It starts with a shout. Not just any shout, but a primal, earth-shaking call that immediately lets you know you aren't in a standard animated fairy tale. If you grew up in the 90s, that opening chant of the beginning song of Lion King is burned into your DNA. You probably tried to mimic it in the shower, likely failing miserably because, honestly, those Zulu lyrics are harder than they sound.
The sun rises. It’s a deep, blood-orange red. Then the animals start moving—the rhinos, the meerkats, the birds. There’s no dialogue for nearly four minutes. None is needed.
Most people call it "the song with the sun," but its official title is "Circle of Life." It’s arguably the most effective opening sequence in the history of cinema. It didn't just sell a movie; it saved a studio. Back in 1994, Disney was actually more confident in Pocahontas. They thought The Lion King was the "B-team" project, a weird experimental film about lions. Then they finished the opening sequence and showed it at CinemaCon. The audience went nuts. Disney was so sure of it that they released the entire opening scene as the first trailer. No cuts, no voiceover, just the music.
The Zulu Lyrics You’ve Probably Been Getting Wrong
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Or the lion.
What is Lebo M. actually saying at the very start of the beginning song of Lion King? It isn't "Nants Ingonyama bagithi Baba," which translates to "Here comes a lion, Father." Then the response comes: "Siyo Nqoba." That means "We're going to conquer."
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Lebo M., a South African composer who was a political exile at the time, was brought in by Hans Zimmer to give the film its authentic heartbeat. Zimmer knew that a bunch of guys in a studio in Burbank couldn't replicate the soul of the Savannah. Lebo showed up to the session, put on the headphones, and reportedly nailed that opening chant in one or two takes. It was raw. It was real.
The genius of this intro lies in its linguistic layering. You have the Zulu chanting representing the ground-level reality of the pride lands, and then you have Carmen Twillie’s soaring English vocals representing the high-level philosophy of the "Circle of Life." It bridges the gap between a specific African setting and a universal human experience.
Why the Animation Broke the Mold
Before the beginning song of Lion King, Disney openings were often quiet. Think Cinderella or Snow White—they usually started with a literal book opening. Even The Little Mermaid started with a somewhat traditional ship-at-sea vibe.
This was different.
The scale was massive. If you look closely at the "Circle of Life" sequence, the depth of field is incredible for hand-drawn animation. Directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff used a multiplane camera effect to make the African plains feel infinite. When the elephants walk through the mist, it feels heavy. When the ants crawl on the branch in the foreground while the zebras run in the background, your brain registers a 3D space that shouldn't exist on a 2D plane.
The Rafiki Factor
Then there's the ritual. Rafiki isn't just a monkey; he’s the shaman. The way he cracks that fruit and smears the juice on Simba’s forehead—it’s a baptism. It’s a coronation. It’s ancient.
Interestingly, the original plan for the opening didn't involve a song at all. It was supposed to be a dialogue-heavy scene where various animals discussed the birth of the prince. But when the directors heard the final mix of Zimmer and Elton John’s "Circle of Life," they realized words would only get in the way. They scrapped the script and let the music lead.
This turned out to be a masterclass in visual storytelling. We learn the entire hierarchy of the kingdom—the lions at the top of Pride Rock, the various species paying tribute below—without a single line of exposition.
The Darker Meaning Behind the Lyrics
We treat the beginning song of Lion King as this beautiful, uplifting anthem. And it is. But if you actually listen to the lyrics written by Tim Rice, they’re surprisingly cynical—or at least very grounded.
“There’s more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done.” That’s basically saying life is overwhelming and you’ll never finish your to-do list before you die. It’s heavy stuff for a kid's movie. It tells us that we are all just tiny parts of a massive, indifferent machine. The "Circle of Life" is a nice way of saying that eventually, we become the grass, and the antelopes eat the grass. It’s a song about the necessity of death to sustain life.
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It’s this maturity that keeps the song relevant. It doesn't promise "happily ever after" in the first five minutes. It promises a "leap of faith" through "despair and hope."
The Legacy of the "Big Sun"
When the live-action (or hyper-realistic CGI) remake came out in 2019, they didn't dare change the opening. They recreated it shot-for-shot. Why? Because you don't mess with perfection. However, many fans felt the new version lacked the "expressionism" of the 1994 original. In the hand-drawn version, the sun is an impossible, stylized red. The animals have human-like expressions of joy and reverence.
In the 2019 version, it looks like a nature documentary. It’s technically impressive, but it proved a point: the beginning song of Lion King isn't about realism. It’s about emotion.
How to Experience the "Circle" Today
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the history of this sequence, there are a few things you should actually do rather than just rewatching the YouTube clip for the hundredth time.
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- Listen to the Broadway Cast Recording: The stage play, directed by Julie Taymor, expands the Zulu chanting significantly. It adds a layer of theatricality that makes the opening feel even more like a religious experience.
- Check out 'The Lion King: A Memoir' by Don Hahn: Hahn was the producer of the film, and he gives a fantastic, gritty look at how the production almost fell apart and how the opening sequence was the "glue" that held the team's morale together.
- Watch the 'Rhythm of the Pride Lands' album: This was a follow-up album by Lebo M. and Hans Zimmer. It’s basically all the African influence that they couldn't fit into the 80-minute movie.
The beginning song of Lion King remains the gold standard for how to start a story. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it asks the big questions before we even know the main character's name. It reminds us that we’re all connected, even if we’re just the ones watching from the couch.
To truly appreciate the technical craft, try watching the sequence on mute. Focus only on the movement of the light and the "camera" pans across the landscape. You’ll see the intricate work of the layout artists who spent months ensuring that the trek to Pride Rock felt like a pilgrimage. Then, watch it again with the sound at full blast. The juxtaposition of that silent, visual scale and the percussive explosion of the music is where the magic lives. It’s a reminder of what happens when a studio stops playing it safe and lets the artists lead the way.