Released August 9, 1994 Length 4:51 | Genre Pop rock, soft rock Label Walt Disney, Mercury | |
Format CD, vinyl record (7"), audio cassette Recorded 1993
Santa Monica, California
April 1994
BOP Recording Studios
Mmabatho, South Africa | ||
"Circle of Life" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. Composed by Elton John, with lyrics by Tim Rice, the song was performed by Carmen Twillie (the deep female lead vocals) and Lebo M. (opening Zulu vocals) as the film's opening song. In an interview, Rice said he was amazed at the speed with which John composed: "I gave him the lyrics at the beginning of the session at about two in the afternoon. By half-past three, he'd finished writing and recording a stunning demo." Elton John sang a pop version of the song with the London Community Gospel Choir, which was included in the film's soundtrack and made into a music video. "Circle of Life" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song in 1994, along with two other songs from The Lion King: "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" which won the award.
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The song reached #11 in the UK and #18 in the United States and is featured frequently in attractions based on The Lion King, such as Disney theme parks and parades. Michael Crawford sang it as part of a medley for The Disney Album in 2001.
Act I
In the theatrical adaption, the opening sequence is noticeably different from the opening of the film. For example, the song is sung by the Rafiki character instead of an off-screen female narrator.
With the sun rising over the Pride Lands, Rafiki commences the start of the production by beginning the opening chant of the song and summoning the various animals of the surrounding area for baby Simba's presentation. As the first two verses of the musical number end, a representation of Pride Rock appears on stage carrying its two reigning rulers, Queen Sarabi cradling the small puppet representing her newborn cub in her arms. As the choir chants excitedly in the background, Rafiki accompanies them atop Pride Rock to bless the baby prince before raising him high in the air, singing joyfully alongside the chorus as the gathered animals bow before their new prince.
Act II
At the end of Act II, Simba's friends and family acknowledge him as the rightful king after the hyenas devoured Scar. Rafiki crowns Simba with the mantle of kingship after his victory, and Simba ascends Pride Rock. He gives a mighty roar across the whole kingdom, and the animals come back to the Pridelands to recognize and salute Simba as the rightful king.
For example, the assembly of animals that appear are slightly different from the beginning of Act I without the wildebeests and the adult elephant, only two zebras instead of three, three gazelles instead of four, and half of the bird ladies instead of four. Only the baby elephant, the rhino, the giraffes, three cranes, the cheetah, and the birds appear as poles on cranes as kites. The lionesses celebrate the continuing circle of life when they present a newborn cub who is the daughter of Simba and Nala. The musical ends as Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub to all of the animals. A blackout finishes Act II and leads to the curtain call at the end of the second act.
Circle of Stars version
The song was re-recorded in 2003 by the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, a group of actors and actresses who have appeared in Disney Channel television series and original movies. The lineup was significantly different when their next rerecording, "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," was released two years later.
Movie version
With the usual number of dubs normally released by Disney, for The Lion King, a special Zulu dub was made in South Africa. This is not just the only Zulu dub ever made by Disney, but also the only dub made in any African language, other than Arabic.
In 2003, in the Arabic and Polish versions, the song was re-dubbed, while the rest of the dub remained as such.
Jocelyn B. Smith (German) received a gold record as an award for her performance.
Beside the official dubs, several local TV stations made their own dub of the movie, or re-dubbed an existing version, in local languages. Namely: Arabic, Armenian, Austrian German, Crimean Tatar, Kabardian, Nogai, and Tamil.
Musical version
Like it happened with the movie, when the musical was translated into other languages, the song also was translated. The versions below are those that are available for the public through cast recordings of the respective productions. The Brazilian and Korean productions were the only non-English productions of the show that didn't have a cast recording released at the time the show played in the respective countries.
In popular culture
Due to the film's impact on popular culture, the song "Circle of Life" is often referenced in other media.
The opening to The Lion King was parodied in an episode of the 1990s cartoon Animaniacs, in which the theme of "Circle Of Life" was parodied with "Surprises In Life", with vocals by Jim Cummings and Cree Summer as lead singer.
The Tenth Doctor finds himself subconsciously quoting "Circle of Life" during a confrontation with the Sycorax leader in the 2005 Christmas special of the revived Doctor Who series, "The Christmas Invasion".
In one of Disney's many self-references, "The Circle of Life" appeared as a false beginning of the film Chicken Little, when Buck was trying to open the movie.
South Park did a parody song called The Circle of Poo that shows the endless circle of food and defecation in the episode A Very Crappy Christmas.
It is currently the main theme song for Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. Disney's Epcot park currently features a cinema-type film called Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable from 1995 with Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba discussing environmental topics at the Walt Disney World Resort as well.
At the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner, President Barack Obama jokingly claimed he was going to show his long-form birth video, spoofing an earlier controversy about refusing to show his long-form birth certificate to prove he was, in fact, born in the United States. The opening chant was played from the film, and Simba was seen being lifted to the skies. This was used to poke fun at Obama's alleged Kenyan heritage.
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes started using the song as his walk-up music during the 2016 MLB season.
The Japanese band Da Pump recorded a cover version of the song in 2003.