Hakuna Matata (song)

"Hakuna Matata"
Single by Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M
from the album Rhythm of the Pride Lands
B-side "He Lives in You"
Released 1995
Format CD single, CD maxi
Recorded April 1994; BOP Studios, Mmabatho, ZA
Genre Pop, reggae fusion
Length 4:24
Label Polydor
Writer(s) Elton John, Tim Rice
Producer(s) Jay Rifkin, Fabian Cooke, Mark Mancina
Certification Silver (France, 1995)
Music sample
Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M - "Hakuna Matata"
Alternative cover
CD maxi

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 32nd animated feature The Lion King.[1] The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, which is a Swahili phrase; it means 'no worries'. It is characterized by its simple 4/4 time, upbeat message and catchy lyrics.

Music

The musical score was written by Elton John and the lyrics by Tim Rice. In the film the song is sung by Timon (a meerkat voiced by Nathan Lane), Pumbaa (a warthog voiced by Ernie Sabella), and Simba, a young lion voiced by Jason Weaver (singing voice as a cub) and Joseph Williams (as an adult). Taking place after the death of Mufasa, it features (Timon and Pumbaa), the two main comedy characters in the film, talking to Simba about moving forward from their troubled pasts and forgetting their worries, and Simba grows from cub to adult as the song progresses. The song also provides a backstory for Pumbaa, explaining that he was ostracized from animal society for his excessive flatulence. It makes use of a large proportion of the orchestra as well as many other more unusual instruments including an elaborate drum kit. Rice is said to have got the idea for the lyrics for the song from watching the comedy series Bottom and at one point wanted the show's stars Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson to play Timon and Pumbaa.

A second version of the song, produced for the companion album Rhythm of the Pride Lands, was performed by Jimmy Cliff featuring Lebo M. This version has a slightly modified, previously unreleased verse focusing on Timon's past. It was partially rewritten with a different instrument arrangement, but remains very similar to the original. This version of the song was released as a single with "He Lives in You" as a B-side and was ultimately used in the Broadway theatrical version of The Lion King.

Early production

The song was based on an earlier song written early on in the production stage called "Warthog Rhapsody". Although the two songs shared the same message and position in the film, when Elton and Tim began to work on the music the song was completely rewritten and it eventually evolved into "Hakuna Matata". "Warthog Rhapsody" was eventually re-produced and released on Rhythm of the Pride Lands. The melody of Warthog Rhaspody was used in The Lion King 1½ for the song "That's All I Need".

Meaning

Hakuna matata is a Swahili phrase that is frequently translated as "no worries". In a bonus features of The Lion King Special Edition DVD, the film's production team claims that it picked up the term from a tour guide while on safari in Kenya. It was then developed into an ideology that, along with the seemingly antithetical value of duty to the monarchy, is central to the moral content of the film.

The title phrase is pronounced with American English phonology within the song, including a flapped "t", rather than as it is pronounced in Swahili.

Critical reception

The song became enormously popular and was nominated for Best Song at the 67th Academy Awards but lost to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", one of three Lion King song nominations (the third one was "Circle of Life").[2] It was also ranked 99th in the AFI's list of the 100 best American movie songs of all time, Disney's seventh and last entry of songs on the list (the others being "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio at #7, "Some Day My Prince Will Come" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at #19, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins at #36, "Wind Beneath My Wings" from Beaches at #44, "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" from Song of the South at #47, and "Beauty and the Beast" from Beauty and the Beast at #62).[3]

A shortened version of "Hakuna Matata" was used as the theme song of the spinoff Timon & Pumbaa TV show.

Another shortened version of "Hakuna Matata" was also used on the TV series The Lion Guard in the first-season episode "Bunga and the King" (2016), and was sung by the characters of the show.

In popular culture

Track listings

CD single
  1. "Hakuna Matata" — 4:24
  2. "He Lives in You" — 4:51
CD maxi
  1. "Hakuna Matata" (rap version) — 3:50
  2. "Warthog Rhapsody" by Nathan Lane & Ernie Sabella — 3:06
  3. "Hakuna Matata" (album version) — 4:24

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[5] 46
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[5] 6
Dutch Top 40[6] 11
French SNEP Singles Chart[5] 7
German Singles Chart[7] 77
Swiss Singles Chart[5] 32
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[8] 5
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[8] 26

End of year charts

End of year chart (1995) Position
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[9] 35
Dutch Top 40[6] 81
French Singles Chart[10] 27

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
France[11] Silver December 22, 1995 125,000

References

  1. ↑ King, Alex P. (2004). Hit-parade — 20 ans de tubes (in French). Paris: Pascal. p. 339. ISBN 2-35019-009-9.
  2. ↑ Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Academy Awards Database". Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  3. ↑ American Film Institute (2004). "The Top Movie Songs of All Time" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  4. ↑ http://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/articles/summerautumn2012/cringe-worthy-depiction-africa
  5. 1 2 3 4 "JIMMY CLIFF & LEBO M. - HAKUNA MATATA (CHANSON)". Lescharts.com. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  6. 1 2 "Single top 100 over 1995" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  7. ↑ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved August 6, 2008)
  8. 1 2 "JIMMY CLIFF singles". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  9. ↑ 1995 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved August 6, 2008)
  10. ↑ 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  11. ↑ French certifications Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved August 6, 2008)

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/15/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.