In our previous post we looked at examples of classic songs from Disney films whose lyrics are changing in the new live-action adaptations. Let’s look at more examples of Disney remakes with changes.
Having seen some examples such as Aladdin and the forthcoming adaptation of The Little Mermaid, let’s turn to other Disney classics and their new songs.
The Lion King (1994 vs 2019)
The film by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, winner of two Academy Awards, is one of Disney’s great successes. The story of Simba the lion and his rise to become king – a tale inspired by Hamlet – combines drama and comedy in a moving narrative. Inevitably, it did not escape becoming one of the Disney remakes, and in 2019 its adaptation arrived, imitating live action with animals through ultra-realistic 3D animation. One of the film’s most famous songs is Hakuna Matata, the manifesto of carefree living sung by Timon and Pumbaa. In the song, the warthog and the meerkat recount how Pumbaa was rejected as a youngster by his herd because of his “flatulence”. With a wink to the audience and a break of the fourth wall, the two of them sing: P-Qué gran dolor T-Por su mal olor P-Era un gran deshonor T-Qué más da el honor P-Y me deprimía T-Vaya que sí P-Cada vez que… T-Pumba, que hay niños delante P-Ah, lo siento. In the 2019 version, however, the lyrics change: P-¡Qué gran dolor! T-Sí, tenías pesadumbre P-Hasta quise cambiar de nombre T-¿Y llamarte cómo? ¿Pepe? P-Y siempre me deprimía cada vez que… Un pedo me salía ¿qué pasa, que no vas a pararme? T-¡No pienso hacerlo, me das asco! Why the change? Because of a reference to the original film, a kind of meta-commentary on the adaptation itself. In this new version Timon does not stop the audience from hearing Pumbaa’s sad reality. This time it is not so much an adaptation of the translation as a twist on the very history of adaptations and remakes.
Other Disney remakes: Mulan (1998 vs 2020)
Mulan is the most radical example of changing song lyrics… because the songs disappear altogether. The adaptation of the Chinese legend, directed by Niki Caro, has no songs. It is a more mature film, aimed less at a young audience, so the production felt that songs did not fit with making it more serious and realistic. Great numbers such as ‘A Girl Worth Fighting For’ or ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ were therefore left out of the film. No translation problems, no updating for modern times: this time there are no songs at all.
The Jungle Book (1967 vs 2016)
Fifty years after the classic was released, the story of Mowgli and his animal friends became one of the Disney remakes, directed by Jon Favreau and combining live action with 3D animation for the animals. ‘The Bare Necessities’ is one of Disney’s most famous songs. Sung by Mowgli and papa bear Baloo, it is a tender ballad about living carefree and respecting nature.
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