When rating Walt Disney’s animated options, The Lion King is mostly on the excessive facet of issues. The beloved Oscar-winning film (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) featured loads of iconic songs from the arms of the nice Elton John. It seems Timon and Pumbaa have been initially speculated to sing “Can You Really feel The Love Tonight”, and Nathan Lane revealed the story behind why that did not occur.
“Can You Really feel The Love Tonight” is a Disney tune that charted on the billboard charts, and is without doubt one of the greatest Disney love songs. However throughout a dialog with EW, the nice Nathan Lane revealed that he virtually ended up singing the observe. In his phrases:
Initially, we sang the entire thing. Elton John was mortified that the warthog and the meerkat have been singing it. He mentioned, ‘The rationale I wrote the rating was as a result of I needed to have a Disney love tune. I did not need it to be sung by the rat and the pig.’
Nicely, that is fairly iconic. Whereas Lane little question would have killed it belting out “Can You Really feel The Love Tonight”, Elton John understandably needed the observe to be sung by lovers Simba and Nala. And the ultimate tune is without doubt one of the most uplifting Disney songs of all time.
In the long run, Elton John’s instincts have been most likely for the most effective. In actual fact, Nathan Lane admits that the prolific recording artist made the appropriate name, particularly given the kind of vocal efficiency he and Pumbaa voice actor Ernie Sabella have been giving of their roles. As Lane put it:
We did [record] a model. We sang the entire thing in our character voices. It wasn’t like we have been going to do our legit Broadway model. We have been doing two very character-type voices. It is arduous to do this and be romantic. Elton was proper.
In fact, hardcore Disney followers do not forget that Lane and Sabella did get to sing a little bit of the tune. Timon and Pumbaa introduce the melody and lament that their buddy Simba was falling in love earlier than their eyes.
Historical past is on Elton John’s facet as properly, as “Can You Really feel The Love Tonight” ended up profitable a Grammy, Academy Award, and Golden Globe. And having Timon and Pumbaa belt it out would have had a really completely different really feel.
The cultural affect of The Lion King continues to be being seen right now. The Broadway musical continues to be working, and the franchise continues to develop because of the live-action Lion King and upcoming Mufasa film. If the prequel does properly, the studio would possibly proceed increasing this burgeoning property.
The Lion King is streaming now on Disney+. You should definitely try the 2025 transfer launch dates to plan your journeys to the flicks within the New Yr.