Circle of Life

"Circle of Life" is the opening song of Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King, composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. It was performed by Carmen Twillie (female vocals) and Lebo M (opening Zulu vocals) as the film's opening song. Elton John also sang a pop version of it with the London Community Gospel Choir, which was included in the film's soundtrack and made into a music video.

Plot
The song takes place at the very beginning of the film, the dawn of Simba's presentation. As the song progresses, various animal herds travel through the Pride Lands to gather at Pride Rock. There, Rafiki meets up with the current King of the Pride Lands, Mufasa and his mate, Sarabi. After blessing their newborn cub, Simba, Rafiki lifts him up high for all the animals to see, and the animals bow before their future king.

The song reprises at the end of the film, after Simba has taken the throne, the death of Scar, and avenging Mufasa. Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub, Kiara, recalling the opening. In The Lion King 1½, the song is used again.

In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Simba breaks the Circle of Life when he exiles Kovu believing he was involved in the ambush set by Zira, forbidding Kiara from getting near him which was Mufasa's paw prints that he himself must follow. After Kiara and Kovu manage to unite the prides, the Circle of Life is restored to its former glory and peace was brought back to Pride Rock once again.

In Disneytoon's 2004 direct-to-video film The Lion King 1½, Timon and Pumbaa are watching this musical number in a dark theater when Timon suddenly uses a remote control to fast forward to where they appear in the film. Pumbaa argues that it shouldn't go out of order and attempts to rewind it back to the beginning. They start fighting over control of it until they agree that it should tell their side of the story. Throughout the rest of it, it is occasionally interrupted to have them comment on whatever is happening.

Lyrics
Film version= Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama Ingonyama Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama Siyo nqoba Ingonyama Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa) Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana) Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa) Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana)

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (repeats throughout verse) From the day we arrive on the planet And blinking, step into the sun There's more to see than can ever be seen More to do than can ever be done

There's far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found But the sun rolling high Through the sapphire sky Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love

Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

It's the Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love

Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life Circle of Life Rafiki: Nants ingonyama, bagathithi baba!
 * -|Reprise version=
 * -|Broadway version=

Choir: Stiti umm, ingonyama Ingonyama negwengabo!

Antelope: Mai ba bo Haa, ingonnyama baba!

Rafiki: Nants ingonyama, bagathithi baba, hyaa!

Choir: Stiti umm, ingonyama Ingonyama negwengabo!

Antelope: Hao, kusani bo Pheki agalela (chou!)

Rafiki: Nants ingonyama, bagathithi baba, hyaa!

Choir: Siti umm, ingonyama

Rafiki: Helele

Choir: Ingonyama

Rafiki: Oh, sizonqoba baba helele

Choir: Ingonyama

Rafiki: Hayyo! Sizonqo baba

Choir: Ingonyama baba, enamabala

Antelope: Ingonyama! Enamabala

(Whoa, ingonyama baba, enamabala)

(Ingonyama negwenamabala continues)

Rafiki: From the day we arrive on this planet And blinking, step into the sun There's more to see than can ever be seen More to do than can ever be done

Hmm, there's far too much, to take in here More to find, than can ever be found But the sun rolling high Through the sapphire sky Keeps great and small, on the endless round

It's the circle of life! (Kalaliko bheki akale!) And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love

Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the circle The circle of life

(Ingonyama negwenamabala)

(improvisation by antelope)

It's the circle of life! (Kalaliko bheki akale!) And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love

Till we find our place! On the path unwinding In the circle! The circle of life

(loud drumbeat) Umm hmm Oh ho Oh ho Oh ho Oh ho
 * -|Elton John's version=

From the day we arrive on the planet And blinking step into the sun There's more to be seen than can ever be seen More to do than can ever be done Some say, eat or be eaten Some say, live and let live But, all are agreed as they join the stampede You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life It's the wheel of fortune It's the leap by faith It's the band of hope Till, we find our place On the path unwinding In the circle The circle of life

Some of us fall by the wayside And some of us soar to the stars And some of us sail through our troubles And some have to live with the scars There's far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found But the sun rollin' high Through the sapphire sky Keeps the great and small on the endless round

In the circle of life It's the wheel of fortune It's the leap by faith It's the band of hope Till, we find our place On the path unwinding, yea In the circle The circle of life (Chorus repeats)

On the path unwinding, yea In the circle The circle of life

Trivia

 * "Circle of Life" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song in 1994 along with two other songs from the film, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Hakuna Matata", though the former won the award.
 * The song reached #11 in the UK, and #18 in the US.
 * The song has become the theme of Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World. At Epcot, it is featured in the attraction Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable starring characters from the film.
 * In one of Disney's many self references, it also appeared as a false beginning of Chicken Little when Buck was trying to open the movie.
 * The Season 3 Phineas and Ferb song "On the Savannah" in first part of the two-part episode "Where's Perry?" has a similar setting and is also done with African singers.
 * The choral element in between the "it's the circle of life" and "and it moves us all" is an approximate "kalaliko bheki akale".
 * There is a rare work-in-progress version that appeared in both the teaser trailer included in The Fox and the Hound VHS and the original theatrical trailer that people would not find anywhere else.
 * At the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner, President Barack Obama jokingly claimed he was going to show his long-form birth video, spoofing an earlier controversy about refusing to show his long-form birth certificate to prove he was, in fact, born in the United States. The opening chant was played from the film, and Simba was seen being lifted to the skies. The song was used to poke fun at Obama's Kenyan heritage.
 * The song was re-recorded in 2003 by the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, a group of actors and actresses who have appeared in Disney Channel television series and original movies. The line-up was significantly different when their next re-recording, "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes", was released two years later.
 * The instrumental version of the song, with the Zulu vocals still included, is heard when the player uses The King's Domain sky in the Disney INFINITY games.