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Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a classical pop song from the Disney's 1994 animated feature film, The Lion King. It was originally composed by Elton John with lyrics written by Tim Rice. The song won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. The song was also nominated for AFI's 100 years...100 songs, as one of 15 songs from Disney and one of 17 songs from an animated movie to be nominated. The songs that eventually made the cut was: When You Wish Upon A Star (#7), Some Day My Prince Will Come (#19), Beauty and the Beast (#62) and Hakuna Matata (#99).
Plot[]
As the song begins, Timon and Pumbaa realize that Nala and Simba being alone together would most likely lead to the two falling romantically in love. The two worry that this will bring an end to their carefree days with Simba. Timon's prediction comes true, and the two lions fall in love during a stroll though the jungle.
In The Lion King 1½, the romantic love scene is interspersed with scenes showing Timon and Pumbaa trying to disrupt Simba and Nala's romantic night out while the refrain plays throughout their failure.
Elton John, the composer, also sings his cover version during the credits of the original film. This version was released as a single by Elton John and was also featured on the The Lion King soundtrack. A different cover version of the song, with Elton John's lyrics, appeared on the Sing-Along Songs video Colors of the Wind, in which it was set to clips of romantic/loving couples from previous animated Disney films in addition to Simba and Nala.
Lyrics[]
Movie version[]
Timon: I can see what's happening
Pumbaa: What?
Timon: And they don't have a clue
Pumbaa: Who?
Timon: They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two
Pumbaa: Oh
Timon (with French accent):
The sweet caress of twilight
There's magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air
Chorus:
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Simba:
So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible
She'd turn away from me
Nala:
He's holding back, he's hiding
But what, I can't decide
Why won't he be the king I know he is
The king I see inside?
Chorus:
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look to far
Steeling through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
Timon:
And if he falls in love tonight
It can be assumed
Pumbaa: His carefree days with us are history
Both: In short, our pal is doomed.
Broadway Version[]
I can see what's happening What?
And they don't have a clue Who?
They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two. Oh.
The sweet caress of twilight
There's magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air
Can you feel the love tonight
The peace the evening brings
The world for once in perfect harmony
With all its living things
So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past, impossible
She'd turn away from me
He's holding back, he's hiding
But what, I can't decide
Why won't he be the king I know he is?
The king I see inside?
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
And if he feels the love tonight
In the way I do
It's enough for this restless wanderer
Just to be with you
Elton John's version[]
There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind
Can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
Trivia[]
- The song originally was storyboarded to be sung by Timon and Pumbaa in a comical fashion, but was changed at the insistence of Elton John to be the film's "Prince and Princess" moment.
- In 1994, the song won the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
- The song was ranked #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Originally, Disney didn't plan to use the song. It was only through the insistence of Elton John that it was included in the movie.
- Several demos of the song were recorded during the film's production. One demo was sung by Timon and Pumbaa, but Elton John disliked the comical nature of the concept, although the ending verse was used for the final film. Another demo was recorded by Joseph Williams and Sally Dworsky as Simba and Nala, but it was also scrapped as it didn't connect with the African-themed music for the film.
- According to Mouse Under Glass, Tim Rice wrote fifteen different drafts for the song before finally settling on the version included in the film.
- When Zazu talks to Simba and Nala about their betrothal, flute notes of the song can be heard in the background score.
| The Lion King |
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 Films and shows: The Lion King | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | The Lion King 1½ | Timon & Pumbaa (Episode List) | House of Mouse | Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About Safety | Hakuna Matata (Disney/Digimon crossover) Video games: The Lion King | Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games | The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventures | Kingdom Hearts II Attractions: Fantasmic! | Festival of the Lion King | World of Color | Disney Dreams! | Celebrate the Magic Original Film Characters: Simba | Nala | Mufasa | Scar | Rafiki | Timon | Pumbaa | Zazu | Shenzi, Banzai and Ed | Sarabi | Sarafina | Pridelanders | Hyena Clan | Wildebeests | Cape Buffalo | Gopher | Diku (Deleted Character) Sequel Characters: Kiara | Kovu | Zira | Vitani | Nuka | Outsiders | Crocodiles Midquel Characters: Ma | Uncle Max | Iron Joe | Meerkat Colony Timon and Pumbaa Characters: The Native Chief | The Three Natives | Monti | Baampu | Nobi | Fred | Quint | Bruce | Stink | Jackal | Ralph and Eddie | The Cobra | Teds | Savage Lion | Bartholomew | Toucan Dan | Vulture Police | Ned the Elephant | Rabbit | Uncle Boaris | Boss Beaver | Boy Beaver | Lester the Whale | Speedy | Smolder the Bear | Little Jimmy | Irwin | El Toro | Wolverine | Jumbo Jumbo | Cheetato and Cheetata | Rita Book | Captain Bloodbeard | Cisco Pig | Cisco Pig's Gang | Dr. Caliostro | Torgo | Meerkat Angel | Pumbaa Jr. | Nefu | Dr. Happy | Leslie Lambeau | Sharla | Claudius | Herman | Lara | Madame Credenza | Duke Meerkat | Tatiana | Mother Eagle | Baby Earl | King Leopold | Princess Claudia | Pimon and Tumbaa | Mad Dog McGraw, Billy the Goat, and Three-fingered Jackelope Locations: Africa | Mount Kilimanjaro | Pride Rock | Pride Lands | Water Hole | Elephant Graveyard | The Gorge | Hakuna Matata (location) | The Jungle | Rafiki's Ancient Tree | The Outlands | Madame Credenza's Place | Savage Rock | Boss Beaver's Log Land Songs: Circle of Life | I Just Can't Wait to Be King | Be Prepared | Hakuna Matata | Can You Feel the Love Tonight | This Land | ...To Die For | Under the Stars | King of Pride Rock | Busa | He Lives in You | We Are One | My Lullaby | Upendi | Not One of Us | Love Will Find a Way | Digga Tunnah | That's All I Need | The Morning Report | Lioness Hunt | Rafiki Mourns | One by One | Grasslands Chant | Chow Down | The Madness of King Scar | Shadowland | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | Endless Night | Warthog Rhapsody (Deleted Song) Other: The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Broadway Musical | Rhythm of the Pride Lands | List of Species seen in The Lion King Franchise See also: The Disney Afternoon |