One of the best family films of the 90s is undoubtedly The Lion King for its striking animation, its powerful lessons about confronting the past, and its memorable melodies. One of the catchiest songs in the film is, of course, “Hakuna Matata,” sung when Simba’s new friends Timon and Pumba share their lighthearted philosophy with the guilt-ridden cub. It’s a wonderful song, and Sir Elton John told the whole, hilarious story of how he wrote the Best Song nominee.
In The Lion King, Simba is manipulated by Scar into believing that his father’s death is his fault and convinces him to leave the Pride Lands. As he runs away, the young cub meets the best animated sidekicks from DisneyTimon and Pumba. They introduce Simba to their philosophy of freeing themselves from the worries and responsibilities of the past. This carefree way of life can be summed up in two words: “Hakuna Matata.”
If you are curious about the origins of the unforgettable tune, Sir Elton John, who helped write the uplifting song of the Disney film, spoke with SiriusXM about the musical melody he first envisioned for “Hakuna Matata.” He explained:
Of all the lyrics in the movie, this was the most Disney-esque. It could have been in any classic Disney movie like The Jungle Book. It was like, “Oo-dee-do!” You had to be so happy with that song because it’s about farting, for God’s sake!
Sir Elton John is not wrong. “Hakuna Matata” tells the backstory of the warthog Pumba, who was an outsider and ostracized by other animals because of his flatulence problem. The funny reason for this Pumba’s typical farts were included in the cartoon was that Pumba actor Ernie Sabella made farting noises to the sleepy Timon actor Nathan Lane. Since the voice actor made so many farting noises between dialogues to entertain his buddy, this was the birth of the “first and only Disney character with flatulence”. Many children love The Lion King, I’m sure many of them enjoy a fart joke.
Thirty years later, “Hakuna Matata” is still one of Disney’s most popular songs. When the song was created, Sir Elton John had already released 23 studio albums and won two Grammys. Because he had been so successful since the 1960s, the British singer was afraid that the cheerful jingle would ruin his career:
I said, “God, I’m so into my job. I’ve been in the business for 30, 40 years and I’m writing a song about a warthog.”
According to the SiriusXM interview Lion King The musical staff all came together to find ways to make this song an inspirational track. The song’s lyricist, Sir Tim Rice, said Timon and Pumba’s song came about after a rap sequence by Pumba was rejected. One of the film’s screenwriters, Irene Mecchi, sent her crew to Kenya to help them find inspiration for the new song. On a two-week safari Lion King Co-director Roger Allers learned about Kenya’s motto “Hakuna Matata,” which means “no worries, no trouble, no problem” in Swahili.
It is hard to believe that Sir Elton John had initial doubts about “Hakuna Matata” as it was “a song about a warthog” and “farting”. But the inspirational song from the top ranked Disney Renaissance Era Film continues to be an unforgettable track and even found its way into the live-action remake (with a small difference in the new text). Be sure to listen to the light-hearted musical number from 1994 The Lion King available on your Disney+ subscription.
