"Digga Tunnah" is the opening song from the midquel film, The Lion King 1½. It is sung by various meerkats in Timon's colony about their dangerous way of life. It is sung again at the end of the film when Timon, Pumbaa, Simba, and the meerkat colony finally relax in a predator-free area after Simba becomes the new ruler of Pride Rock. The song suddenly ends abruptly when Ma rewinds the entire movie Timon and Pumbaa are watching so everyone can enjoy the movie, much to Timon's disappointment during the end of the film.
A remix of the song featuring quotes and other song lyrics from the movie titled "Digga Tunnah Dance" was also played at the beginning of the credits. The full version was released on the film soundtrack as well as other Disney albums. A music video of this version was also played on television to promote the film.
The song was also included on Disney Sing Along Songs: On My Way on DVD and VHS.
Lyrics
Timon: Here we are. From Pride Rock to the pit of shame. We're so low on the food chain we're underground.
Background Chant: (Semon pute)
Timon: But you have to take my word for it. I'll just let my fellow meerkats do the talking.
Meerkat #1: What was that? (Shhh!)
Meerkat #2: What was what? (Shhh!)
Meerkat #3: What was that?
Meerkat #4: What was that?
Meerkats: Where?
What?
Where? (Shhh!)
Where?
What was that? (Shhh!)
Quick before the hyena come!
Meerkat #5: Clear!
Chorus: Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah
When you're done, ya dig a bigga tunnah
Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah
Quick before the hyena come (Dig!)
(Semon pute) Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah (Digga tunnah)
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah (Digga little faster)
(Semon pute) Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah
What was that?
Quick before the hyena come (Dig!)
Digga tunnah is what we do
Life's a tunnah we're diggin' through
Digga tunnah is what we sing
Digga tunnah is everything
Mud and clay, it's a meerkat's friend
Always more around every bend
And when ya get to your tunnah's end
Hallelujah, let's dig again
Dig!
Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah (Digga tunnah)
When you're done, ya dig a bigga tunnah (Digga little faster)
Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah
What was that?
Quick before the hyena come (holds on the last word and ends there in the sing along version, not including the following)
Meerkat #6: Dig!
(chorus plays again until it fades out)
Chorus: Digga tunnah
Dig, digga tunnah
Never gonna dig another tunnah
Digga tunnah
Dig, digga tunnah
Nevermore a hyena come
Sing the praises of brave Timon
Bravest meerkat we've ever known
Never dreamed he'd help Simba shine
Pumbaa: Proved it's cool to hang out with swine!
Chorus: Accidentally saved the day
Timon: Planned it so it would look that way
Chorus: And brought us out of the dirt and sand
Led his family to the promised land
Sing the praises of brave Timon
Bravest meerkat we've ever known!
Chorus: Quick, before the hyena come
Timon:
All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Timon: All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Chorus:
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
(repeat chorus)
Lebo M.: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
Chorus: Quick before the hye-hye-hyena come
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
(Semon pute)
(Semon pute)
Chorus: Quick, before the hyena come
Chorus: Quick, before the hyena come
Timon:
All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Timon: All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Chorus:
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
(repeat chorus)
Lebo M.: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
Chorus: Quick before the hye-hye-hyena come
Chorus:
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
(Semon pute) Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
(Semon pute) Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
Digga tunnah is what we do
Life's a tunnah we're diggin' through
Digga tunnah is what we sing
Digga tunnah is everything
Mud and clay, it's a meerkat's friend
Always more around every bend
And when ya get to your tunnah's end
Hallelujah, let's dig again!
(Dig!)
(Dig!)
Chorus:
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
(Background Chant: Semon pute)
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
(Background Chant: Semon pute)
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
Background Chant: (Semon pute)
Uncle Max: Try clapping when you don't have any hands
Chorus: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
All we do is dig
So we can...
Chorus: Dig dig dig, dig dig dig
(chorus)
Digga tunnah is what we do
Digga tunnah is what we sing
Mud and clay, it's a meerkat's friend
And when ya get to your tunnah's end
Hallelujah, let's dig again!
(Dig!)
Digga digga digga digga
(Digga tunnah!)
Digga digga digga digga
(Digga little faster!)
Digga digga digga digga
(What was that?!)
Lebo M: Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Timon: All we do is dig
So we can hide and hide so we can dig!
(Dig!)
Lebo M: Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Timon: Shenzi Marie Predatora Vendetta Jacquelina Hyena
Chorus: Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
Pumbaa: It's over already?
Ma: All you have to do is watch for hyenas and yell if you see one.
Meerkat #5: Clear!
Chorus:
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Quick, before the hyena come
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig diggah tunnah
What was that?
Quick before the hyena come
Timon: It's hyena ti---!
Banzai: And I thought beans were the only musical food!
(Timon pulls Pumbaa's tail, causing him to fart and the other meerkats to run around in panic)
Lebo M: Happiala Hakuna Matata
Timon: Hakuna Matata
Chorus: Quick before the hye-hye-hyena come
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Keep a diggin', never get dunnah
Diggah tunnah
Dig digga tunnah
Quick before the hyena come
(Semon pute)
(Semon pute)
Ma: My son the hero.
Chorus: Quick before the hyena come
Meerkat #6: Dig!
Videos
Other Versions
- ?/? - Abaza
- ?/? - Albanian
- ?/? - Arabic (Egyptian)
- ?/? - Arabic (Standard)
- Cava O Túnel - Portuguese (Brazil)
- ?/? - Portuguese (Portugal)
- ?/? - Bulgaria
- ?/? - Crimean Tatar
- Cavar un Túnel - Catalan
- Tuneljme - Czech
- Creuse un Tunnel - Canadian French
- Creuse un Tunnel - French
- Gangen Graben - Dutch (Netherlands)
- Gangen Tunnel - Flemish (Belgium)
- Gänge Graben - German
- Grave Tunnel - Norwegian
- Gräv en Tunnel - Swedish
- Scava Tana - Italy
- ?/? - Greek
- ?/? - Japanese
- ?/? - Hebrew
- Alagút, Amit Mindig Ásol - Hungary
- ?/? - Kabardian
- ?/? - Korean
- ?/? - Chinese (Mandarin)
- ?/? - Chinese (Cantonese)
- Sapam Tunele - Romanian
- Kopcie Tunel - Polish
- Kopaj Tunel - Croatian
- Tunelujte - Czech
- Kop D'alej - Slovak
- Haz un Túnel - Spanish (Mexico)
- Cava un Túnel - Spanish (Castilian)
- Hadi Darma Kaz Basla - Turkey
- ?/? - Tamil
- ?/? - Telugu
Trivia
- In an early version of the script, "Digga Tunnah" had a section of lyrics about Buzz.
- The song is meant to promote The Lion King 1½ on the DVD of Disney's Sing-Along Songs: On My Way.
References
