The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride “He Lives in You” (1998)

In the late 1990s and 2000s, Disney went on a spree of creating sequels to all of their animated films, most of which paled in comparison to the originals. However, there were a few successful follow-ups and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride is one of them. The story follows Simba’s (Matthew Broderick) daughter Kiara (Neve Campbell) as she finds herself becoming friends (and later much more) with Kovu (Jason Marsden), the alleged son of Scar and Zira (a lioness who followed Scar, even after Simba returned to the Pride Lands), leader of a band of exiled lions. If the first Lion King is based on Hamlet, then the sequel is clearly Romeo and Juliet (only there’s a happy ending in this version).

The film starts, like the original, with a sunrise and the animals traveling again to Pride Rock to acknowledge the new heir to the throne. “He Lives in You” actually comes from the Broadway version of The Lion King and was initially sung by Mufasa to Simba (speaking of the Great Kings of the Past) and later by Rafiki. Like “The Circle of Life,” this song also mixes some Zulu into the lyrics.

Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala
Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala

Night
And the spirit of life
Calling

Oh, oh, iyo
Mamela (Listen)
Oh, oh, iyo

And a voice
With the fear of a child
Answers

Oh, oh, iyo
Oh, mamela (Listen)
Oh, oh, iyo

Ubukhosi bo khokho (Throne of the ancestors)
We ndodana ye sizwe sonke (Oh, son of the nation)

Wait
There’s no mountain too great
Oh, oh, iyo
Hear the words and have faith
Oh, oh, iyo
Have faith

Hela hm mamela (Hey, listen)

He lives in you (Hela hm mamela, hela)
He lives in me (Hela hm mamela, hela)
He watches over (Hela hm mamela, hela)
Everything we see (Hela hm mamela, hela)
Into the water (Hela hm mamela, hela)
Into the truth (Hela hm mamela, hela)
In your reflection (Hela hm mamela)
He lives in you

As Kiara is presented to the animals of the Pride Lands, we can see Mufasa’s spirit watching over the proceedings, clearly pleased with how things are going. I think it really helps that this film opens like the original story, it provides a sense of continuity, the idea that this is a real follow-up to Simba’s story. This song is also a call back to Rafiki’s message to Simba in the original film (“That’s not my father, it’s just my reflection.” “You see…he lives in you.”)

What do you think about “He Lives in You?” Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and have a great day!