Rhythm of the Pride Lands | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Soundtrack album by | |
Released | February 28, 1995 |
Recorded | January 1993–April 1994 |
Studio | Media Ventures (Los Angeles) Ocean Way (Los Angeles) Snake Ranch (London) Angel (London) BOP studios (Mmabatho) |
Genre | |
Length | 47:13 |
Label | Walt Disney Records |
Producer | Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Hans Zimmer, John Van Tongeren Lebo M (co-producer) |
Rhythm of the Pride Lands is an audio CD released on February 28, 1995, by Walt Disney Records, a "sequel" to the original motion picture soundtrack of the animated film The Lion King (1994). Most of the tracks were composed by Lebo M, Jay Rifkin, and Hans Zimmer and focused primarily on the African influences of the film's original music, with most songs being sung either partially or entirely in various African languages.
The CD was originally an independent project developed by Rifkin and Lebo M and included songs and performances inspired by, but not featured in the film. As the project developed, Walt Disney Records came on board and supported the project as then-newly appointed senior vice president Carolyn Mayer Beug sought to expand Disney Records' foray into adult contemporary music. [1]
Several songs featured on the album would later have incarnations in other The Lion King-oriented projects, inspiring Julie Taymor's stage musical and the direct-to-video sequels, such as "He Lives in You". For example, the songs "Lea Halalela (Holy Land)" and "Lala" were adapted into, respectively, "Shadowland", [2] and "Endless Night" [3] for the stage musical adaptation. "Warthog Rhapsody", which delved deeper into Pumbaa's origins, was originally recorded to be included in the movie, but was replaced with "Hakuna Matata". The song was later reworked with new lyrics into the song "That's All I Need" for The Lion King 1½ (2004).
Rhythm of the Pride Lands was initially printed in a very limited quantity. Today, it is available digitally through the iTunes Store. [4]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "He Lives in You" | Lebo M, Mark Mancina, and Jay Rifkin | Lebo M, Chorus | 4:51 |
2. | "Hakuna Matata" | Elton John and Tim Rice | Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M | 4:24 |
3. | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | George David Weiss, Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, Albert Stanton and Solomon Linda | Lebo M | 3:33 |
4. | "Kube" | Caiphus Semenya and Lebo M | Lebo M | 3:46 |
5. | "Lea Halalela (Holy Land)" | Hans Zimmer and Lebo M | Khululiwe Sithole, Chorus | 6:02 |
6. | "It's Time" | Jay Rifkin, John Van Tongeren, and Lebo M | Lebo M | 4:26 |
7. | "One by One" | Lebo M | Lebo M, Chorus | 3:10 |
8. | "Warthog Rhapsody" | Elton John and Tim Rice | Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella | 3:06 |
9. | "Lala" | Hans Zimmer, Jay Rifkin, Lebo M | Lebo M | 4:34 |
10. | "Busa" | Hans Zimmer, Jay Rifkin, Lebo M | Lebo M, Chorus | 4:04 |
11. | "Noyana" | Luyanda Jezile, Wendy Mseleku and Max Ngcobo | Lebo M, Chorus | 5:13 |
Total length: | 47:13 |
In its first two weeks of release, Rhythm of the Pride Lands had reached to number 23 on the Billboard 200. [6] By April 1997, the album had sold more than 900,000 copies, and by October 1998, it was certified platinum. [7] [8]
Jack Garner of the Democrat and Chronicle wrote that Rhythm of the Pride Lands was "an appropriate companion to the soundtrack album." [9] Tom Jackson of the Tampa Tribune gave the album 2+1⁄2 stars out of 4 writing that "Although not the equal of the original soundtrack, this collection of Lion King-inspired music effectively captures the haunting theme of the celebrated Elton John-Tim Rice collaboration." Jackson particularly praised Lebo M for his vocals on tracks 1 and 4 feeling that they "could seamlessly fit in the movie." Furthermore, he praised the South African chorus for their "chill[ing]" vocals on tracks 6, 7, 9, and 10. [10] Scott Bernade of the Palm Beach Post wrote that "Pride Lands may be slick and synth-driven, but it brims with traditional poly-rhythms and joyous chanting and is a good introduction to African music." [11]
Keri Sweetman, in her review of the Ottawa Citizen , reflected that her children were initially disappointed with the album, but later stated "they've grown more enthusiastic, especially with the pounding duet version of their favorite Lion King song, Hakuna Matata, Lebo M's rendition of the classic The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and the funny Elton John song, Warthog Rhapsody." She concluded that "The nice thing about Rhythm of the Pride Lands is that it will appeal as much to adults as it does for children who loved the movie. I find myself playing it when the kids aren't around." [12] Larry Nager of the Citizens' Voice felt the album took "some of the most exciting music on the planet and turns it into one very long, boring ride." However, he complimented the tracks "One by One" and "Warthog Rhapsody" for respectively bringing "things to life" and the comedic chemistry between Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella. [13]
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [14] | 39 |
US Billboard 200 [15] | 23 |
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson, and Robert Guillaume. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with a score by Hans Zimmer. Inspired by African wildlife, the story is modelled primarily on William Shakespeare's stage play Hamlet with some influence from the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, and follows a young heir apparent who is forced to flee after his uncle kills his father and usurps the throne. After growing up in exile, the rightful king returns to challenge the usurper and end his tyrannical rule over the kingdom.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video musical romantic drama film. It is the sequel to Disney's 1994 animated feature film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the second installment in The Lion King trilogy. According to director Darrell Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet.
The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa is an American animated buddy comedy television series created by Walt Disney Television Animation. It was based on Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King, centering on Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog as they continue to live by their problem-free philosophy hakuna matata. Compared to most other The Lion King media, the tone of the series is more slapstick comedy-oriented.
The Lion King 1½ is a 2004 American animated direct-to-video musical comedy film produced by the Australian branch of DisneyToon Studios and released direct to video on February 10, 2004. The third and final installment released in the original Lion King trilogy, it is based on The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa and serves as an origin story for the meerkat/warthog duo Timon and Pumbaa while the film is also set within the events of The Lion King (1994). A majority of the original voice cast from the first film returns to reprise their roles, including Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as the voices of Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. The plot of the movie is inspired by Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a tragicomedy that tells the story of Hamlet from the point of view of two minor characters.
"Hakuna matata" is a Swahili phrase, meaning "no trouble" or "no worries" and "take it easy" The 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios animated film The Lion King brought the phrase to Western prominence in one of its most popular songs, in which it is translated as "no worries". The song is often heard at Disney's resorts, hotels, and amusement parks.
The Lion King is a stage musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. It is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name. Directed by Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.
Lebohang Morake, known as Lebo M, is a South African producer and composer, known for his songwriting and vocal work on the soundtracks to films such as The Lion King, The Power of One and Outbreak and numerous stage productions. He was recommended to Disney by Hans Zimmer, the composer of both adaptations of The Lion King, and formed and conducted the African choir that sang for the films.
Timon and Pumbaa are an animated meerkat and warthog duo introduced in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King and its franchise. Timon was played through his many appearances by Nathan Lane, Max Casella, Kevin Schon, Quinton Flynn, Bruce Lanoil in the Wild About Safety shorts and Kingdom Hearts II, while Pumbaa is voiced by Ernie Sabella, and was portrayed by Tom Alan Robbins in the original cast of the Broadway musical. In the CGI remake, the characters are portrayed by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, respectively. Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella first came to audition for the roles of the hyenas, but when the producers saw how well they worked together, they decided to cast them as Timon and Pumbaa.
Jay Rifkin is an American record and film producer.
The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the 1994 Disney animated feature film, The Lion King. 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.
"He Lives in You" is a song written and performed by Lebo M and his South African Choir and co-written by Mark Mancina and Jay Rifkin, originally for Rhythm of the Pride Lands, a 1995 album inspired by the 1994 film The Lion King. It is also performed twice in the stage musical adaptation of The Lion King, first produced in 1997. Furthermore, an abridged version of the song was used for the opening of the 1998 sequel film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
There have been seven Theme park live adaptations of The Lion King at Disney parks since the Disney animated feature film The Lion King was released by Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1994. These have included a parade, two theater-in-the-round shows, and four stage shows.
"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. The music was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning "No worry(ies)".
Disney Magic was released by Walt Disney Records on September 20, 2004. The album includes various pop stars like Christina Aguilera, Sting, Phil Collins, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams performing popular Disney songs. These tracks also appeared in Disney movie soundtracks. It is a two-disc album with 22 songs on each CD.
"Circle of Life" is the song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. Composed by English musician Elton John, with lyrics by Tim Rice, the song was performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M 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." 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.
The Lion King is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional media. The success of animated original 1994 American feature film, The Lion King, directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, led to a direct-to-video sequel and prequel, a live-action remake in 2019, a television film sequel, two spin-off television series, three educational shorts, several video games, merchandise, and the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history, which garnered six Tony Awards including Best Musical. The franchise, led by the musical's box office at $8.1 billion, is the highest-grossing entertainment property. The franchise as a whole has EGOT-ed, meaning it has won the four biggest awards of American show business.
"Endless Night" is a song written by Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, Julie Taymor, and Jay Rifkin. It premiered in 1997 as part of the musical The Lion King, a stage adaptation of Disney's 1994 animated feature film of the same name. Mark Mancina produced the song and arranged by Mark A. Brymer. Taymor wrote the lyrics based on the melody from "Lala", a song from the 1995 soundtrack album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. Jason Raize, who first performed the role of Simba for the Broadway production, first performed and recorded "Endless Night"; his version is included on the original cast recording.
"Shadowland" is a song written by Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, and Mark Mancina for the musical The Lion King (1997), a stage adaptation of Disney's 1994 animated feature film of the same name. Based on the song "Lea Halalela ", a track featured on Lebo's Lion King-inspired concept album Rhythm of the Pride Lands (1995), Lebo composed the track with Zimmer, while both Lebo and Mancina contributed new lyrics to its melody. Lebo based the song's lyrics on his own experiences having been exiled from South Africa during apartheid, therefore imbuing "Shadowland" with themes about refugeeism and survival.
The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack for the 2019 Walt Disney Pictures remake film of the same name, a live-action photorealistic computer-generated remake of Disney's 1994 animated feature film of the same name. It features songs from the original film written by Elton John and Tim Rice and performed by the film's cast. It also features the score composed by Hans Zimmer, the original film's composer, and two new songs: "Spirit," written by Beyoncé, Labrinth, and Ilya Salmanzadeh and performed by Beyoncé, and the end-credit song "Never Too Late", written by John and Rice and performed by John. Beyoncé also produced a curated soundtrack titled The Lion King: The Gift, which features new songs performed by multiple artists. The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was digitally released on July 11, 2019, and both the soundtrack's CD and Beyoncé's album were released on July 19, 2019.