A review of Rhythm of the Pride Lands
Hee hee hee! Now there's a sight-and-a-half to behold. The boys are plunked down in a row on the bed, each lost to the world in the book of his choice. Nick grumbles to himself while intently poring over Philosophy in a New Key: A Study in the Symbolism of Reason, Rite, and Art by Susanne Langer. Renfield enthusiastically runs a paw through a new edition of The Baseball Encyclopedia; he must be comparing stats of Hall-of-Famers again. And Buddy? Well, my honey is beside himself, laughing over Lunch Bugs, a TLK touch-and-play book. "Har, har, har!" he says. "That Simba, he really cracks me up, getting big-time grossed out over the bugs Timon and Pumbaa are gonna munch for lunch. A real gut-buster!"
Nora and I look at each other and giggle again. "They make quite a picture, don't they?" she says. I nod in agreement. "Yeah. But the picture's about on a par with a ten-dollar velvet Elvis portrait in a plastic frame. Let's leave see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, and speak-no-evil to their reading and listen to some music. Do you know if Dave got any new CD's this week?" We gals decide to do a little exploring and leave the gents to their tomes.
"Hey, what's this?" Nora says. "I can't believe he finally broke down and bought it!" "I know, I know," I reply. "Dave's always saying he's a good five years too late on anything new and fashionable. I guess he's decided to move that timetable up a few years." Yup, there it is--no mirage, no dream. A copy of Rhythm of the Pridelands sits on the CD player. I find it hard to tear my eyes from that big, hunky-looking Simba on the cover--rrrrowr! I know what Nala sees in him. Nora figures out fast enough what's got my attention and laughs. "Now, now, Holly--pop those eyes of yours back in their sockets. You look like a Tex Avery cartoon character." Okay, okay. Let's move our attention above the waistline and give that disc a listen.
By and large, this is an extremely effective album. Even the least inspired selections on this CD are worth hearing because of their full and intricate (but never fussy or cluttered) arrangements. And may I say "Kudos!" to the many folks responsible for them (Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Fabian Cooke, Jay Rifkin, JVT, Hans Zimmer, and Bruce Fowler). Many of the songs here are in an African world-music style, including the first track, "He Lives in You." This is one of the catchiest songs on the album, with a truly memorable, hooky refrain. I guarantee, this will be one tune that will be sneaking around in my head tomorrow. It's a very simple, but genuinely-felt song with sketchy, yet faith-filled lyrics and a warmly busy instrumental accompaniment. So far, so good, I say.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | He Lives In You | ||
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The next selection betrays an uneasy and curious hybrid of influences. Somehow, combining a Swahili slogan, an Elton John tune, a reggae-influenced beat, and rather glossy scoring just doesn't jive with me. It's kind of like getting a hunk of apple pie topped with cheese, ice cream, and chocolate syrup--nice by themselves or even in a limited partnership combo, but mighty odd all at once. For all that, "Hakuna Matata" isn't unlistenable, but it is bizarre, to say the least.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Hakuna Matata | ||
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"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" gets surprisingly effective treatment here. Nora rocks back and forth with her eyes closed, and I can see why. There's a certain warm intimacy about this arrangement, with its low, humming synthesizers and vocals somehow suggesting powerful creatures at slumber. And the cheerful, loping beat--could that symbolize the happy relief of tribal villagers who know that tonight, at least, they are safe from marauding beasts? Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, it's a bit too much speculation. So sue me already. I'm just idly musing while Nora floats with the music.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | ||
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What follows is perhaps the least inspired song on the album. The generic sounding "Kube" wears its Western mainstream pop influences far too obviously on its sleeve, to the point of having a half-step upward transposition occurring before the second chorus. Somehow, I suspect I could flip on the radio and get analogues to this song anytime I choose. And neither the tune nor lyrics are anything special or memorable. Enough said. But then...
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Kube | ||
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"Ooooh! This one really gives me goosebumps," says Nora. We're hearing "Lea Halalela," and it's a surprisingly haunting selection despite its somewhat static verse music. Khululiwe Sithole's disembodied, other-worldly vocal is surprisingly evocative here. A yearning melody (played when Simba sadly cuddles up to his dead father) that appears in the "Lion King" soundtrack is borrowed here for the song's refrain. And, I might add, to fine effect.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Lea Halalela | ||
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"It's Time" is a most intriguing number indeed. Full of hopefully optimistic verve, this song starts out rather quietly, but gradually opens out to a guardedly upbeat chorus. Somehow, pulling its punch makes this number more intriguing. "Celebrate," the lyric finally says--but it doesn't forget its past: "And to be hopeful/It's sweet and graceful." There's more here than meets the ear.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | It's Time | ||
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The gutsy, celebratory, wonderfully uplifting music of "One by One" follows next. Scored most effectively for a cappella chorus, this number teems with joyous, unbridled exuberance. Not that I know beans about traditional African music, mind you--but this song strikes me as being the most authentically African of all the numbers on this CD. The hopeful promise of "It's Time" is tangibly fulfilled here. A major standout, and one of the best tracks on this disc.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | One by One | ||
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Then comes "Warthog Rhapsody," a song that was cut from the final version of "The Lion King." I really don't know what to think here. The song is worthwhile on its own terms, with lyrics by Tim Rice that recall the curious yet clever approach he used in penning the words to "Hakuna Matata" and "I Just Can't Wait to Be King." Elton John's tune here is oddly effective in a leadenly chunky way. And again, the arrangement (as most everywhere else on this album) is top-shelf clever. This song even serves a clear purpose on the CD, as a light breather between more weighty numbers, the way a scherzo movement does in a symphony. Yet somehow, it seems out of place. I believe the song is stylistically so incongruous to its neighbors that it simply cannot co-exist effectively with them. Nice try, though. Too bad it's not on the original soundtrack album, where it might find itself among more suitable company. The song revs itself up to a gaudy vaudevillian finish and stops. And then...
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Warthog Rhapsody | ||
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Soft, soothing vocals and lovely synthesizer strains worm their way from the CD player. Lebo M. sings a gorgeously expressive melodic line that reaches down deep into my guts and won't let go. The chorus follows, taken from Zimmer's TLK soundtrack selection "Under the Stars:"
Oh, my father, I'm in pain
Oh, my father, I'm in pain.
"Oh...ohhhhh..." gasps Nora as she bursts into tears. "This is...this is one of the loveliest things I've...I've heard in a long time...." Sweet and sensitive Nora--she's not the only one. I'm getting mighty misty-eyed, too. What a moving and beautiful song "Lala" is! I think it's the best track on the album. "Let's pause it here, just for a sec, OK?" I say. We wipe away our tears and give each other a big hug, like Rafiki and Mufasa.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Lala | ||
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Okay, onward we go! "Busa" comes charging off the CD like a bull rhino--big, full, driving, and energetic. The main melody here is taken from the soundtrack, music which appears during Simba's run across the desert back to the Pride Lands. It's a strong, celebratory number which clears away the mists most effectively. The final song, "Noyana," is a little slower than its predecessor, but is no less joyful. Its rousing, bouncy, and optimistic beat is irresistable. Coupling these two songs at the album's end proves to be a good idea; neither song would quite work as a closer, but the cumulative effect of pairing the two numbers somehow strengthens the wanted capstone intention. Nora and I feel jubilant and happy.
| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Busa | ||
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| Listen to a 30 second sample of: | Noyana | ||
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Buddy, Nick, and Renfield amble into the living room just as the CD ends. "Ah, there you are, ladies," says Renfield. "Did you and Susanne Langer have a good afternoon together?" smiles Nora as she goes over and hugs Nick. "Catchin' some good tunes, kiddo?" says Buddy as he gives me an affectionate nuzzle. "You have no idea," I rumble in my best husky Scar voice imitation. We all share a good laugh.
I'll be coming back to this CD soon. Real soon. For the music and the Simba picture.....
(transcribed by David Cleary)
{Submitted by Dave C.}
{HTML by Thumper}
{Graphic and Sound clips by Akida}
The Pride Lands Online Multi-Media Archive
Walt Disney Records 60871-7
| 1. He Lives in You | 6. It's Time |
| 2. Hakuna Matata | 7. One by One |
| 3. The Lion Sleeps Tonight | 8. Warthog Rhapsody |
| 4. Kube | 9. Lala |
| 5. Lea Halalela | 10. Busa |
| 11. Noyana |
Lyrics and music composer credits: 1. Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Lebo M., 2. Tim Rice and Elton John, 3. lyrics and revised music by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, and Luigi Creatore, 4. Caiphus Semenya and Lebo M., 5. Lebo M. and Hans Zimmer, 6. Lebo M., John Van Tongeren, and Jay Rifkin, 7. Lebo M., 8. Tim Rice and Elton John, 9. and 10. Lebo M., Hans Zimmer, and Jay Rifkin, 11. Traditional.
Music and lyrics copyright 1995 Walt Disney Music Company and/or Wonderland Music Company, Inc., except #2 copyright 1994 Wonderland Music Company, Inc., #3 copyright 1961 Folkways Music, Inc., renewed 1989 by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, and Luigi Creatore, assigned to Abilene Music Co, Inc. c/o The Songwriters Guild of America, #4 copyright 1973 Semenya Music.
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