Please note that this is not an artist, but appears here due to incorrectly tagged tracks. Last.fm recommends that you attribute these songs to their composers, as per Musicbrainz. Please our FAQ for more information on our artist name guidelines.
A list of composers to popular Disney films can be found here:
Alan Menken (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas)
Hans Zimmer (The Lion King)
Mark Mancina (Tarzan, Brother Bear)
Michael Giacchino (Ratatouille)
James Newton Howard (Atlantis)
Jerry Goldsmith (Mulan)
Oliver Wallace (Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Dumbo)
Randy Newman (A Bug's Life, Cars, Monsters Inc., Toy Story)
Thomas Newman (WALL-E)
The Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats and The Tigger Movie)
Music from the crust band Disneÿ from the Czech Republic should be tagged as Disneÿ.
I Wan'na Be Like You
Disney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, the jungle VIP
I've reached the top and had to stop
And that's what's botherin' me
I wanna be a man, man cub, yeah
And stroll right in the town
I wanna be just like the other men
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
You'll just see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be human too
Now don't try to kid me, man cub
I made a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire
To make my dream come true
And give me the secret, man cub
Clue me, I know what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower
So I can be like you
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
You'll just see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be human too, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too, yeah
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
You'll just see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be human too, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah
In Disney's song "I Wan'na Be Like You," the character King Louie sings about his desire to become a human like the character Mowgli. He expresses his frustration at being stuck in his current ape form and his jealousy of the human beings. The chorus of the song expresses his desire to learn how to walk, talk, and behave like a human. Louie even strikes a bargain with Mowgli, stating that he will give Mowgli what he wants in exchange for the "power of man's red flower," which is a reference to fire.
The lines "Now don't try to kid me, man cub / I made a deal with you" suggest that this song takes place after King Louie has already tried to persuade Mowgli to give him what he wants and that Mowgli has yet to keep up his end of the bargain. This song is full of metaphors and symbolism that relate to both nature and humanity. The song ultimately reflects the desire we all have to be accepted and to belong, to be respected and to feel powerful.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I'm the King of the swingers
I have become the leader of my group
Oh, the jungle VIP
I am a very important person in the jungle
I've reached the top and had to stop
I have achieved all of my goals but have nothing left to strive for
And that's what's botherin' me
I am feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled
I wanna be a man, man cub, yeah
I want to be a human instead of a jungle animal
And stroll right in the town
I want to walk like a human in a civilized area
I wanna be just like the other men
I want to fit in and be accepted as a human
I'm tired of monkeyin' around
I am tired of playing around as an animal and want something more serious
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I want to learn from and be like a human, specifically the man cub
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
I want to imitate the way humans walk and talk
You'll just see it's true, an ape like me
I believe that even an animal like me can be like a human
Can learn to be human too
I believe that with the right teachings and tools, I can become a human
Now don't try to kid me, man cub
Do not deceive or trick me, human child
I made a deal with you
We agreed on something that I expect you to uphold
What I desire is man's red fire
What I really want is the power that humans possess - specifically, their fire
To make my dream come true
I need this power to become more human-like, which is my ultimate goal
And give me the secret, man cub
Tell me the secret of how to obtain man's red flower (fire), human child
Clue me, I know what to do
Give me a hint on how to get fire, and I will figure out the rest
Give me the power of man's red flower
Give me the ability to use and control fire like a human
So I can be like you
So I can become more like a human
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you
I really want to be like you, human
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too, yeah
I want to imitate your actions and behavior to become more human-like
You'll just see it's true, an ape like me
I insist that even an animal like me can become more human-like
Can learn to be human too, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah
I am confident that I can learn the ways of humans and become more like them
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind