The soundtrack for the 2019 photoralistic re-imagining of The Lion King is widely considered to be a worthy successor to the original's soundtrack. Click here for the Awesome Music page for the original film.
Pre-release and marketing:
- The teaser trailer
makes "Circle of Life" sound even more epic than the original, especially with those orchestral swells. - The official trailer features glorious re-imaginings of Hans Zimmer's "King of Pride Rock" and Lebo M's "Busa". Even the new Timon and Pumbaa rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" at the end of the trailer is just plain fun.
- The fifth TV spot is set to a gorgeous rendition of “This Land”, the main orchestral theme of the original filmnote , starting with a warm, beautiful piano solo before transitioning to a beautiful crescendo.
- The ticket sales announcement spot features a version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", performed by Glover and Beyoncé, not heard in the final film itself. It relies on a warm, nostalgic piano rendition of the song along with largely unaccompanied vocals from Glover and Beyonce.
- This Scar-centric spot features another epic rendition of "This Land", really driving home the epic themes of destiny and the bloody battle for Pride Rock's throne that the film depicts.
The soundtrack itself:
- "Circle of Life/Nants Ingonyama" is just as wonderful as it was in the original, using the iconic original opening cry by Lebo M. for extra fanservice. The song itself is sung by Brown Lindiwe Mkhize, who played Rafiki for well over a decade in the stage adaptation, lending the reworked tune authenticity since it's in the hands of a franchise veteran.
- "Life's Not Fair", which mostly shows the mouse scurrying about before it runs afoul of Scar, is a gentle, happy tune that sounds refreshing and upbeat, and even includes a hint of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King". The African strings are also very pleasant.
- "Rafiki's Fireflies", starting off with vocalizations from Lebo, sounds appropriately mystical and peaceful for the scene in which Rafiki observes the bugs in his tree magically coming together to form Simba's image. When Rafiki says Simba's name, it transitions into a beautiful, warm choral rendition of "This Land."
- Though not released as part of the soundtrack, the sequence in which Simba wakes up his parents and goes on his tour with Mufasa has a great score. The playful, upbeat rendition of Simba's theme "Busa", the magnificent, huge iteration of "This Land" atop Pride Rock, and the peaceful, sweet theme during Mufasa's speech about balance. It gets topped off with a cute, playful reprise of "Busa" as Simba hunts the bug.
- Though brief, the haunting cue that plays when Scar gives his unseen Death Glare to show how he really feels about his nephew is appropriately chilling.
- "I Just Can't Wait to be King" is even more bombastic and energetic than the original thanks to Zimmer's orchestra, and JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph's impressive vocals (Joseph's character, Nala, also retains her extra lines from the Broadway production of The Lion King). The song also features a cool new segment in the middle with some upbeat, epic chorus.
- The eerie, almost primordial theme of the hyenas is appropriately sinister when Simba and Nala enter their graveyard. And just for fans, the music that originally played when the 1994 hyenas debuted also plays during Shenzi's first appearance, made all the more sinister thanks to Shenzi's darker portrayal. After an energetic chase scene with some intimidating African drums, Mufasa arrives to save the cubs set to an absolutely epic rendition of "This Land". If nothing makes you fear the king of Pride Rock, this will.
- The new rendition of "Under the Stars", featured as the second half of the "Elephant Graveyard" track. It's pretty similar to the original, this time with a bittersweet wind when Simba asks if he and his father will always be together. Favreau noted in this scene he wanted to hear it "how it sounded on the album", hence why the sequence and track are so dead-on to the original.
- When Scar approaches Shenzi, you can hear Zimmer performing a snippet of the original "Be Prepared"'s intro segment. The ensuing song, while far from as beloved as the original, has attracted some fans due to its' more intense, darker tone, and Ejiofor's acting. The final "Be Prepared" sounds like it came straight out of the Broadway show.
- The new version of "Stampede" one-ups the epic feel of the original track, with an even more powerful chorus chiming in. Particular note goes towards the new segment after the big pan into the stampede and the heavy choir really going for it. "This Land" is also used liberally, particularly in an extremely intense segment which accompanies Mufasa racing to save Simba once he jumps into the stampede; and in what basically amounts to Mufasa's Last Stand as he tries to climb out to safety. The quick drone that is heard when Scar appears atop the cliff to stop him is also appropriately chilling. The piece accompanying Simba finding Mufasa's body is still just as sad as the original. Only this time it's followed up by an eerie portion with the trailer shot of Scar and the approaching hyenas.
- "Scar Takes the Throne" starts with an extremely sad, lonely version of "This Land" as Simba takes a Long Last Look at the Pride Lands before running off into the desert. Then Scar's ascension is built up with an appropriately dramatic theme, truly selling that this is the end of the kingdom as we know it and just how screwed the Pride Lands are.
- Another piece not on the soundtrack is another rendition of "This Land", even sadder and lonelier than the previous one as we watch poor little Simba crossing the desert before finally giving up and collapsing from exhaustion.
- "Hakuna Matata" is just as fun and memorable as the original thanks to Billy Eichner's excellent singing... and Seth Rogen's poor singing that he himself admitted to, but still tries his darndest. It's a fun, cathartic song after the horrors Simba just endured, and it's topped off by Donald Glover's triumphant entry into the film at the final verse.
- It's another unreleased track, but there's a quiet theme for the lionesses heavily reliant on flutes and winds, first prominently heard when Nala is introduced. It's also very understated when Sarabi defiantly declares they will stay in the Pride Lands to wait for the right time to overthrow Scar, perfectly showing the dignity and grace of the queen.
- The underscore for Nala's escape scene is suitably suspenseful, leaving you on the edge of your seat.
- "Simba Is Alive!" has a gorgeous rendition of the theme it mostly relies on until it gets to Rafiki's tree. Rafiki declaring Simba is alive is accompanied by a triumphant reprise of "This Land" with an excellent chorus.
- "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is a fun, bouncy, and very catchy rendition of the song.
- "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is mostly the same as the original, but Glover and Beyonce's vocals are appropriately smooth and charming.
- "Reflections of Mufasa" starts with a reprise of Rafiki's theme from "Rafiki's Fireflies", and then transitions into a longer chase scene in which Rafiki leads Simba through the jungle, using the theme from the original that would later be adapted into "Endless Night" for the Broadway show (based on "La La") and the original Rafiki chase theme. It all builds to yet another home run as Zimmer goes for the jugular with a cover of "Remember Who You Are".
- Not heard on the actual soundtrack, but "Spirit" has a gorgeous intro segment as Simba roars and leaves the oasis to return home, led by some gorgeous vocals from Lebo M.
- "Spirit" is basically all you want and more from a Beyonce song.
- The scene where Rafiki prepares for the battle he knows is coming uses the Rafiki chase theme, before leading into another epic rendition of "This Land" as he draws forth the mighty staff most audiences had missed the whole movie.
- "Battle for Pride Rock" is a ten-minute suite accompanying the eponymous final battle with Scar.
- It starts slow and eerie with a return of the intro of "Be Prepared" before going into the confrontation with Scar. In particular, the choral version of the scene where Scar dares Simba to confess to Mufasa's death is ethereal and chilling, just as the violin "This Land" rendition when Nala rallies the lionesses for battle is stirring and epic.
- The stampede theme is revisited when Simba learns the truth about Mufasa's death and is turned into an epic battle theme as the fight begins in earnest. The score during Nala and Shenzi's confrontation is also ominous and foreboding as these two lifelong rivals finally face off.
- "This Land" returns for Rafiki's fight with the hyenas, and is made all the more epic by seeing him kick some hyena tail. It returns again when Nala defeats Shenzi and the lionesses vanquish the hyena horde.
- The final clash between Simba and Scar uses an even more epic rendition of the already-epic "This Land" from the original film's final duel between the two.
- Finally, the hyena themes from the original and the remake are used when they confront Scar for his betrayal, and it sounds appropriately harrowing as they finally eat him alive.
- "Remember", the new version of "King of Pride Rock", more heavily focuses on the vocals this time and is just as epic as the original, if not more.
- Elton John's new song exclusive to the remake, "Never Too Late", is upbeat, catchy, and has more vocals from Lebo M. It really drives home the theme of how it's never too late to get back on track and do the right thing.
- The isiXhosa version of "He Lives in You" (originally from the Rhythm of the Pride Lands album and featured in the musical and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride) that plays during the credits was a welcome surprise.
- The final song of the soundtrack and film is a gorgeous cover of "Mbube", the original song by Solomon Linda that inspired "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". It's a tribute to the 80th anniversary of the song, and is a final cherry on top to pay tribute to the film's rich musical legacy.
- And just as one more thing, the DVD menu features yet another wonderfully epic rendition of "This Land".
