Kevin
October 17, 2021
Common Questions
Do you know the meaning of the song “Hakuna Matata”? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the song “Hakuna Matata,” including its meaning, lyrics, song facts, and more!
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According to NPR, the phrase hakuna matata means “no worries” in Swahili, which is a language spoken in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Roughly 60 to 150 million people speak Swahili. This phrase was popularized in the 1994 Disney film The Lion King and is a Disney trademark. The Swahili language phrase is pronounced hɑˈkunɑ mɑˈtɑtɑ. African governments were not pleased with the trademark. The song is written by Elton John and Tim Rice, while performed by Matthew Broderick, Joseph Williams, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane and Jason Weaver, and is produced by Hans Zimmer for the movie soundtrack album.
According to Fandom, this song is sung after the wildebeest stampede and Mufasa’s death. An orphaned and depressed Simba feels guilty for his father’s death according to his uncle Scar and Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog try and teach him to slack and relax and enjoy life with no worries, while he grows older as time passes. Through the song, the perspective shifts and the lion cub transforms into adult Simba with meerkat-Timon and warthog-Pumbaa by his side. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 1995 Academy Awards (67th Academy Awards), and was later ranked the 99th best song in movie history by the American Film Institute on a list of 100.
The lyrics to the song are below, from Genius:
[TIMON]
Hakuna matata! What a wonderful phrase!
[PUMBAA]
Hakuna matata! Ain’t no passing craze!
[TIMON]
It means no worries, for the rest of your days…
[TIMON & PUMBAA]
It’s our problem-free philosophy…
[TIMON]
Hakuna matata!
Why, when he was a young warthog…
[PUMBAA]
When I was a young warthog…
[TIMON]
Very nice
[PUMBAA]
Thanks
[TIMON]
He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal
He could clear the savannah after every meal
[PUMBAA]
I’m a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind
And, oh, the shame!
[TIMON]
He was ashamed
[PUMBAA]
Thought of changin’ my name!
[TIMON]
Oh, what’s in a name?
[PUMBAA]
And I got downhearted
[TIMON]
How did ya feel?
[PUMBAA]
Everytime that I…
[TIMON]
Hey! Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!
[PUMBAA]
Oh. Sorry…
[TIMON & PUMBAA]
Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata! Ain’t no passing craze
[SIMBA]
It means no worries for the rest of your days
[TIMON]
Yeah, sing it, kid!
[TIMON & SIMBA]
It’s our problem-free
[PUMBAA]
Philosophy
[TIMON & PUMBAA & SIMBA]
Hakuna Matata!
[TIMON & PUMBAA & SIMBA]
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna…
[SIMBA]
It means no worries for the rest of your days
[TIMON & PUMBAA & SIMBA]
It’s our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna matata!
Hakuna matata!
(SIMBA scat sings to fade)
There are many different songs on both of the Lion King soundtracks. These are listed below from Fandom.
The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King (2019)
Overall, the song Hakuna Matata means no worries, used as a greeting. This is a Swahili phrase from the African language used by East Africans and a song and dialogue from Disney’s The Lion King.
