You know that feeling. The screen is black, the theater is quiet, and then—BAM. That massive, soul-piercing Zulu chant kicks in. It’s arguably the most famous opening in cinema history. Even if you don't speak a word of the language, you probably tried to scream out the lyrics in your living room as a kid. But here’s the thing: most people have no idea what they’re actually singing or the wild, borderline-accidental way that song at the beginning of Lion King even came to exist.
It’s called "Circle of Life."
Most of us just call it "the Nants Ingonyama part." It’s raw. It’s loud. It’s perfect.
But back in 1991, Disney wasn’t even sure if it would work. At the time, they were coming off the success of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, which were very "Broadway." They had a formula. They had Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. The Lion King was the "B-movie" at the studio, the project the top animators turned down because they thought a story about lions was a gamble. They sent the "A-team" to work on Pocahontas instead. Imagine that.
The Zulu chant that changed everything
When Elton John and Tim Rice were brought on to write the music, they did their thing. They wrote a poppy, melodic version of "Circle of Life." It was good. It was safe. But it wasn't The Lion King.
Hans Zimmer, the legendary composer who was mourning his father at the time and found deep personal connection to the story of Simba, knew the track needed more. He knew it needed the heartbeat of Africa. He called up his friend Lebo M., a South African producer and singer who was living in exile in Los Angeles.
Lebo M. showed up to the studio, heard the track once, and just started singing.
Those first words? Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba.
Translating directly from Zulu, it literally means: "Here comes a lion, Father." Then the response: Siyo Nqoba, which means "We are going to conquer."
It’s simple. It’s direct. It wasn't some mystical, poetic verse written by a room of Hollywood screenwriters over three months. It was one man’s visceral reaction to the image of a lion king. Lebo M. basically walked in, changed the trajectory of animation history in one take, and went home.
👉 See also: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
Why the song at the beginning of Lion King almost had dialogue
This is the part that blows my mind. Originally, the opening of the movie was supposed to have a bunch of dialogue. It was going to be a scene where the characters talked, introducing the world and the hierarchy of Pride Rock. It was traditional storytelling.
But when the directors, Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, heard the final mix of "Circle of Life" with Lebo M.’s vocals, they realized words would just get in the way.
The music was so powerful that they scrapped the script for the opening. They decided to let the visuals and the song carry the entire weight of the introduction. This was a massive risk. You’re asking an audience to sit through four minutes of a foreign language and a song about the cycle of nature without a single line of English dialogue to explain what’s happening.
It worked.
The "Circle of Life" sequence was so strong that Disney used the entire opening scene as the first trailer for the movie. It was the first time they had ever done that. No fast cuts, no "Coming this Summer" voiceover. Just the song. People lost their minds.
The lyrics nobody can pronounce (but we all try)
If you’ve ever tried to type out the lyrics to the song at the beginning of Lion King, you’ve probably ended up with something like "Nants ingonyama bagithi baba pink pajamas penguins on the bottom."
Let’s actually look at what’s being said.
- Nants ingonyama bagithi baba: Here comes a lion, Father.
- Sithi uhm ingonyama: Oh yes, it’s a lion.
- Siyo Nqoba: We are going to conquer.
- Ingonyama nengw' enamabala: A lion and a leopard come to this open place.
The leopard mention is interesting because you don't really see leopards in the movie (at least not in the opening). It’s a traditional way of describing the majesty of the animal kingdom.
The melody Elton John wrote for the English verses—the part about the "sun rolling high in the sapphire sky"—is beautiful, but it's the Zulu foundation that gives the song its teeth. Without Lebo M., it might have just been another "nice" Disney song. With him, it became a cultural anthem.
✨ Don't miss: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia
The 2019 "Live-Action" remake controversy
When Jon Favreau took on the 2019 remake, he knew he couldn't mess with the opening. It’s sacred ground.
He recreated it shot-for-shot. The technology was different—CGI so realistic it looked like a National Geographic documentary—but the music stayed largely the same. However, fans were split. Some felt the hyper-realistic animals couldn't emote the way the 2D versions did.
The song, though? It still hit.
Even in a different visual medium, that opening chant bypasses the brain and goes straight to the gut. It’s a testament to the power of the arrangement. You can change the lion, you can change the grass, but you can’t change that first "Nants."
Why it still hits different 30 years later
Honestly, it’s about the "Circle of Life" philosophy. It sounds like a greeting card, sure. But the lyrics actually touch on something pretty heavy for a kid's movie.
"There's more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done."
It’s a song about humility. It’s telling the audience (and Simba) that you’re just one small part of a massive, ancient system. In an era of "main character energy," the song at the beginning of Lion King is a reminder that the world doesn't revolve around us. We’re just passing through.
The production of the track was also a weird melting pot of talent. You had a British pop star (Elton), a British lyricist (Rice), a German composer (Zimmer), and a South African refugee (Lebo M.). That shouldn't work. It should be a mess. Instead, it became the gold standard for how to integrate global sounds into Western pop culture without it feeling like cheap "world music" window dressing.
Hidden details you might have missed
Did you know that the "Sun" in the opening shot was actually a last-minute addition? The animators felt the screen was too empty, so they threw in that massive, stylized orange orb that has since become the iconic logo for the Broadway show.
🔗 Read more: Isaiah Washington Movies and Shows: Why the Star Still Matters
Also, listen closely to the percussion. Zimmer used a mix of traditional African drums and electronic synthesizers. He wanted it to feel "big" enough for a cinema but "grounded" enough to feel like the earth.
And then there's the "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" connection. Lebo M. actually worked on the "Rhythm of the Pride Lands" album which expanded the music of the film. He’s the true unsung hero of the franchise. While Elton John won the Oscar for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," many film historians argue that Zimmer and Lebo M. are the ones who gave the movie its soul.
How to actually appreciate the music today
If you want to go deeper than just humming along, there are a few things you can do to really "get" the music.
First, check out the Broadway cast recording. Because it’s live, the percussion is even more intense. The way they handle the "Circle of Life" on stage with the puppets and the aisles filled with actors is a completely different sensory experience than the film.
Second, look up Lebo M.’s story. Knowing that he was a man who had been exiled from his home country, singing about a "return" and a "conquest" of a rightful king, gives the opening lyrics a political weight that Disney probably didn't even realize they were tapping into at the time.
Third, listen to the "original" demo if you can find it. Elton John’s version is great, but hearing how Hans Zimmer transformed it into the orchestral beast we know today is a masterclass in music production.
The song at the beginning of Lion King isn't just a movie intro. It’s a piece of 20th-century art that somehow managed to be both a massive commercial hit and a genuine cultural bridge.
To get the most out of this iconic piece of music, try these steps:
- Listen to the 1994 soundtrack version with high-quality headphones. Pay attention to the layering of the Zulu chants behind Elton’s English vocals in the final chorus; there are harmonies there that most people miss on a standard TV speaker.
- Compare the Zulu lyrics to the story arc. The mention of "conquering" (Siyo Nqoba) isn't about war—it's about the struggle of life itself, which foreshadows Simba's entire journey from the desert back to the throne.
- Watch the "Making of" documentaries. Disney+ has several features on the music of The Lion King that show Lebo M. and Hans Zimmer in the studio. Seeing the raw emotion in the room when they recorded the vocals explains why the track feels so "alive."
- Explore the "Rhythm of the Pride Lands" album. If you love the African influence in the opening song, this "sequel" album by Lebo M. and Zimmer is the pure, uncut version of that sound, featuring tracks that eventually inspired the Broadway show.