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Hakuna Matata (song)

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"Hakuna Matata"
Cover of the Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M version
Song by Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Joseph Williams
from the album The Lion King
B-side"He Lives in You"
ReleasedJune 1, 1994
Length3:33
LabelWalt Disney
Composer(s)Elton John
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice
Producer(s)
Audio sample
Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M - "Hakuna Matata"

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King.[1] The music was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning "No worry(ies)".

Music

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The song's music and melody were composed by Elton John, with lyrics by Tim Rice. In the film the song is sung by Timon the Meerkat (voiced by Nathan Lane), Pumbaa the Warthog (voiced by Ernie Sabella), and Simba, a young lion voiced by Jason Weaver (singing voice as a cub) and Joseph Williams (singing voice as an adult). Taking place after the death of Mufasa, it features Timon and Pumbaa, the two main comic relief 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.

Production

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"Hakuna Matata" replaced another song written early on in the production stage, titled "Warthog Rhapsody". This song was eventually recorded and released on Rhythm of the Pride Lands, along with several other songs that did not appear in the finished film. The vocal melody of "Warthog Rhapsody" was later used for the song "That's All I Need" in the spinoff film The Lion King 1½.

Meaning

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Hakuna matata is a phrase in Swahili that is frequently translated as "no worries". In a behind-the-scenes segment on The Lion King Special Edition DVD, the film's production team claim 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

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"Hakuna Matata" has become one of Disney's most celebrated and popular songs, establishing itself as one of the studio's greatest and most iconic. The song 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 series. Another shortened version of "Hakuna Matata" was used in the TV series The Lion Guard in the first-season episode "Bunga and the King" (2016), sung by the cast members.

The film's 2019 photorealistic CGI remake features a version performed by Billy Eichner as Timon, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, JD McCrary as young Simba, and Donald Glover as adult Simba.

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Track listings

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CD single

  1. "Hakuna Matata" — 4:24
  2. "He Lives in You" — 4:51

CD maxi

  1. "Hakuna Matata" (radio version) — 3:50
  2. "Warthog Rhapsody" by Nathan Lane & Ernie Sabella — 3:06
  3. "Hakuna Matata" (album version) — 4:24

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[20] Gold 250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[21]
Film version 		Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[22] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  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.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ American Film Institute (2004). "The Top Movie Songs of All Time" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-09-19. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  4. ^ Mueller, Max Perry. "A Cringe-worthy Depiction of Africa". Harvard Divinity Bulletin. 40, Nos. 3 & 4 (Summer/Autumn 2012). Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  6. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 30. July 29, 1995. p. 12. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  8. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata" (in French). Les classement single.
  9. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  10. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (15.4. '95 – 21.4. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). April 12, 1995. p. 62. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  11. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  12. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. ^ "Jimmy Cliff & Lebo M. – Hakuna Matata". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. May 27, 1995. p. 109. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  15. ^ "Hot Adult Contemporary for the Week Ending April 29, 1995". Billboard. April 29, 1995. p. 90. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  16. ^ "Rapports annuels 1995" (in French). Ultratop. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  17. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1995" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  18. ^ "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1996. p. 25. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  19. ^ "Single top 100 over 1995" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  20. ^ "French single certifications – Jimmy Cliff – Hakuna Matata" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – Nathan Lane – Hakuna Matata". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Joseph Williams, Nathan Lane – Hakuna Matata". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
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