You know the feeling. The sun peaks over the horizon of the Pride Lands, that red orb looking massive and ancient, and then—BAM. A voice blasts out of your speakers with enough power to rattle your ribcage.
Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba!
Most of us have spent thirty years just shouting random syllables that sound vaguely like "pink pajamas" or "balancing a banana." But the reality is that lion king the song lyrics aren't just catchy Disney fluff. They’re a sophisticated blend of South African Zulu, East African Swahili, and the sharp-witted English prose of Sir Tim Rice.
Honestly, the story of how these lyrics came to be is almost as dramatic as Mufasa’s fall. It involves a car park attendant who became a superstar, a lyricist who thought he was writing for a film called King of the Jungle, and a Zulu chant that actually reveals the entire plot in the first ten seconds.
That opening chant in Circle of Life isn't what you think
When Hans Zimmer was brought on to do the score, he knew he needed something authentic. He didn't want a "Hollywood" version of Africa. He wanted the real thing. He turned to his friend Lebo M, a South African composer who was, at the time, literally parking cars in Los Angeles to make ends meet after fleeing the apartheid regime.
Zimmer played the demo. Lebo M listened for a second, turned around, and shouted the now-iconic opening line into a microphone.
What it actually means
If you look at the Zulu lyrics for the opening of "Circle of Life," it’s remarkably literal.
- Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba: "Here comes a lion, Father."
- Siyo 'nqoba: "We are going to conquer."
- Ingonyama nengw' enamabala: "A lion and a leopard come to this open place."
It’s an invocation. It’s not just noise; it’s a royal announcement. The leopard mention is a bit of a deep cut—in many Southern African cultures, the leopard is a symbol of royalty just as much as the lion. By including both, Lebo M was grounding the film in actual continental tradition, even if Disney was just thinking about cute cubs.
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Hakuna Matata: The tourist trap lyrics
We all know the phrase. It’s our problem-free philosophy. But if you go to Kenya or Tanzania today and shout "Hakuna Matata" at a local, they’ll probably give you a polite, slightly exhausted smile.
It’s Swahili. It literally translates to "there are no problems." However, the film made the phrase so insanely famous that it shifted from a common idiom to a "tourist phrase." Most Swahili speakers now use hamna shida or mambo vipi in their day-to-day lives because the movie turned their own language into a brand.
The backstory of the song is actually kind of funny. Tim Rice got the idea for the lyrics after watching a British comedy called Bottom. He wanted something that felt like a "don't worry, be happy" anthem but specifically for a warthog and a meerkat.
Pumbaa’s verse about his... uh... "lack of appeal" after he ate? That’s 100% Tim Rice’s sense of humor. It’s also one of the few times a Disney song has explicitly referenced flatulence as a plot point for social exile.
The terrifying political subtext of Be Prepared
If you haven’t listened to the lion king the song lyrics for "Be Prepared" lately, go back and do it. It is arguably the darkest song in the Disney canon.
Scar is basically a Shakespearean villain—specifically a mix of Richard III and Claudius from Hamlet. But the lyrics go deeper into political theory than you’d expect for a "G" rated movie.
- Quid pro quo: Scar literally uses the Latin term for "this for that." He’s explaining a political transaction to the hyenas.
- Leonine: He sings, "Yes, leonine times are a-changin'." Leonine means "lion-like." He’s signaling the end of the traditional monarchy.
- The Visuals: If the lyrics about "meticulous planning" and "tenacity spanning" didn't give it away, the original animation for this sequence was modeled after Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will.
Jeremy Irons, who voiced Scar, actually blew out his voice during the recording of this song. If you listen closely to the final "You won't get a sniff without me!" and the big finale, that’s actually Jim Cummings (who voiced Ed the hyena and Winnie the Pooh) doing a perfect Jeremy Irons impression. Irons simply couldn't hit the notes anymore.
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Can You Feel the Love Tonight: The song Elton John saved
This song almost didn't happen. At least, not the way we know it.
The original plan for the film was to have Timon and Pumbaa sing the entire song. Think about that for a second. The most romantic ballad of the 90s was supposed to be a joke song about a meerkat and a warthog being annoyed that their friend was getting a girlfriend.
Elton John was horrified.
He told the filmmakers that he wrote a great love song, not a comedy track. He argued that The Lion King was part of a tradition of great Disney romances, and it needed a "big" moment. The compromise? Timon and Pumbaa get the intro and the outro—the "Our trio's down to two" part—but the core of the song stays with the lions and the off-screen chorus.
The lyrics themselves are pure Tim Rice. He wrote about 15 different versions of the song. Some were much more cynical; others were way too mushy. The final version captures that "restless warrior" vibe Simba has perfectly. He’s a guy with a dark secret, and Nala is the one trying to see "the king I see inside."
The "lost" lyrics of He Lives in You
While not in the original 1994 theatrical release, "He Lives in You" is now considered a core part of the lion king the song lyrics family. It appeared on the Rhythm of the Pride Lands album and later became the emotional centerpiece of the Broadway musical and the sequel, Simba's Pride.
This song is where Lebo M’s influence really peaks. The lyrics are a mixture of English and Zulu, revolving around the idea of ancestral guidance.
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Ingonyama nengw' enamabala...
Yes, it’s that same "lion and leopard" chant from the beginning. It creates a full circle (pun intended). The song teaches that Mufasa isn't "gone"—he’s a part of the ecosystem and the spiritual lineage. It’s a much more complex take on death than most Western kids' movies ever dare to touch.
Why these lyrics still hit different in 2026
We’re over thirty years out from the original release, and these songs haven't aged a day.
Why?
Because they aren't dated by pop culture references. There are no jokes about the 90s. There’s no "current" slang. By using Zulu and Swahili, the songwriters grounded the movie in a sense of place and history. By using Tim Rice’s clever, almost academic English lyrics ("powers of retention," "vacant expressions," "verve"), they gave it a timeless, literary feel.
If you’re looking to truly appreciate the music, your next step is to listen to the Rhythm of the Pride Lands album. It’s the "raw" version of the soundtrack, featuring Lebo M’s original arrangements before they were polished for the movie. You’ll hear the full Zulu verses that were cut for time and get a much deeper sense of the South African heartbeat that makes the movie work.
Check out the "Ultimate Edition" soundtracks on streaming platforms—they usually include the demo tracks where you can hear Tim Rice and Elton John arguing over words like "sordid" and "dues."
Actionable Insights for Lion King Fans:
- Learn the Zulu: Search for "Circle of Life Zulu breakdown" to see how the grammar actually works; it's fascinating.
- Listen to the Broadway Cast Recording: The lyrics are expanded, and songs like "Shadowland" add massive depth to Nala's character.
- Translate the Names: Almost every character's name is a Swahili word (Simba = Lion, Nala = Gift, Rafiki = Friend). Understanding the names makes the lyrics feel even more like a cohesive poem.