The Best Song in All of Disney's Lion King: He lives in You - Ultimate Father's Day Music So Tell Your Father/Dad You Love - By Dan

He Lives in You

One song that was removed from the movie, but is present on the soundtrack is the song “He Lives In You”, Is a reference to Rafiki’s lecture to Simba, before he leaves for the Pride Lands to confront Scar. In fact, the song is used in the Broadway Musical at this point in the play.

In the movie, the scene simply has Simba going from the location he grew up with Timon and Pumbaa, back to Pride Rock in less than ten seconds with a musical accompaniment, which might demonstrate that there may have been a delete song with a delete scene, which is a pity. I don’t know if this is true, but it would have been a great place to help display his growth, his fears and his insecurities.

The song actually has two singers that I know of that have recorded it, and it’s Lebo M, and the famous singer, Tina Turner, who passed away a couple years ago. Both versions are good, although I may be more partial to Tina Turner.

This song seems to be a hidden gem, and very popular, and one that many may not have heard of, until years after the release of the soundtrack. It’s one that shares African beats and cultural music, along with a spiritual sense of Christian feel to it, bringing both European and American, and African culture together to create an incredible song, that is powerful and moving, and is one of the better Disney songs, which is unfortunate that it was cut, and used as the introduction to the second, direct to TV movie, which really does cheapen the feel to it, and loses track of the sentiment behind it, and how it is meant for Simba’s return to Pride Rock.

Disney animated features have often included musical numbers to bring it to life. Even the original one, Snow White, had a few musical numbers to it, and it really helped us know the standing of the characters, and how they were growing, or which direction a villain would go. Some songs are there to introduce the main character in a movie, such as “Circle of Life”, “After Today”, and “Belle”, as we learn the setting and motivation. Max is headed to the last day of school, wanting to impress Roxanne, Belle is getting bored and has a bit of cabin fever, needing to find adventure, and Simba is born to the King of the Pride Lands, and is given a grand destiny to rule the Pride Lands.

Others have villain songs, such as “Be Prepared”, “Mother Knows Best” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls”, Then you have songs that may move time forward, such as “Something There” and “Hakuna Matata”. You also get love songs like “Kiss the Girl” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” which pushes forward the romance in some of the movies.

Which leaves us to a final type of song in Disney: Character progression songs, in which we see the character reaching his or her final goal in their inner conflict, near the end. Songs like “Nobody Else But You”, “Beauty and the Beast” (Although this one also falls under the love song category, the two aren’t mutually exclusive) and “I’m Still Here”, which the hero discovers who they are, and even if there are hurdles afterwards, they are learning their lessons and growing into better people.

For Lion King, “He Lives In You” was meant to be that song, which just seems like a crime for it to be removed, and the scene that has Simba traveling just being less than twenty seconds. It just cheapens an aspect of Simba’s growth, and reconnecting with his father, Mufasa, and the legacy that was meant to be left to him.

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (The royal lion wears his leopard spots)

In a song with lions as the main characters, it’s odd to include a reference to another large, predatory feline like leopards. It symbolises camouflage, nature’s intricate patterns, the inability to change one’s nature, power, leadership and transformation.

These symbols all apply to Simba in one way or another. When it comes to camouflage, it means one hides, which Simba hid from who he truly was, and his responsibilities. The intricate patterns of nature shows us that there’s a grand story and destiny for Simba and the entirety of the Pride Lands, and that it’s far greater than any of them realise.

People can often change, but often, at their core they cannot change one’s nature, and that includes who Simba is deep down, which is that he is the King of the Pride Lands, and no matter how hard he tries to escape it, there is no way he can change who he is, and that he has to face himself and who he truly is, no matter what. He also transforms into the King that he is going to be, growing from what he is deep down. He has to become not just powerful and mighty, but a leader for all those in the Pride Lands.

Night

And the spirit of life

Calling

Oh, oh, iyo

Mamela (Listen)

Oh, oh, iyo

And a voice

With the fear of a child

Answers

Oh, oh, iyo

Oh, mamela (Listen)

Oh, oh, iyo

This is Simba’s inner conflict, from his discussion with the spirit of his father, Mufasa, to his inner fears, with Mufasa, Rafiki and Nala trying to reach him in their own ways, but he was too afraid to confront it, remembering that the last time he was home, he got chased out by the hyenas, which marked him. It’s why Mamela (Listen) is constantly sung, with it calling to Simba, especially when it refers to the Night, and the Spirit of Life Calling to him, which is Mufasa calling to him, and Simba, small and avoiding his duties, finally answers, despite his fear of the trouble that plagued him through the years.

Ubukhosi bo khokho (Throne of the ancestors)

We ndodana ye sizwe sonke (Oh, son of the nation)

This speaks to the Legacy of Pride Rock, and the Kings that have prepared the Throne, that each are a chapter in the story of Pride Rock, and that Simba is the next in line, and the child of each of those that have come before him, which is why when they say “son of the nation”, it brings to mind that he has great responsibilities that need to be fulfilled.

Wait

There's no mountain too great

Oh, oh, iyo

Hear the words and have faith, oh-oh-oh

Oh, oh, iyo

Have faith

Hela hey mamela (Hey, listen)

Hela hey mamela

Hela hey mamela

Hela hey mamela

Yet again, it seems like the spirits are telling Simba to listen to the voice that’s pushing him forward. He is confronted with a mountain, that is often a perilous and difficult path, and that he needs to tackle it, and we hear that faith can help us through that difficult path, which is what Simba needs to consider as he goes back home, as it’s not an easy battle he has to win.

He lives in you (Hela hey mamela, hela)

He lives in me (Hela hey mamela, hela)

He watches over (Hela hey mamela, hela)

Everything we see (Hela hey mamela, hela)

Into the water (Hela hey mamela, hela)

Into the truth (Hela hey mamela, hela)

In your reflection (Hela hey mamela)

He lives in you

Here we have the chorus that has a lot of Christian elements to it, and yet it can be seen as separate, with Simba thinking of his father.This is actually Rafiki’s role when he shows Simba the Truth, reminding Simba of what his father taught him, and that Mufasa is always with him, and that he forgot that. His earlier interactions with Timon, who was dismissive about Mufasa’s lessons, really upset Simba, as he was conflicted. Simba needed to be reminded that Mufasa lives in him, and that he can’t ignore who he is either. He also learns that he isn’t alone, and that his father and the Kings of the Past are all with him.

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

Again, the original line about the Lion wearing his Leopard spots takes on a whole new meaning, when Simba finally recognises that he is the King he always wished to be, and that will protect Pride Rock.

He lives in you

Oh-ho-ho

Oh, oh, iyo

Oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, iyo

So wait

There's no mountain too great

Hear the words and have faith

Have faith

The final lyrics before the chorus and the reminder about Simba being who he is, this is when Simba finally overcomes his doubt. Before it was akin to someone giving a pep talk, or reminding him, here it’s far more decisive, as Simba accepts that Mufasa’s spirit lives in him, looks at the path that demonstrated the difficulties of a mountain path, and he has learned to have faith in his father, in his family line, and in himself. Although he still has doubts, he is now casting them aside, to do what he needs to do.

It is such a waste that this song was cut before the release, as it is indeed a powerful song, and one that should have been utilised, as it does give an inspirational message.

The Song’s Message

The take away from the song is that no matter what, no matter who you are or where you go your father lives in you and through you. He is alive so long as you draw breath, just as you will live and thrive so long as your children draw breath.

We are all of us the product of our parents that is to say we are who we are thanks to them and owe them thanks for this.

Nothing could ever replace the bond between a parent and their child. And this is even more true for the bond between a Father and his sons, as there is something special there. This was the true message of Lion King, the one that the creators were desperately trying to communicate.

We can either run from our past or embrace it, we can either flee from our fathers’ shadows or embrace them as also our shadows. We must all of us make peace with our past or become haunted by it.

This is why Father’s Day is so important, why there’s such a panic about the ‘fatherhood crisis’ in so many places on the planet. It is because fathers are important, and have always been. They protect us in our childhood, pass down when able the best parts of themselves and the lessons needed to succeed in life and are there to help us stand up when we’re down.

This is what Mufasa does for Simba throughout the Lion King, and what the best ‘Dads’ do in real life and in fiction.

It’s also why the best of them are more valuable, more important than the most precious rubies or diamonds, and they not only deserve to be loved but are owed our affection.

So on that note do remember to share a hug, to tell your old man you love him because you know what? Even if you don’t think he’d like it. He’s in you, and if it’s the sort of thing you’d like to hear, so would he. Do it, also because you never know when you’ll have to say goodbye… like we Bros Krynn had to, far too soon.

So remember to have a ‘Dad’ or ‘Papa’ is to be truly loved and treasured.

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