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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. It won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It was also nominated for AFI's "100 Years...100 Songs" as one of 15 from Disney and one of 17 from an animated movie to be nominated. The ones that eventually made the cut were: "When You Wish Upon a Star" (#7), "Some Day My Prince Will Come" (#19), "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (#36), "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" (#47), "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 Nala and Simba's longtime childhood friendship eventually blossoms into intense romance during a stroll through 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, accompanied by the theme to Peter Gunn playing in the background, while the refrain plays throughout their failure.
Elton John, the composer, also sings his cover version during the end credits of the original film. This version was released as a single by Elton John and was also featured on 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 couples from previous animated Disney films (Bambi, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Brave Little Tailor, Fun and Fancy Free, Cinderella, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Lady and the Tramp, and Melody Time) in addition to Simba and Nala.
Lyrics
Timon: I can see what's happening
Pumbaa: (spoken) What?
Timon: And they don't have a clue
Pumbaa: (spoken) Who?
Timon: They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two
Pumbaa: (spoken) Oh.
Timon: Ze sweet caress of twilight
There's magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air
Solo singer: 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 too 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
(Both start shedding noisy tears)
Timon: I can see what's happening
Pumbaa (spoken) What?
Timon: And they don't have a clue
Pumbaa: (spoken) Who?
Timon: They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two
Pumbaa: (spoken) Oh.
Timon: 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 too far
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
Nala: And if he feels the love tonight
In the way I do
Simba: It's enough for this restless wanderer
Both: Just to be with you
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
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
Is the most magical time of the year
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
It is the most wonderful time of the year
Deleted versions
Timon: If I said I love you
Pumbaa: (spoken) Huh?
Timon: Had you on my brain
Pumbaa: (spoken): Hey!
Timon: It would mean a romantic atmosphere had rendered me insane!
It's only an example, it don't apply to us
Pumbaa: (spoken) Phew!
But over there, it's a different story
Timon: And one we must discuss!
Both: Oh, can you feel the love tonight?
Oh, the signs are there
Pumbaa: A starry sky and tons of tenderness
Timon: Disaster in the air!
And if he falls in love tonight
Pumbaa: (spoken) Oh no!
Timon: It can be assumed
Pumbaa: (spoken) What?
Timon: His carefree days with us are history
In short
Both: Our pal is doomed!
(Both start shedding noisy tears)
Simba: There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind
Can be turned away
Nala: An enchanted moment
Any heart would fall
Paradise, and I can't help wondering
Should I be here at all?
Chorus: And can you feel the love tonight?
Won't you stay to see
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
A truth for you and me
Nala: Somewhere there's a reason
Why I had to go
To keep away from this star-crossed voyager
That I don't want to know
Simba: Never trust the future
Never miss the past
If you live for the shining moment
The moment may just last!
Chorus: 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
Can you feel the love tonight?
Won't you stay to see
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
A truth for you and me
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
A love for you and me
Video
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. Plus, it wouldn't make sense to waste such a grand number on secondary characters.
- This song was the first song Elton John wrote for the film.[1]
- 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.
- It was only through the insistence of Elton John that the song 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; part of it is 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.
- In the original soundtrack version of the song, Timon and Pumbaa's sobbing at the end is prolonged.
- The part where Timon and Pumbaa cry at the end of the song in the soundtrack is cut off from Radio Disney Junior broadcasts.
- 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.
- This is one of the movie's best known songs.
- There is a rare work-in-progress version that appeared on a teaser trailer for the film The Fox and the Hound on VHS, which viewers will not find anywhere else except in the storyboard.
- There is a version of this song sung in the French track of The Lion King 1½ throughout the credits instead of "Grazing in the Grass" by Raven and a reprise of "That's All I Need" by Timon, performed by unknown singers.
- In the midquel film, Timon and Pumbaa try to trip Nala and Simba up with a vine, which causes the lions to roll down the hill.
- The 2010 version cuts to the Broadway and North American tour versions of the show eliminated the aerial ballet (still evident in the original cast recording by an instrumental break in the song).
- The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar makes a nod to the song when Kion says, "Dad, we already had that talk! Can you feel the love tonight? I know all about that mushy stuff!"[2]
- A parody of this song is seen in Zootopia on the playlist of Judy Hopps' music player under the name "Can You Feel the Fluff Tonight", though the rest of the song's name is covered by Judy's thumb.
- This song sometimes changed lyrics to "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Walt Disney World version) and "It's the Most Magical Time of the Year" (Disneyland version) instead the lyrics "With all its living things", which reflects the holiday season. It can be seen on 2017 edition of Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration.
