The Big Picture

Elton John’s persistence saved “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from being cut in
The Lion King.

Tim Rice and Elton John’s collaboration on the soundtrack made
The Lion King
the only animated film with a Diamond certified soundtrack.
Initially, Timon and Pumbaa were supposed to sing the love ballad, a decision Elton John strongly opposed.

Having celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, the magnificent Disney classic, The Lion King (1994), has undoubtedly aged like fine wine. Following a young lion cub as he flees into exile only to return as an adult to take back his homeland, Simba’s heroic legacy has extended into a Tony-winning Broadway musical, several sequels, television shows, a photorealistic animated remake, and an upcoming prequel titled Mufasa: The Lion King (2024). And yet, time after time, the film’s breathtaking musical scores of The Lion King never cease to amaze.

The acclaimed lyricist Sir Tim Rice and the legendary Elton John came together with Hans Zimmer for The Lion King’s music, achieving the only soundtrack from an animated film to be certified Diamond! With the popular “Hakuna Matata” to the groundbreaking “The Circle of Life” nominated for an Academy Award, it’s hard to imagine that the actual award winner almost didn’t make the Final Cut. Yes, the love ballad “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was nearly scrapped from the movie entirely until Elton John stepped in to save the future of Pride Rock.

The Lion King (1994) Lion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself.Release Date June 24, 1994 Runtime 88 minutes Writers Irene Mecchi , Jonathan Roberts , Linda Woolverton Studio Walt Disney Feature Animation Expand

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” Was Originally a Ballad Sung By Timon and Pumbaa
Based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Lion King went through a fair share of alternate endings and finishing touches before its theatrical release. The film’s soundtrack, however, was heavily debated by the producers. After the success of Aladdin (1992), Tim Rice was hired by Disney to write lyrics for the film on the condition of bringing in another songwriter. At the time, Elton John was keen on writing ultra-pop songs for kids that adults would also enjoy experiencing in the movies, according to Billboard Magazine. Rice and John became a dynamic team and wrote and composed five original songs for The Lion King, but one of those grand songs was repeatedly cut.

The very song that surprisingly came into question was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” In the movie, the love ballad chimes in when Simba (Matthew Broderick) and Nala (Moira Kelly) reunite as adults years later and realize their friendship has blossomed into something more romantic. The song also plays during the end credits — an iconic ’90’s Disney style — sung by Elton John himself. John pleaded to write an epic love ballad that would follow in the traditions of Disney’s great love songs. He achieved just that and more, but the producers were creatively indifferent.

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Originally, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was storyboarded as a duet sung by Simba’s best friends Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella). The early versions saw the duo sing the entire song, not just the beginning and end as finally depicted. Elton John and Time Rice were shocked to find out their epic love ballad was turned comical, and John voiced his dislike. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Lane confirmed John’s influence on the song, “Elton John was mortified that the warthog and the meerkat were singing it. He said, ‘The reason I wrote the score was because I wanted to have a Disney love song. I didn’t want it to be sung by the rat and the pig'”.

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was intended to express a beautiful and mature moment between Simba and Nala. Timon, a fast-talking, street-smart meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warm-hearted, naive warthog, would have made the scene all too silly for such a pivotal character point in the film. This was the film’s “Prince and Princess” moment, and Elton John knew the song held the power to speak beyond dialogue. Eventually, the producers did listen to John’s opinion but decided on cutting the song from The Lion King.

Elton John Persuaded the Chairman of Disney for the Survival of His Epic Love Song

Along with the film’s name changes, character line cuts, and deleted scenes, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” also landed on the chopping board of The Lion King production. According to Variety, Elton John saw a special screening of the animated picture with the then-chairman of Walt Disney Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, days before its release. In this version, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was not part of the movie. With great persistence, John stood up for his epic love ballad and insisted the song be put back. He pleaded, “Jeffrey, every Disney film has a great love song in it…You have to find a place for it.”

Although the producers couldn’t find the right scene for the love song, Katzenberg was moved by John’s confidence and took matters into his own hands. The then-chairman headed into the editing room and successfully weaved “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” back into the Final Cut of The Lion King! The final result of the ballad was mainly performed by Kristle Edwards, Joseph Williams, Sally Dworsky with Timon and Pumbaa singing only in the beginning and ending verses. Elton John’s acclaimed song performance was included in the end credits.

A few months before The Lion King’s cinematic debut, John’s version of the love ballad was released commercially through radio stations and earned a spot on the US Billboard Hot 100. Despite the cuts and alterations, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” triumphed past the difficulties, winning Elton John a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The song was also awarded a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Honoring the song again, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was included in the 2019 remake. With such a storied legacy, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” will forever be a timeless classic and one to cherish as time goes by.

The Lion King is currently available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S

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