Broadway lion king songs

She didn't adapt a Disney film. While their moms are away, Simba and Nala see an opportunity to explore the forbidden parts of the Pride Lands.

"I Just Can't Wait to Be King"

On their journey, Simba boasts to Nala about growing up and ruling the land someday — with no one to tell him what to do.

It’s in the eyes of the child seeing their first elephant walk down the aisle. The "it" in question is wildebeest as they stampede. As the famous opening number of the musical goes, that's the circle of life.

The Lion King's music — penned by Elton John, Tim Rice, and more — has proven especially timeless.

"Father, I can't find the way."

"Endless Night" is exclusive to the Lion King Broadway show, but its melody is taken from "Lala," a song on the Lion King film's companion album Rhythm of the Pride Lands.

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

This song underscores Simba's happy reunion with Nala, who reignites the connection between them and urges Simba to return to the Pride Lands.

Lightning crashes. In this inspiring, touching song, Rafiki reminds Simba that his father lives on in spirit. Drawing inspiration from the richness of African art and the elegance of Asian puppetry, she brought to life a visual masterpiece Broadway had never seen before. The Zulu lyrics "ibabeni njalo bakithi, ninga dinwa, ninga phelelwa nga mandla" translate to, "Hold on tight, my people.

All the animals join in a final reprise of the opening track in which Simba and Nala present their own newborn cub. That everything we love becomes part of the great circle. Sunsets bleed.

Beyond Broadway, The Lion King has continued to grow its international footprint. The song includes a few lion puns like, "I'm gonna be the 'mane' event like no king was before!"

"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a classic "I want" number, a common song type in musical theatre where a main character sings about their main goal in the story.

"Chow Down"

Simba and Nala find out the hard way why certain lands are forbidden.

On the Broadway stage, intricate life-size puppetry makes this number especially wondrous to watch.

The song's most famous portion is its opening chant: "Nants ingonyama bagithi baba, sithi uhm ingonyama." These lyrics are in the African language Zulu, and they roughly translate to, "Here comes a lion, father.

This Broadway titan retells the journey of Simba, a lion cub lost in guilt and destiny. The original animated film did not offer the character this opportunity, but the stage version gives her a meatier role and allows the actors playing her to dive into what drives her with greater nuance.