The soundtracks throughout the movie The Lion King stand out as some of the most recognizable songs ever produced. Among the most popular songs are “The Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata”, both of which were produced for the sole purpose of the movie. The Lion King became one of the most popular movie productions in film history due to its compelling use of music to set the mood and evoke the audience’s emotion. The appropriate use of rhetorical devices propels the audience to familiarize the music with the film and play a large role in the films popularity.

The music throughout the movie play a key role in establishing the mood and directly affect the audiences sense of pathos, “music can serve as a kind of overture to suggest the mood or spirit of the film as a whole” (Giannetii). In the song “The Circle of Life” the soundtrack uses background vocals to establish the tone of multiple voices coming together for the presentation of Simba. It establishes a sense of coming together as a family for the presentation of a newborn to all of its family, a very relatable feeling to the audience. In the song “Hakuna Matata” the upbeat music and happy lyrics appeal to the audience in a lighter mood and sets a happy tone established between two friends. In both of the songs there is an upbeat rhythm that draws on the happier emotions amongst the audience and establish the mood of each specific scene.

One of the most important devices used during the music was that of logos. Because the intended audience was of all ages the music had to be relatable and logical in its portrayal throughout the film. In the song “Circle of Life” we hear distinct animal sounds such as birds and elephants to aid the visuals as well as intrigue the audience. The song title and chorus also foreshadow the birth of a newborn (Simba), as well as the death of an older character (Mufasa). Another instance of logos throughout this song is that the animal kingdom all comes together for one character, establishing that character as important and the lead role.  The song “Hakuna Matata” utilizes logos because viewers establish that the two characters are very good friends and it describes the type of relationship these two have in relation to the rest of the movie. The happy-go-lucky tone of the song also set the tone of the rest of the movie and establishes the mood amongst these two friends.

Another important role of the music in the movie is to portray the music as credible. Elton John, an award winning artist and songwriter, produced the music throughout the movie. Prior to the films production, John’s music was amongst the most popular on the charts and Disney recognized this and utilized his popularity to establish the music’s credibility.

The Lion King is an incredible movie that has a very popular following. The film has many classic soundtrack hits that are recognizable amongst the bulk of moviegoers. Throughout the film we are introduced to many songs, all of which are relatable and appropriate to the plot of the movie. I believe this movie is a must see, with a rating of five stars.