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This article is about the 1994 version of "Circle of Life".
You may be looking for the 2019 version, the stage musical version, the Elton John version, the Circle of Stars version, the Disney Junior Wonderful World of Songs version, the Festival of The Lion King version, the philosophy, the book, or the short film.


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Circle of Life
Lion-king-disneyscreencaps.com-7
Attribution information
Composer

   Elton John
   Hans Zimmer

Lyricist

Tim Rice

Mixer

Jay Rifkin

Performers

   Carmen Twillie
   Lebo M

Release information
Released

May 31, 1994

Track

1

Length

3:59

Albums
Appearances

   The Lion King
   The Lion King 1½

Samples
Versions

Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtCircle of Life 
Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtCircle of Life (instrumental demo) 
Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtCircle of Life (Genesis) 
Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtCircle of Life (SNES) 

"Circle of Life" is a song composed by Elton John and Hans Zimmer for The Lion King. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's soundtrack. It was re-released on September 30, 2003, as part of the film's Special Edition soundtrack.

Conception and development[]

During production of The Lion King, "Circle of Life" was simply a short prayer sung in Swahili. The song ended as the Pride Landers reached Pride Rock, and the rest of the scene was communicated through visuals and dialogue only.[1]

Releases and alternative versions[]

Special Edition

The Lion King: Special Edition soundtrack.

"Circle of Life" was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the soundtrack of The Lion King. Also included on the soundtrack was a pop cover of the song performed by Elton John.[2][3]

The stage musical version of the song was released in 1997 as part of the original cast recording.[4][5]

Also in 1997, Disney released an album titled Jungle Boogie, which consisted of songs from both The Lion King and The Jungle Book franchises. The original version of "Circle of Life" was included on this album.[6]

"Circle of Life" was re-released on September 30, 2003, as part of the film's Special Edition soundtrack. Also included on the soundtrack was the Elton John version of the song.[7][8]

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Official artwork of "Circle of Life" from The Legacy Collection: The Lion King.

Also on September 30, 2003, the karaoke version of "Circle of Life" was released as part of Disney's Karaoke Series: The Lion King.[9][10]

Best of The Lion King, an album comprised of songs from different installments in The Lion King franchise, was released on September 6, 2011. The original version of "Circle of Life" was included on this album.[11][12]

On October 3, 2011, "Circle of Life" was released as part of The Lion King Collection (Deluxe Edition).[13][14]

The song was re-released as part of The Legacy Collection: The Lion King on June 24, 2014, as was the Elton John version of the song.[15][16]

"Circle of Life" was reimagined for the 2019 remake of The Lion King. It was released on July 11, 2019, as part of the film's soundtrack.[17][18]

Use[]

In the canon[]

"Circle of Life" is the first song heard in The Lion King. It opens the film, with the sun rising over the Pride Lands as Lebo M sings the opening chant. Various Pride Landers begin to travel from across the Pride Lands to Pride Rock, where Mufasa awaits them atop the promontory. Rafiki soon arrives and anoints Mufasa's newborn son, Simba, with sand and gourd juice. He then carries the cub to the promontory and holds him high for all to see. The Pride Landers cheer for Simba as Mufasa and his mate, Sarabi, look on proudly.

Lion-king-disneyscreencaps

Rafiki presents Simba to the Pride Landers during the "Circle of Life" sequence.

At the end of the film, there is a reprise of "Circle of Life". The reprise begins as Simba roars over his kingdom, formally becoming the king of Pride Rock. There is a brief flash-forward in which the Pride Lands recover from the famine under Scar's reign. The Pride Landers journey back to Pride Rock and witness the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub.[19]

In The Lion King 1½, the opening chant of "Circle of Life" is briefly heard as Timon and Pumbaa travel toward Pride Rock. The music fades into the background as Pride Landers gallop on-screen, running the two over. The song picks up and continues as Timon and Pumbaa run toward Pride Rock, only to get abruptly cut off when they notice the crowd of Pride Landers at Pride Rock's base.[20]

In other media[]

A reimagined version of "Circle of Life" is heard in the 2019 remake of The Lion King. It plays during the same sequence of events as its 1994 counterpart.[21]

The stage musical version of "Circle of Life" is much the same as the original, occurring during the same sequence of events. However, instead of being sung by a chorus, it is sung by Rafiki and various Pride Landers.[4]

An instrumental version of "Circle of Life" is heard in the 1994 video game The Lion King. There are two slightly different versions of the song: one for Genesis and one for SNES.[22]

Lyrics[]

Lebo M:
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba (Here comes the lion, my people, the father [of our nation])
Sithi uhm ingonyama (We hail this coming of the lion)
Ingonyama (A lion)

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama

Siyo nqoba (We will have victory)
Ingonyama

Chorus:
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (The royal lion wears his leopard spots)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa) (Don't go to)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana) (No)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)

Carmen Twillie:
From the day we arrive on the planet
And, blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the circle of life
(Balek' ingonyam'i ya gale'!) (Run, the lion will attack!)
And it moves us all
(Ingonyama nengwe wema!) (The lion and the leopard, oh, what a sight!)
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life

Chorus:
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
(Asana)

Carmen Twillie:
It's the circle of life
(Balek' ingonyam'i ya gale'!)
And it moves us all
(Ingonyama nengwe wema!)
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life

Trivia[]

  • The opening notes of "Circle of Life" can be heard in Chicken Little when Buck Cluck considers possible introductions to the film.
  • Hans Zimmer improvised the massive drum beat that ends the song due to time constraints.[24]

Media[]

References[]

  1. YouTube favicon The Lion King [Simba’s Birth] Deleted [RARE] on the Makayla YouTube channel
  2. The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  3. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The Lion King (Original 1997 Broadway Cast Recording). iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  5. The Lion King - Original Broadway Cast Recording. Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  6. Various – Disney's Jungle Boogie. Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.
  7. The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Special Edition]. iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on October 11, 2019.
  8. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  9. Disney's Karaoke Series: The Lion King. iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.
  10. Various – Disney Karaoke Series: The Lion King. Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.
  11. Best of the Lion King. iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.
  12. Best Of The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.
  13. The Lion King Collection (Deluxe Edition). iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on January 21, 2023.
  14. The Lion King: Deluxe Collection. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on January 21, 2023.
  15. The Lion King (Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection]. iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  16. The Legacy Collection: The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  17. The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). iTunes. Apple. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  18. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  19. Revealed in Disney's The Lion King (1994). Written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton, and directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
  20. Revealed in Disney's The Lion King 1½ (2004). Written by Tom Rogers and directed by Bradley Raymond. Distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
  21. Revealed in Disney's The Lion King (2019). Written by Jeff Nathanson and directed by Jon Favreau. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
  22. Revealed in The Lion King (1994). Developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment.
  23. The 67th Academy Awards | 1995. Oscars.org.
  24. Dirk Libbey (October 16, 2019). The Hilarious Reason The Lion King’s Circle Of Life Ends How It Does. CinemaBlend. Future US. Retrieved on January 20, 2023.


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
Best of The Lion King
Circle of Life    I Just Can't Wait to Be King    Can You Feel the Love Tonight    Warthog Rhapsody    Lea Halalela    Hakuna Matata    Digga Tunnah Dance    Upendi    One of Us    The Lion Sleeps Tonight    Be Prepared    They Live In You
The Lion King Collection (Deluxe Edition)
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    Circle of Life    Grazing in the Grass    Can You Feel the Love Tonight    Warthog Rhapsody    Kube    This Land    Digga Tunnah Dance    The Morning Report    Love Will Find a Way (End Title)    The Lion Sleeps Tonight    Be Prepared    They Live In You
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
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