Lion King Songs

[Katelyn23]

In regards to the instrumental score, The Rightful King wins by a landslide.

Are you sure? King of pride rock is the last few isn't it? Not to sound like a know it all sorry, but is it combined and called that or something? You mean when Simba's arguing with Scar and when he climbs up pride rock? I'm just a bit confused... If I'm wrong is there a version where I can listen to the whole thing?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5uYB9T_GlY

Sorry, I probably should have specified that I was referring to the track on the Legacy Collection of TLK which was released last year. It is entitled The Rightful King and is a longer version of King Of Pride Rock (from the original soundtrack) that includes the score from the entire last 11 minutes of the film whereas King Of Pride Rock was only about 6 minutes if I'm not mistaken and didn't have the music from scenes such as the final battle between Simba and Scar.

Here's a link to the track I was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92o7cGq0htg

[Captain Cupcake]

Indeed.

Basically, what background music we got on the original album was essentially just a group of suites. Basically taking bits and pieces of material from the original score (some of which are completely disconnected from each other and are played at different parts in the film itself), and editing them together to make a handful of shorter tracks. Essentially a set of "Best Ofs" of a much larger musical score.

[Shawry111]

Ahhh I see, I recently downloaded the Legacy collection and now get what you mean. What an amazing idea to bring everything together... It is, truly beautiful.

[Captain Cupcake]

Another interesting note about the Legacy Collection is that it's presented in a new mix. Basically taking all stems (different parts of a recording, like the vocals, strings, etc.) of the original work and remastering it all as how Hans Zimmer originally intended the score to sound like. Certain cues like "I Was Just Trying to Be Brave" and that last rendition of Mufasa's theme near the end of "The Rightful King" (before Simba's theme plays as he takes his place as king) have choral bits that weren't even audible in the original mixes before.

[Shawry111]

Yes I noticed that! The songs I hadn't heard before seemed to had merged things together to make it rather magnificent.

[Squeely]

TLK:
Circle of Life
Be Prepared
Can You Feel the Love Tonight

SP:
He Lives In You
My Lullaby
One of Us

1 1/2:
Digga Tunnah

Broadway:
Shadowland
Endless Night
Simba Confronts Scar

TLG:
Tonight We Strike
Kion's Lament

[Simba_Lion]

I like all, even the TLG songs too.

[Amur_Tiger]

Huh, after searching for TLK soundtracks I hadn't run into the Legacy Collection ones, time to start listening and fiddling with playlists again.

Lots of nice things in there, though I can't say I like that version of CYFTLT, keeping the Timon & Pumba framing but cutting out the Nala & Simba inner monologue? Weird choice.

Apparently I misheard? Might have clicked the track bar by accident when listening to it.

Of that I think 'Remember who you are' is probably the nicest of them, it mostly sticks to the same tone and gives you refrains of a lot of the main themes in the movie without seeming too disjointed. Only real oddity is the Rafiki chase bit.

'The Rightful King' has a lot going for it but it ends up covering so much territory that it really loses focus as a song, especially with the interludes of Timon & Pumba bits in the middle of dramatic fight music. Basically the first minute or so and the last 3.5 minutes would work wonderfully together in getting the whole theme of the movie together and rising towards triumphant climax. The 7 minutes of battle in the middle have a lot of other things thrown in there, some of which could have worked but both the length of time involved and some of the clashing bits sorta make it feel like the song is quite lost before you get to that last 3.5 minutes and the rise towards triumphant Busa.

Obviously I have a taste for the instrumental stuff, though I enjoy CYFTLT and Circle of Life.

[SilverSimba01]

Even after this years, I still have the song "I Just Can't Wait to be King" as my top favorite song from all TLK movies

[Azdgari]

After coming back to the music here and there, I'd never really recognized how much I like He Lives in You. That whole opening sequence really does it for me, sort of evokes a spiritual quality that the movie then (IMO) promptly botches. I think it uses the tribal choir/chant pretty effectively, and the bangin' fretless bass part driving underneath adds a layer of genuine musicianship. The form expresses and develops well, it peaks well. It's a great tune, really.

Really don't think much of the rest of the soundtrack... We Are One is alright I guess, if hopelessly cheesy. Again, in that, Upendi, and a lot of the 'interlude' music, that bass player is playing a pretty significant role. Probably my favorite part of that score, overall.