Yahoo News Nathan Lane Says Timon And Pumbaa First Sang ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight?’ — But Elton John Nixed It
Elton John was not feeling the original choices in The Lion King to sing his Oscar-winning ballad, Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nathan Lane revealed that early versions of the animated classic saw Timon and Pumbaa singing all of Can You Feel the Love Tonight?
More from Deadline
11 Music Biopics About Iconic Singers From Whitney Houston to Elvis Presley
North West Among Cast Additions To 'The Lion King' Concert Event At Hollywood Bowl
“Originally, we sang the whole thing,” Lane said. “Elton John was mortified that the warthog and the meerkat were singing it. He said, ‘The reason I wrote the score was because I wanted to have a Disney love song. I didn’t want it to be sung by the rat and the pig.'”
There is an original rat/pig version floating around with Lane and Ernie Sabella, who voiced Pumbaa.
“We did [record] a version,” Lane said. “We sang the whole thing in our character voices. It wasn’t like we were going to do our legit Broadway version. We were doing two very character-type voices. It’s hard to do that and be romantic. Elton was right.”
In a switch, the duo was also to do a number titled The Warthog Rhapsody, but it was replaced with Hakuna Matata.
“Thankfully, everyone came to their senses,” Lane joked.
Lane and Sabella will appear in Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – A Live-to-Film Concert Event at the Hollywood Bowl that ends tonight.
The show will feature Lane and Sabella performing a live rendition of Hakuna Matata, as well as their verses in Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Jeremy Irons, Billy Eichner, and Jennifer Hudson will also participate in the event.
Best of Deadline
7 Classic Biopics About Historical Figures From Abraham Lincoln to Ruth Bader Ginsburg
'The Bear' Season 3: Release Date, Cast, Everything We Know So Far
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
