The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)

The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Artwork for original release
Soundtrack album by
Elton John, Hans Zimmer and various artists
Released
  • May 31, 1994 (original release)
  • September 30, 2003 (Special Edition)
Recorded1992–1994[1]
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 46:40 (1994 original release)
  • 52:08 (2003 Special Edition)
LabelWalt Disney
Producer
Walt Disney Animation Studios chronology
Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1992)
The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1994)
Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
(1995)
Elton John chronology
Duets
(1993)
The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1994)
Chartbusters Go Pop
(1994)
Singles from The Lion King: An Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  1. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
    Released: May 2, 1994
  2. "Circle of Life"
    Released: August 9, 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic (for 2003 Special Edition)[2]
Robert ChristgauC[3]
Filmtracks[4]
Smash Hits3/5[5]
Sputnikmusic5/5[6]
Vox(10/10)[7]

The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the eponymous Disney film. It contains songs from the film written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. Elton John has a dual role of performer for several tracks. Additional performers include Lebo M, Carmen Twillie, Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, Joseph Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Sally Dworsky. The album was released on May 31, 1994, on CD and audio cassette. The soundtrack was recorded in three different countries: the U.S., the U.K. and South Africa. It is the best-selling soundtrack album to an animated film in the United States with over 7 million copies sold, with 4,934,000 copies sold in 1994.[8] Hans Zimmer was awarded an Academy Award for his Original Motion Picture Score in 1995. An expanded version of The Lion King soundtrack, featuring 30 minutes of previously unreleased material, was released as part of the Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection series on June 24, 2014. In 2014, Hot Topic released a vinyl picture disc of the soundtrack.[9]

In 2010, Rhapsody included the soundtrack as one of 10 essential Disney and Pixar soundtracks.[10]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs are composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. All scores are composed by Hans Zimmer.

The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
No.TitlePerformer(s)Length
1."Circle of Life"3:59
2."I Just Can't Wait to Be King"2:50
3."Be Prepared"3:40
4."Hakuna Matata"3:33
5."Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
2:57
6."This Land" (score)Hans Zimmer2:55
7."...To Die For" (score)Hans Zimmer4:17
8."Under the Stars" (score)Hans Zimmer3:45
9."King of Pride Rock" (score)Hans Zimmer5:59
10."Circle of Life"Elton John4:51
11."I Just Can't Wait to Be King"Elton John3:37
12."Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (end title)Elton John4:02
Total length:46:40
The Lion King: Special Edition
No.TitlePerformer(s)Length
1."Circle of Life"3:59
2."I Just Can't Wait to Be King"2:50
3."Be Prepared"3:40
4."Hakuna Matata"3:33
5."Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
2:57
6."The Morning Report"1:36
7."This Land" (score)Hans Zimmer2:55
8."...To Die For" (score)Hans Zimmer4:17
9."Under The Stars" (score)Hans Zimmer3:45
10."King Of Pride Rock" (score)Hans Zimmer5:59
11."Circle Of Life"Elton John4:51
12."I Just Can't Wait To Be King"Elton John3:37
13."Can You Feel The Love Tonight" (end title)Elton John4:02
14."Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Remixed By Dave Reitzas And Jochem Van Der Saag)" (remix)Elton John4:08
Total length:52:24

The Legacy Collection release

[edit]

Walt Disney Records released an expanded edition of The Lion King soundtrack containing an additional thirty minutes of previously unreleased material from the film, as well as a collection of demo versions of cues.[9] This revision contains a new remastered mix by Alan Meyerson.

Commercial performance

[edit]

The soundtrack shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S. and eventually went 10× platinum in 1995, thus becoming the biggest-selling soundtrack ever from Disney's 1994 animated feature film. Its certification was promoted to Diamond when the award was instituted in 1999. According to Nielsen Soundscan the soundtrack, as of April 2014, has sold a total of 7.873 million copies in the US.[8] It is also the best-selling vinyl album in the Nielsen SoundScan era (starting 1991), with 1,043,000 copies sold as of June 2014.[11]

Accolades

[edit]
Awards
Award Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result
Academy Awards[12] Best Original Song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Elton John and Tim Rice Won
"Circle of Life" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
"Hakuna Matata" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
Best Original Score Hans Zimmer Won
British Academy Film Awards[13] Best Original Music Hans Zimmer Nominated
Best Sound Terry Porter, Mel Metcalfe, David Hudson, Doc Kane Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[14] Best Original Song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Elton John and Tim Rice Won
"Circle of Life" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
Best Original Score Hans Zimmer Won
Grammy Awards[15][16][17] Song of the Year "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
"Circle of Life" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
"Circle of Life" – Elton John and Tim Rice Nominated
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Hans Zimmer Nominated
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" performed by Elton John Won
Best Musical Album for Children Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Chris Thomas, Hans Zimmer Won
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) Hans Zimmer and Lebo Morake – "Circle of Life" (performed by Carmen Twillie) Won
MTV Movie Awards[18] Best Song from a Movie "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Elton John Nominated

Personnel

[edit]

Song Tracks (1–5 & 10–12)

Score Tracks (6–9)

  • Hans Zimmer – arrangements
  • Lebo M – vocal arrangements
  • Andraé Crouch – choir arrangements
  • Nick Glennie-Smith – choir arrangements
  • Tonia Duvall – vocal contractor
  • Don Davis, Brad Dechter, Gordon Goodwin, Don L. Harper, Larry Kenton, Dave Metzger, Conrad Pope, Carl Rydlund, Mark Watters – orchestrations
  • Yvonne Moriarty – additional orchestrations, french horn
  • Steve Becknell, David Duke, William Lane, Brian O'Connor, Richard Todd, Brad Warnaar, Phillip Yao – french horn
  • Walt Fowler, Malcolm McNab – trumpet
  • Sandy DeCrescent – orchestra contractor
  • Bruce Fowler – vocal arrangements, trombone
  • Alan Kaplan, Charlie Loper, Bill Reichenbach, Phillip A. Teele, Lloyd Ulyate – trombone
  • Richard Harvey – flute, ethnic pipes
  • Sheree Ali, Monica Zierhut – music coordinator
  • Andy Hill – music supervisor

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Original album release
Australia (ARIA)[50] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[51] Platinum 50,000*
Belgium (BEA)[52] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil 1,200,000[53]
Canada (Music Canada)[55] Diamond 1,200,000[54]
China 1,000,000[56]
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[57] Platinum 20,000
France (SNEP)[59] Gold 1,000,000[58]
Germany (BVMI)[60] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^
Italy 600,000[61]
Japan (RIAJ)[63] Gold 150,000[62]
Netherlands (NVPI)[64]
Mercury Records B.V. edition
Platinum 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[65]
Universal Music edition
Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66] Platinum 15,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[67] Gold 50,000*
Sweden (GLF)[68] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[69] 2× Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[71] Diamond 10,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[72] 3× Platinum 3,000,000*
Original cast recording
Australia (ARIA)[73] Gold 35,000^
France (SNEP)[74] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[75] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Gold 100,000
United States (RIAA)[77] Platinum 1,000,000^
Sing-Along shortform
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[79] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^
Hans Zimmer Re-release
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] Gold 100,000
Summaries
Worldwide 20,000,000[81]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/movies/lion-king-simba-jason-weaver.html#:~:text=During%20an%20hour%2Dand%2Da,pridelands%20from%20his%20father%2C%20Mufasa.
  2. ^ Legget, Steve. "The Lion King – Hans Zimmer". AllMusic (Allrovi). Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 29, 1994). "Consumer Guide: Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  4. ^ Clemmensen, Christian (September 24, 1996). "Review: The Lion King". Filmtracks Publications. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  5. ^ Cochrane, Emma (July 20, 1994). "New Albums". Smash Hits. p. 61. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  6. ^ "Soundtrack (Disney) - the Lion King (Album review ) | Sputnikmusic".
  7. ^ Phillips, Shaun. "Review: Various Artists – The Lion King (Phonogram 522690-2)". Vox. No. VOX48, September 1994. p. 104.
  8. ^ a b Grein, Paul (April 30, 2014). "Chart Watch: Sell 14K Albums, Make The Top 10". Yahoo Music.
  9. ^ a b Grisham, Lori (May 7, 2014). "Walt Disney Records to release legacy collection". USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
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