Think back to 1994. The Disney Renaissance was in full swing, but the studio was taking a massive gamble on a story about a lion cub in Africa. It sounds like a sure bet now, doesn't it? It wasn't. At the time, Disney's "A-team" was actually busy working on Pocahontas, which everyone assumed would be the bigger hit. Meanwhile, the "B-team" was left to figure out a "Hamlet-with-fur" concept. The secret weapon that eventually tipped the scales? It was the music. Specifically, the involvement of The Lion King by Elton John.
It’s honestly wild to imagine the film without his melodic DNA. When Tim Rice—the legendary lyricist who had already conquered Broadway and Disney with Aladdin—approached Elton, the rock star was a bit surprised. He wasn't a "Disney guy" yet. He was the man who gave us "Rocket Man" and "Bennie and the Jets." But Rice knew they needed a pop sensibility to ground the high-concept African setting. He needed Elton.
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The Gritty Reality of Writing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
If you think these songs were written in some magical ivory tower, think again. Elton John basically wrote the melodies for several of the film's biggest hits in a matter of weeks, sometimes even hours. He’s a melody machine. He takes the lyrics from Tim Rice and just... plays. But the road to the final version of the soundtrack was bumpy.
Take "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." This song is the emotional heartbeat of the film. However, there was a point during production where it was actually cut from the movie. Can you imagine? Elton saw an early screening and was, understandably, horrified. He told the producers that the reason he did the movie was to have a great Disney love song, and they had just benched his MVP. He fought for it. He argued that the movie needed that moment of vulnerability. Because of his stature and his passion for the piece, the directors (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff) found a way to work it back in.
Actually, let's talk about the first version of that song. It was originally supposed to be sung entirely by Timon and Pumbaa. Yes, the warthog and the meerkat. It was intended to be a joke. Elton hated that idea. He insisted it needed to be a traditional, sweeping ballad. He won that battle, though a small piece of the Timon/Pumbaa comedy survived in the intro and outro of the track. This tension between "silly" and "sincere" is what makes the soundtrack work. It’s not just a kids' record. It’s a sophisticated pop album that happens to be about lions.
Why "Circle of Life" is a Production Masterclass
Most people associate the opening chant of the movie with Elton. But that’s actually Lebo M., a South African composer and singer brought in by Hans Zimmer. Zimmer was the guy responsible for the "score," while Elton handled the "songs." This distinction is important because the magic of The Lion King by Elton John is that it’s actually a three-way collaboration between British pop royalty, a German film composer, and African musicians.
When Elton wrote the melody for "Circle of Life," he sent a demo back to the studio with just him and a piano. It was good. But when Hans Zimmer and Lebo M. got their hands on it, they transformed it into something primal. That opening Zulu chant—Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba—wasn't in Elton's original plan. It was the "flavor" added by the production team that made Elton's pop hook feel like a timeless anthem of the Savannah.
It’s a weird mix. You’ve got a guy from Pinner, Middlesex, writing tunes that are then filtered through the lens of a massive orchestral arrangement. It shouldn't work. It should feel disjointed. Instead, it feels like the only way that story could ever be told.
The Misconception About "Hakuna Matata"
Everyone knows this song. It’s a global brand at this point. But what most people get wrong is where it came from. Tim Rice found the phrase "Hakuna Matata" while on a research trip to Africa. He realized it fit the meter of the story perfectly. Elton, ever the professional, treated it like any other pop assignment.
The interesting thing is that Elton didn't actually sing these songs in the movie. That’s a common mix-up. In the film, the characters sing them. Elton only performed the "pop versions" that played over the credits and lived on the radio. His version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" became a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It wasn't just a movie tie-in; it was a legitimate chart-topper. This helped the soundtrack stay at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 for weeks on end. It eventually sold over 10 million copies in the US alone. That is Diamond status. In an era where grunge and gangsta rap were dominating the airwaves, a Disney soundtrack by a 70s rock icon was the biggest thing on the planet.
The Broadway Evolution
We can't talk about this music without mentioning the stage. When Julie Taymor was tasked with bringing the movie to Broadway, she knew she couldn't just use the five songs from the movie. There wasn't enough meat on the bones for a two-hour show.
So, she went back to the well. Elton John and Tim Rice wrote additional material, but they also pulled from a "lost" album called Rhythm of the Pride Lands. This was a project Hans Zimmer, Lebo M., and Jay Rifkin worked on after the movie came out. Songs like "He Lives in You" and "Endless Night" added a layer of spiritual depth that the movie touched on but didn't fully explore.
The Broadway show turned Elton’s music into a theatrical juggernaut. It’s now the highest-grossing entertainment property in history. More than Star Wars. More than Avatar. It all circles back to those initial melodies Elton banged out on a piano in the early 90s.
The 2019 "Live-Action" Controversy
Then came the remake. Beyoncé joined the cast. Pharrell Williams came in to produce. The 2019 version of the music was... polarizing. While the film was a massive financial success, many critics and fans felt the "soul" of the music had been sanded down.
Elton himself wasn't shy about his feelings. In interviews following the release of the 2019 film, he expressed disappointment. He felt the music didn't have the same impact as the original. He specifically mentioned that "the magic and joy were lost." It’s a rare moment of a creator being brutally honest about a billion-dollar franchise. He felt that in the rush to make things look "realistic," the filmmakers forgot that the music was supposed to be theatrical and larger-than-life.
The Technical Brilliance of the Composition
Let's get nerdy for a second. If you look at the structure of "Be Prepared," it’s actually a very complex piece of musical theater. It’s sinister. It uses minor keys and chromatic shifts to make Scar feel truly dangerous. Elton has this ability to write "villain music" that is still incredibly catchy.
- He uses a driving, rhythmic base that mimics a military march.
- The melody jumps around, reflecting Scar's erratic and flamboyant personality.
- He leaves space for the lyrics to breathe, which is why Jeremy Irons' talk-singing works so well.
Compare that to "I Just Can't Wait to Be King." That song is pure bubblegum pop. It’s bright, it’s bouncy, and it uses a major key to emphasize Simba’s naivety. The range Elton showed on this one project is staggering. He went from African-inspired anthems to Vaudeville-style comedy to power ballads without breaking a sweat.
What Most People Miss: The Elton/Tim Rice Dynamic
The partnership was the secret sauce. Tim Rice is a very structured, intellectual lyricist. Elton is an emotional, intuitive composer. Rice would send Elton a sheet of lyrics, and Elton would sit at the piano. He famously doesn't like to spend a lot of time "toiling" over a song. If the melody doesn't come in 20 minutes, he moves on.
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This speed gave the songs a sense of urgency. They don't feel overthought. They feel like they were captured in the moment. When you listen to the demo tapes—which are available on some of the special edition releases—you can hear the exact moment a classic is born.
Why This Music Still Matters in 2026
We live in a world of algorithmic music. Everything is tuned to death. But The Lion King by Elton John remains a benchmark because it feels human. It’s flawed, it’s grand, and it’s unapologetically emotional.
It taught a generation of kids how to process grief ("Circle of Life") and how to find joy in the face of adversity ("Hakuna Matata"). It also proved that a rock star could reinvent themselves. Before this movie, Elton was a legend, but he was a legacy act. After this movie, he was a cross-generational icon. He reached children who didn't know who Captain Fantastic was.
If you're looking to really appreciate the depth of this work, don't just stick to the Spotify "Top Hits" version. You have to go deeper.
Actionable Ways to Experience the Music Today
- Listen to the "Rhythm of the Pride Lands" Album: This is the bridge between the movie and the Broadway show. It features Lebo M. at his absolute best and provides the "soul" that Elton's pop melodies needed.
- Watch the "Making of" Documentaries: The footage of Elton, Tim, and Hans in the studio is a masterclass in creative collaboration. You can see the friction and the sparks that led to the final product.
- Compare the 1994 and 2019 Soundtracks: Do a side-by-side listen. Notice the vocal textures. Pay attention to how the 1994 version uses silence and dynamics compared to the 2019 version's more "wall of sound" approach.
- Check out Elton’s Live Performances: Elton often plays "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" in his solo concerts. Hearing them with just a piano and his aging, deeper voice gives them a whole new level of gravitas.
The legacy of this music isn't just in the awards (though it won plenty, including Oscars and Grammys). It’s in the fact that thirty years later, you can hum three notes of "Circle of Life" anywhere in the world, and people will know exactly what you're talking about. That’s not just good marketing. That’s songwriting at its most potent level.
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To truly understand the impact of Elton's work here, you have to look past the Disney branding. At its core, it’s a story about a son losing a father and finding himself, set to the tune of one of the greatest melodicists to ever live. It’s a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that Disney has tried to replicate dozens of times since, but never quite with the same heart.
The next time you hear those opening notes, remember the struggle it took to get them there. Remember the "B-team" artists, the rock star who fought for his ballad, and the South African singers who gave the whole thing a pulse. It’s a messy, beautiful, complicated history that resulted in the most successful soundtrack of all time.