10 Interesting Facts About The Making Of The Lion King
4. ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ Was Originally A Duet By Timon And Pumbaa
In the second act of the movie, Simba befriends Timon and Pumbaa and discovers a life of freedom in the jungle. After growing into a mature lion, his carefree life is interrupted by the arrival of Nala, who tries to persuade Simba to return to the Pride Lands.
Though Simba is reluctant to return, the two lions develop a romantic interest in one another, which leads to the iconic song, ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’.
However, the version we all know and love wasn’t the only version recorded for the film. Originally, Timon and Pumbaa sung the duet, but this rendition was scrapped after Elton John – who composed the song – saw an early screening of the film and criticised what he heard:
“'I don't want a big, stinky warthog singing my love song!”
This blunt response may seem a little harsh, but Elton was spot on. Whilst everyone enjoys Timon and Pumbaa’s humour, their personalities don’t match the tone of the song at all. In the final cut of the film, the pair of them perform the closing lines, but if they’d sung the whole thing, it simply wouldn’t have worked.