09 Circle of life
Elton John Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

Some say, "Eat or be eaten"
Some say, "Live and let live"
But all are agreed as they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars

There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding, yeah
In the circle, the circle of life

It's the wheel of fortune, yeah
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding, yeah
In the circle, the circle of life





On the path unwinding, yeah
In the circle, the circle of life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elton John's "Circle of Life" describe the cycle of life and the relationships and connections that come with it. The song begins by acknowledging that life is full of opportunities and experiences that we cannot possibly take in all at once. From the moment we are born, there is more to see and do than we can possibly imagine. The lyrics then describe the different viewpoints that people have on how to navigate life. Some may believe in living selfishly ("Eat or be eaten") while others believe in coexisting peacefully ("Live and let live"). However, the song stresses that everyone must ultimately give back and contribute to the world, taking no more than they give.


The chorus speaks to the notion that life is an ongoing journey that brings with it a constant evolution of emotions and experiences. The "circle of life" represents the idea that everything is connected, and that it is difficult to understand our place in the world. Each individual must take their own "path unwinding" to find their place in the world, but in doing so, they will be guided by the "wheel of fortune," the "leap of faith," and the "band of hope."


Together, these lyrics paint a picture of life as a constantly moving and evolving entity, where we are all interconnected and responsible for each other. Through taking the good with the bad, giving back to the world, and finding our own paths, we can ultimately find our place in the never-ending circle of life.


Line by Line Meaning

From the day we arrive on the planet
From the moment we are born on this earth


And blinking, step into the sun
Opening our eyes and seeing the world for the first time


There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
The world is vast and there is always something new to discover


More to do than can ever be done
There are countless experiences to be had and choices to make in life


Some say, "Eat or be eaten"
Some people believe in a dog-eat-dog world where survival of the fittest is the rule


Some say, "Live and let live"
Others believe in living alongside others in a peaceful and respectful manner


But all are agreed as they join the stampede
Despite the different beliefs, everyone participates in the journey of life


You should never take more than you give
It is important to give back and not just take from the world


In the circle of life
Life is a continuous cycle


It's the wheel of fortune
Life has its ups and downs


It's the leap of faith
Taking risks and having faith in oneself is a necessary part of life


It's the band of hope
Having hope and believing in a better future is essential for a fulfilling life


'Til we find our place
Until we find our purpose in life


On the path unwinding
Life is a journey with an unknown outcome


Some of us fall by the wayside
Some people encounter struggles and obstacles that they cannot overcome


And some of us soar to the stars
Some people achieve great heights and incredible success in their lives


And some of us sail through our troubles
Some people experience difficulties but manage to handle them smoothly


And some have to live with the scars
Some people bear the emotional or physical marks of past challenges and traumas


There's far too much to take in here
The world is vast and overwhelming


More to find than can ever be found
No matter how much we try, there is always something new to discover


But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
The beauty of nature and the world around us


Keeps great and small on the endless round
Life continues for everyone, regardless of their place or status


In the circle of life
As the cycle of life continues


It's the wheel of fortune, yeah
The unpredictability of life, sometimes good and sometimes bad


It's the leap of faith
Taking a risk in the hopes of a positive outcome, even when the outcome is uncertain


It's the band of hope
Maintaining optimism and a positive outlook even when things are tough


'Til we find our place
Continuing to search for our purpose and where we belong


On the path unwinding, yeah
Life moves forward and we cannot predict the outcome


In the circle, the circle of life
The cycle continues, with the ups and downs, twists and turns of everyday life




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Elton John, Tim Rice

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Anima.Libera

From the day we arrive on the planet
And, blinking, step into the sun
There's more to be seen
Than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

Some say, "Eat or be eaten."
Some say, "Live and let live."
But all are agreed
As they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars

There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life



@user-gp4dg2te3i

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the Sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

Some say eat or be eaten
Some say live and let live
But all are agreed as they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars

There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the Sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

In the…



All comments from YouTube:

@The907alaska

My Brother passed away from Cancer at the age of 31. This song brings me down to tears every time. God bless those who fight Cancer

@agustindanielfernandezlope4828

very young

@MarcRockDrummer

I'm so sorry!!!!!

@ronouellet4416

Nobody ever loses a fight to cancer, the fight just ends,

@amandaeklund8136

My grandfather passed away in cancer 2019:-(

@toniroberts8117

So sorry. The good die young oftentimes ❤️

184 More Replies...

@linhfellows

My father passed away yesterday, i always remember how we laughed and hugged each other like Mufasa and Simba scene. These loving memories will live forever. I love you Dad!

@mattdoyle915

Condolences my friend.

@lindapearcr3138

@adambarber2764

God bless you 🙏

More Comments

More Versions