The Circle of Life
The London Theatre Orchestra and Cast Lyrics
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Sithi uhhmm ingonyama (oh yes, it's a lion)
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba (there comes a lion)
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama (oh yes, it's a lion)
Ingonyama
Siyo nqoba (we're going to conquer)
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabaal (it's a lion and a tiger)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (se-to-kwa!)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (asana)
From the day we arrive on the planet
And, blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
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
It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life
It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life
The lyrics of The Circle of Life song by The London Theatre Orchestra and Cast, which appears in the movie The Lion King, embody the universal idea of the circle of life. The opening lines of the song are in Zulu, a language spoken in South Africa, which means "there comes a lion, oh yes, it's a lion." The repetitive chorus lyrics "It's the circle of life, and it moves us all, through despair and hope, through faith and love, till we find our place on the path unwinding, in the circle, the circle of life," are a call to listeners to accept the ebb and flow of existence and to embrace change and the natural cycles of life.
The verses that follow discuss the overwhelming nature of life, from the moment we're born and the world opens up to us, to the countless possibilities that life can offer, both good and bad. The lyrics suggest that, despite the chaos and unpredictability of the world, everything is part of a larger order, and each living creature plays a part in the grand scheme of things. The last line of the song neatly returns to the opening lines, which speaks to the idea of the circle of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Behold, a lion is coming
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Oh yes, it's a lion
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Behold, a lion is coming
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Oh yes, it's a lion
Ingonyama
A lion is coming
Siyo nqoba
We will conquer it
Ingonyama
A lion is coming
Ingonyama nengw' enamabaal
It's a lion and a tiger
[repeats 5]
The lion is coming
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Here comes a lion and a tiger
(se-to-kwa!)
(It's a leap!)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Here comes a lion and a tiger
(asana)
(It's a siren!)
From the day we arrive on the planet
Since we were born and arrived on Earth
And, blinking, step into the sun
Opening our eyes and entering the world
There's more to see than can ever be seen
The world is vast and full of wonder
More to do than can ever be done
There are endless possibilities and opportunities
There's far too much to take in here
The world is overwhelmingly beautiful and complex
More to find than can ever be found
There is infinite knowledge to discover
But the sun rolling high
As the sun rises
Through the sapphire sky
Shining through the blue sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
Life continues for everyone
It's the circle of life
This is the cycle of existence
And it moves us all
We are all a part of it
Through despair and hope
Through good times and bad times
Through faith and love
With trust and affection
Till we find our place
Until we discover where we belong
On the path unwinding
On the road that awaits us
In the circle
Within the cycle
The circle of life
This is the cycle of existence
It's the circle of life
This is the cycle of existence
And it moves us all
We are all a part of it
Through despair and hope
Through good times and bad times
Through faith and love
With trust and affection
Till we find our place
Until we discover where we belong
On the path unwinding
On the road that awaits us
In the circle
Within the cycle
The circle of life
This is the cycle of existence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lebohang Morake, Hans Zimmer, Elton John, Tim Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind