The film The Lion King is one of the most famous animated features ever made by Disney. And even more iconic is its opening scene; the sun rises against a red sky, and with it, different animals wake up. We later see them rallying around an adorable newborn lion who will be the ruler one day. All the while, the song “The Circle of Life” enhances the magnificence of the scene. Since the music is epic, the lyrics must be too, right? But what is “The Circle of Life” actually saying?
The lyrics, credited to British songwriter Tim Rice, are in Zulu. This language is primarily spoken in South Africa, as well as neighboring countries like Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Botswana. It is spoken by approximately 29 million speakers, of whom roughly 13 million is their first language.
This long-standing pop culture mystery was thrown to the forefront of the online conversation by athlete-turned-commentator Akbar Gbajabiamila and comedian Godfrey. As hosts of the podcast One54, which explores pan-African culture and identity, they pondered on this topic during a recent episode. After trying to remember the lyrics and not getting them quite right, their guest, Zimbabwean stand-up comedian Learnmore Jonasi, recites them in Zulu. Curious, the hosts asked him to explain what the lyrics meant.
The lyrics go “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba / Sithi uhhmm ingonyama” which Jonasi translates as “Look! There’s a lion! Oh my God!” The explanation makes the hosts burst out laughing. “This whole time, I thought it was this beautiful, majestic spiritual s***. They have made billions off that,” Godfrey says.
The lyrics to that verse go “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba / Sithi uhhmm ingonyama / Ingonyama / Siyo Nqoba / Ingonyama / Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala.” So, a more comprehensive and literal translation would be “Here comes a lion, father / Oh yes it’s a lion / A lion / We’re going to conquer / A lion and a leopard come to this open place.”
Followers of the show on Instagram added even more context for those not fluent in Zulu. “It’s actually ‘Behold, a king, my people.’ Ingonyama means lion, but it also refers to a king. This guy oversimplified this for humor,” shared Instagram user @nqobile_mathumbeza, while commenter @jmelenaa_ added, “The Zulu lyrics are more like a powerful chant celebrating the lion’s arrival, not just literal statements.”
Still, this is all very insightful for non-Zulu speakers. Whether it was straightforward or nuanced and layered, the lyrics are what elevate “The Circle of Life” scene, making it one of the most memorable of all time. Indeed, there is a lion.
You can watch the full conversation from One54 below.
Since the music of “The Circle of Life” is epic, the lyrics must be too, right? What is “The Circle of Life” actually saying?
Zimbabwean stand-up comedian Learnmore Jonasi explained the meaning of these lyrics on the podcast One54. You can watch the conversation below:
One54: Instagram
Sources: Zulu Language Information at Center for Language Technology, Indiana University
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