The Lion King

by

Various Artists

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My father bought me the initial edition of this soundtrack when I was an 8-year-old pupil, and I was attracted by it, then I listened to it before I went to bed every night. After The Lion King's platinum edition series have been published, I bought the DVD, and also collected this special edition soundtrack. In fact, the songs in this special edition soundtrack are not very different from the ones in the initial, except the new song "The Morning Report". But I think this special edition soundtrack is really collectable to Lion King fans.

Actually, till today, I can't say which song is the theme song of this movie, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" or "Circle of Life"? They're both so good and very famous, they have wonderful melody and excellent backgroud music. "Circle of Life" has faithful and beautiful lyric that tell us the endlessness and strength of life. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" has romantic lyric, and the romantic atmosphere often attract our attention and will always be remembered by everyone. When I was young, the song "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" was the most impressive and attractive to me. Maybe it was because that I was at the age of Simba and had the emotions and thoughts that Simba had. Besides, the tune and vocals of this song are great and funny. "Be Prepare" is a good song too, it expressed the absolute careerism of Scar, the rhythm and musical instruments that used are good and suitable. "Hakuna Matata" is a very humorous and comical song, it makes me feels that leading a problem-free life is wonderful. The new song "The Morning Report" is funny, but I think Simba's dubber in this song was not very good, the voice was too different from the initial dubber's of Simba. The scores are so glorious, sometimes I think they feel like symphony! I love "To Die For" and "King of Pride Rock" very much. "To Die For" is so powerful, while "King of Pride Rock" is very inspired, especially the last several seconds that the chorus sang "Circle of Life", it's so beautiful!

Well, when I'm listening to this special edition soundtrack, my emotions and feelings are a little different from that I had about 11 years ago when I first listened to the initial edition, though the songs are almost the same. Maybe it's because that I just enjoyed myself when I was first listening to it 11 years ago, but now, I can often recall many good memories in my childhood when I'm listening to this, including the laughter and tears when I first watched this glorious movie. This soundtrack is a great thing to who was moved by "The Lion King" and love it so much.

As an owner of the Special Edition Lion King DVD, I was at first quite curious to see that there was a Special Edition Lion King CD as well as I coudln't imagine what they would have put on here. But besides a fancy package and the inclusion of the over hyped "Morning Report" song that is found in said special edition DVD there is really very little to make this a 'Special Edition' CD. Yes they have a remix of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" by the writer of the song and famous musican Elton John, Which isn't bad, but still is this enough to warrent a whole new CD that has exactly what the original soundtrack has on it besides? I would have to say yes and no.

A yes, if you never bought the orignial soundtrack and just got into the music and movie with the rerelease of the DVD. It's a great buy as you get the new song you will have heard as well as all the original songs that fill this movie.

A no, if you like millions of people own the original soundtrack and aren't that crazy about a very short song of the "Morning Report" and can't get all excited about a CD having 3 versions of the same song on it.

It still is a great overall soundtrack though. It has "Circle of Life", "I Can't Wait to Be King" "Hakuna Matata" and all the other songs you will remember from the movie. It has the insturmentals and the Elton John versions of the main songs from the movie. The only special thing though is the addition of two songs and one of them being short and isn't even that thrilling.

So the choice is yours. If you already own this it isn't worth buying again. You can hear the Morning Report in the DVD version and not feel like this is a must have either way. If you have never had this before definitely get this as you may as well get extra songs to listen to if you are going to get the soundtrack anyway.

It is very disapointing that Disney didn't go more out here to truly make this a special edition for Lion King fans. Like maybe putting the edited out part that Timon had in Hakuna Matata that we find in deleted scenes on the DVD, or the Timon version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" Just something to really add something new and "SPECIAL" to this CD. It comes off more as a cheap ploy to milk more money on things people have by making them want to buy it again and all I can say is get this if you don't have the original soundtrack already but otherwise don't bother as it just doesn't offer enough that is differnet or truly special.