Disney’s Lion King Remake Improved On The Original With 1 Crucial Soundtrack Change

Disney’s The Lion King added one crucial change to the live-action movie’s soundtrack that helped it improve over the original’s. The Lion King depicts the story of a young lion cub, Simba, whose destiny is to rule over Pride Rock; after he is tricked by his uncle into believing he is responsible for his father’s death, Simba flees into the wild, with new friends Timon and Pumbaa. It is only after he grows up that he remembers who he is and returns to overthrow his cunning uncle and accept his responsibilities as king.

Released in 1994, The Lion King is one of the most popular Disney movies ever created and is often considered one of the best movies from the Disney Renaissance era. Since its release, the franchise has expanded to include a musical adaptation, 2 sequels, 2 animated series, and a live-action remake released in 2019. The live-action movie’s soundtrack contained several songs made famous in the animated movie and also added new ones; one particular song was added to the live-action movie that improved on the original soundtrack.

The Lion King 2019 Includes “He Lives In You”

“He Lives In You” Was Written and Performed by Lebo M

One aspect of The Lion King franchise that was highly praised, was its iconic soundtrack, which included music composed by Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and Lebo M. The 1994 animated movie’s soundtrack, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1995, included songs such as “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The soundtrack to The Lion King is considered one of the best Disney movie soundtracks ever made; the live-action movie included new recordings of the original songs and further improved its soundtrack by including one particular song that wasn’t featured in the animated movie.

The 2019 live-action The Lion King features the song “He Lives In You”, written by Lebo M, Jay Rifkin, and Mark Mancina. The original song was composed and recorded in 1995 and serves as a reflection on how lost loved ones are always watching over those left behind. For the 2019 live-action movie, Lebo M. composed a Xhosa language version of the song in tribute to the Pride Lands of Africa where The Lion King takes place, and it is performed during the end credits of the movie.

“He Lives In You” Is One Of The Lion King’s Best Songs

It Serves As A Touching and Powerful Tribute To Lost Loved Ones

“He Lives In You” is often regarded by many, as one of the best songs in The Lion King franchise; using a gentle, African drum beat, and a mixture of Swahili and English lyrics, the song emotionally touches on the idea that the spirits of loved ones who have died still live in the hearts of those who loved them. Throughout The Lion King, Simba is forced to live with the guilt of his father’s death, but thanks to Rafiki, he learns that, despite the tragic circumstances, his father, Mufasa, is always watching over him and his spirit lives on within his son.

The song has received praise for its powerful message of living with losing a loved one and remaining faithful to the African influences used in the movie’s original soundtrack; its title refers to Rafiki’s touching message to Simba about his father’s spirit always being with him. Since its 1995 release, the song has been covered by several notable artists, including Tina Turner, Michael Castaldo, and Diana Ross. The Xhosa language version of “He Lives In You”, used in the 2019 remake, was also praised for its new lyrics and powerful musical beat and for introducing the song to a new generation of listeners.

Why ‘He Lives In You’ Isn’t In The Original Lion King

The Song Is Featured In The Musical Adaption and The Animated Sequel

While “He Lives In You” is considered one of the best songs in The Lion King franchise, surprisingly, it didn’t appear in the original animated movie. The reason for its absence is that the song was only written and released in 1995, a year after The Lion King was released in theaters. “He Lives In You” first appeared on a compilation “sequel” soundtrack, Rhythm of the Pride Lands, which was released in 1995.

Despite not appearing in the original animated movie, “He Lives In You” still features heavily in The Lion King franchise as seen through its appearances in the musical and animated sequel. Two versions of the song were used in the 1997 musical adaptation; it is first sung by Mufasa as “They Live In You” in Act I as he teaches Simba about the Great Kings of the Past, and later by Rafiki in Act II as he helps Simba remember his true destiny. A shortened version of the song was used in the opening sequel of the sequel movie Simba’s Pride, where Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara is introduced to the Pride Lands by Rafiki as the future queen; using the song in this segment represents the fact that Mufasa’s legacy lives on in his son, and also, his new granddaughter.

The Lion King 2019 Still Missed A ‘He Lives In You’ Opportunity

It Could Have Used The Song In The Same Scene As The Musical Adaptation

The 2019 remake of The Lion King uses the song “He Lives In You” as part of the ending credits of the movie. The usage of the Xhosa version of the song is considered a touching ending to the story. However, whilst the live-action remake did manage to include the song in its soundtrack, it still missed a huge opportunity to use it in another part of the movie.

The live-action movie could have used the chance to use the song “He Lives In You” during the segment where Rafiki meets Simba as an adult, as it appears in the musical (via New York Theatre Guide). The message of the song is the most powerful during this segment of the musical and would have possibly worked better in the movie, had it been included in this scene. However, despite the missed opportunity to mirror the musical’s version, the inclusion of “He Lives In You” proved to be crucial for the success of the live-action remake and is still regarded as one of the best songs of The Lion King franchise.

Source: New York Theatre Guide