Hakuna Matata (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hakuna Matata


Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Jimmy Cliff
Album =
A-side =
B-side =
Released = 1995
Format = CD single
CD maxi
Recorded = 1995
Genre = Soundtrack
Length = 4:24
Label = Polydor
Writer = Elton John
Tim Rice
Producer = Jay Rifkin
Fabian Cooke
Mark Mancina
Audio sample? =
Certification = Silver (France, 1995)
Last single =
This single =
Next single =
Misc =Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = CD maxi

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 32nd animated feature "The Lion King". 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 Jonathan Taylor Thomas (as a cub) and Matthew Broderick (as an adult). The two main comedy characters in the film, (Timon and Pumbaa), try and convince Simba to forget his troubled past and forget his worries. The song also provides a backstory for Pumbaa, explaining that he was ostracized from animal society for his excessive flatulence. It contains several breaks at which the music grinds to a halt and then starts again. It makes use of a large proportion of the orchestra as well as many other more unusual instruments including an elaborate drum kit.

The Broadway version of the song is slightly modified (especially concerning the instruments used) but remains very similar to the original.

The song was performed by Jimmy Cliff featuring Lebo M.

Early production

The song was based on an earlier song written early on in the production stage called "The Warthog Rhapsody".Fact|date=February 2007 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".

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 Tanzania.Fact|date=February 2007 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.Fact|date=May 2008

Critical reception

The song proved enormously popular and was nominated for Best Song at the Academy Awards in 1995 and lost only to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", one of three "Lion King" song nominations (the other was "Circle of Life"). [cite web|url=http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1211473236069|title=Academy Awards Database|accessdate=2008-05-02|author=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] It was also ranked 99th in the AFI's list of the 100 best American movie songs of all time. [cite web|url=http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/songs100.pdf?docID=244|title=The Top Movie Songs of All Time|accessdate=2008-05-22|author=American Film Institute|date=2004|format=PDF]

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

In popular culture

* In one of Disney's many self references, the "Hakuna Matata" song can be heard briefly in the 1995 Pixar film "Toy Story", in which it was played on Andy's car while Molly sees Woody and Buzz Lightyear through one of the sideview mirrors.
* Bunny Wailer covered the song on "Reggae for Kids: Movie Classics".
* In the "Seinfeld" episode "The Merv Griffin Show", Elaine says that she was caught in the office singing "Hakuna Matata".
* In the film "Mouse Hunt", Ernie Smuntz (Nathan Lane) bows to a sheik who is seeking to bid for his home and greets him with the words "Hakuna matata"," a reference to Nathan Lane's portrayal of Timon.

Track listings

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

Certifications

References

External links

* [http://www.disney-facts.com/rec/15-Hakuna-Matata/ Hakuna Matata Lyrics] from [http://www.disney-facts.com Disney-Facts.com]