Hakuna Matata

"Hakuna Matata" is a song sung by Timon, Pumbaa and Simba from Disney's 32nd animated feature The Lion King. It was composed by Elton John, who also composed other songs from the film, and with the lyrics by Tim Rice. It was nominated for the 67th Academy Award for Best Original Song, but lost to another song in the film, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?". The song is also ranked #99 on the list AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs,  along with "When You Wish Upon a Star" (#7), "Some Day My Prince Will Come" (#19), "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (#36), "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" (#47) and "Beauty and the Beast" (#62). It is one of only six songs from Disney that made the cut.

History
"Hakuna Matata" is a Swahili phrase that is literally translated as "There are no worries." It is sometimes translated as "no worries," although is more commonly used similarly to the American English phrase "no problem."

In 1994, the Walt Disney Company's animated movie, The Lion King, brought the phrase to international recognition, featuring it prominently in the plot and devoting a song to it. A meerkat and a warthog, named Timon and Pumbaa, teach the main character, a lion cub named Simba, that he should forget his troubles. The song, like the rest of the soundtrack, was written by Elton John and Tim Rice, who respectively composed the music and lyrics. During production of the film, the filmmakers had planned to use a song titled "Warthog Rhapsody", but after the production team returned from their safari trip in Kenya, they decided "Hakuna Matata" would be a better phrase.

The Lion King
In the movie, the song was sung after the wildebeest stampede and Mufasa's death. Timon and Pumbaa tried to cheer the depressed Simba, who feels guilty for his father's death. The song is to teach Simba to slack and relax and enjoy the life with no worries, while he grows older as time passes. At one part, Pumbaa almost said, "Every time that I farted," but Timon cuts him off, warning Pumbaa, "Not in front of the kids!" (referencing the audience and Simba).

Timon & Pumbaa
This song was used as the opening of the TV series Timon and Pumbaa.

The Lion Guard
The song is sung twice in the episode, "Bunga and the King". It is first sung by Bunga and Simba while lost in underground tunnels, and later at the end of the episode by the whole cast.

Lyrics
Original version= Timon: Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase! Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata, ain't no passing craze. Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days. Timon and Pumbaa: It's our problem-free philosophy. Timon: Hakuna Matata!

(Instrumental Bridge)

Timon: Why, when he was a young warthog ... Pumbaa: When I was a young warthog!

Timon: (rubbing his ear) Very nice. Pumbaa: Thanks.

Timon: He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal He could clear the Savannah after every meal Pumbaa: I am a sensitive soul Though I seem thick-skinned And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind And oh, the shame!

Timon: He was ashamed! Pumbaa: thought of changing my name! Timon: Oh, what's in a name! Pumbaa: And I got downhearted! Timon: How did you feel? Pumbaa: Every time I ...

Timon: Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids! Pumbaa: Oh, sorry.

Timon and Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase! Hakuna Matata, ain't no passing craze. Simba: It means no worries for the rest of your days. Timon: Yeah, sing, kid! Timon and Simba: It's our problem-free ... Pumbaa: philosophy! All: Hakuna Matata!

(Instrumental Bridge)

Timon and Pumbaa: Hakuna! Matata! (3x) Hakuna ...

Simba: It means no worries for the rest of your days. All: It's our problem-free philosophy. Timon: Hakuna Matata Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata Simba: Hakuna Matata ... Timon: Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase! Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata, ain't no passing craze! Timon: It means no worries, for the rest of your days. Both: It's our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata!
 * -|Timon and Pumbaa version=

Pumbaa: Yeah!

(Instrumental bridge)

Both: Hakuna! Matata! Timon! And Pumbaa! Hakuna! Matata!

Timon: It means no worries, for the rest of your days. Both: It's our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata! Timon and Pumbaa! Hakuna Matata! Hem hollolo iyo Hakuna Matata! Hem hollolo iyo Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata! When I was a cool young one (When he was a cool young one) I worked in the colony, paying my dues Accepting without question the prevailing views That a young man's life was one long grind Diggin' holes, standin' guard till it crossed my mind I was wrong All along All that I needed Was to have heeded Chorus: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze It means no worries For the rest of your days It's a problem-free philosophy Hakuna Matata! When I was a shallow youth (When he was a shallow youth) Cool calm reflection I was never that good I was a pawn in the game, I saw no trees for the wood My future stretched behind me I was over the hill I put my best foot forward But the other one stood still Take my word I have heard All that I needed Was to have heeded Repeat Chorus
 * -|Jimmy Cliff's version=

Reception
"Hakuna Matata" was instantly popular. It, along with "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" were nominated for "Best Original Song", with "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" being the winner.

Trivia

 * "Hakuna Matata" is based on a song called "Warthog Rhapsody," which was written early in the production stage of The Lion King. Although the two songs shared the same message and position in the film, when Elton and Tim began working on the music, the song was completely rewritten and eventually evolved into "Hakuna Matata." "Warthog Rhapsody" was eventually re-produced and released on the Rhythm of the Pride Lands CD, as well as rewritten as "That's All I Need," which was used in The Lion King 1½.
 * There is a lost verse of "Hakuna Matata" which explained Timon's past situation, like Pumbaa's. It was later cut, but used in The Lion King 1½.
 * This is the most well-known song in the whole Lion King franchise.
 * One of the bugs that Timon pulls out of a knothole during the song is wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
 * Part of the song was heard in Toy Story when Molly is in the car and sees the toys in the mirror trying to get into the moving van.
 * In Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Genie turns into Pumbaa and says, "Hakuna Matata!"
 * Timon breaks the fourth wall when he says, "Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!"
 * The song was mentioned on an episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld.
 * In The Lion King: The Legacy Collection, the song is longer than previous releases.
 * Tim Rice was inspired to write the lyrics to Hakuna Matata when watching the British sitcom Bottom. Rice was also pulling for the show's stars, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, to voice Timon and Pumbaa.
 * The phrase Hakuna Matata itself means "No worries" in Swahili.
 * Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M covered "Hakuna Matata" on the 1995 album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. Jimmy Cliff continues to sing "Hakuna Matata" at his concerts.
 * In the Disney on Ice version, Simba as an adult sings his line by actually speaking "It means no worries, for the rest of your days".
 * When Timon says, "Not in front of the kids!" he stops Pumbaa from saying "farted," but in the Broadway production of The Lion King Timon is unable to stop Pumbaa from saying, "Every time that I farted".