prepared for the coup of the century" and onwards etc.) in the final cut of the film. Cummings has also confirmed this in other interviews, claiming that he sang this last verse due to Irons developing vocal problems during the recording session.<ref>[https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_968140]</ref>
 ===In Development===
-* In early drafts of the film, "Be Prepared" was titled "Thanks to Me" and focused on [[Scar]] gloating to the [[The Hyenas (characters)|hyenas]] about murdering [[Mufasa]] and chasing off [[Simba]].<ref name="Mouse">[[File:Mug3.png|50px]]</ref>
+* In early drafts of the film, "Be Prepared" was titled "Thanks to Me" and focused on [[Scar]] gloating to the [[Shenzi's clan|hyenas]] about murdering [[Mufasa]] and chasing off [[Simba]].<ref name="Mouse">[[File:Mug3.png|50px]]</ref>
-* [[Tim Rice]] wrote a post-stampede [[Be Prepared (reprise)|reprise]] of the song in which [[Scar]] introduces the [[The Hyenas (characters)|hyenas]] to the [[Pridelanders|pride]]. However, it was ultimately scrapped due to a lively musical number being deemed inappropriate so shortly after the death of [[Mufasa]].<ref name="Mouse"></ref>
+* [[Tim Rice]] wrote a post-stampede [[Be Prepared (reprise)|reprise]] of the song in which [[Scar]] introduces the [[Shenzi's clan|hyenas]] to the [[Pride Landers|pride]]. However, it was ultimately scrapped due to a lively musical number being deemed inappropriate so shortly after the death of [[Mufasa]].<ref name="Mouse"></ref>
-* Another [[The Madness of King Scar (deleted)|reprise]] was written in which [[Scar]] tries to seduce [[Nala]] into being his [[The Ruler of Pride Rock|queen]]. When she rejects him, he introduces the [[Pridelanders|pride]] to his executive staff, the [[The Hyenas (characters)|hyenas]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl8gDjaHWWA&t=2m1s]</ref>
+* Another [[The Madness of King Scar (deleted)|reprise]] was written in which [[Scar]] tries to seduce [[Nala]] into being his [[Ruler of Pride Rock|queen]]. When she rejects him, he introduces the [[Pride Landers|pride]] to his executive staff, the [[Shenzi's clan|hyenas]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl8gDjaHWWA&t=2m1s]</ref>
 ==Media==
 <gallery position="center" captionalign="center">
 "Be Prepared"|The "Be Prepared" sequence in ''The Lion King''
-Be_Prepared_-_Disney%27s_THE_LION_KING_(Official_Lyric_Video)|The official broadway lyric video for "Be Prepared"
 Be Prepared (Vocal)
 Be Prepared (Instrumental)
@@ Line 242: / Line 243: @@
 ==References==
-<references />
+<references />{{Clear}}
-{{Clear}}
+{{The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)}}
-{{Original Motion Picture Soundtrack}}
+{{The Lion King: Special Edition}}
-{{Songs5}}
+{{The Lion King Collection}}
+{{The Legacy Collection: The Lion King}}
 [[Category:Banzai songs]]
 [[Category:Best of The Lion King]]
@@ Line 253: / Line 255: @@
 [[Category:The Lion King Collection]]
 [[Category:The Lion King Songs]]
-[[Category:The Lion King Stage Musical Songs]]
-[[Category:Media]]
-[[Category:Music]]
 [[Category:Scar songs]]
 [[Category:Shenzi songs]]
 [[Category:Songs]]
-[[Category:The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)]]
+[[Category:The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)]]
-[[Category:The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording)]]
+[[Category:The Lion King: Special Edition]]