Can You Feel the Love Tonight

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
Single by Elton John
from the album The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released May 12, 1994 (1994-05-12)
Format CD, vinyl record (7"), audio cassette
Recorded 1993
Genre Soft rock, adult contemporary
Length 3:59
Label Walt Disney
Writer(s) Elton John (music), Tim Rice (lyrics)[1]
Producer(s) Chris Thomas
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Elton John singles chronology
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1994)		 "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
(1994)		 "Circle of Life"
(1994)
The Lion King track listing
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King"
(11)		 "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
(12)
Simba and Nala stare deeply into each other's eyes during the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence.

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King[2] composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice.[1] It was described by Don Hahn (the film's producer), Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff (the film's directors) as having "the most diverse history" in the film.[3] It was a chart hit in the UK, peaking at #14 on the UK Singles Chart,[1] and achieved even more success in the U.S., reaching a peak of #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a number-one hit in France.

History

The song was performed in the film by Kristle Edwards, Joseph Williams, Sally Dworsky, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella, while the end title version was performed by Elton John. It won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Original Song,[1] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It also earned Elton John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

In 2003, a remixed version of the song was included in the Special Edition soundtrack of The Lion King, again sung by Elton John.

In the followup The Lion King 1½, the romantic scene where the song was originally featured also had the song playing, but with a difference: interspersed with the romantic scenes were short comedic shots of Timon and Pumbaa trying to disrupt Simba and Nala's night out with the "Peter Gunn Theme" playing while they try.

Early production

The song was planned to be sung only by Simba and Nala but in the end the idea was scrapped because the directors decided it was an "unearned" moment between Simba and Nala.

The song was then planned to be sung this time only by Timon and Pumbaa, but Elton John disliked the comical nature of the concept. John declared that "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" was meant to follow "Disney's tradition of great love songs", and that it could "express the lions' feelings for each other far better than dialogue could". The final result was the song mainly sung by an off-screen voice (Kristle Edwards) with short lines from Simba (Joseph Williams) and Nala (Sally Dworsky), and the beginning and end parts by Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella).[3] It also included Zulu vocals that, while mostly muted in the on-screen version, were much more prominently featured in the audio-only releases.[4]

Festival of the Lion King

In Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King, the song is sung by Nakawa and Kibibi. As they sing, two ballet dancers (one male, one female) dressed as birds dance on the stage. After the main chorus is sung, the male bird dancer attaches his partner to a harness that allows her to fly through the air.

Cover versions

English pop group S Club, Sara Paxton and Elliott Yamin all covered the song for Disneymania, Disneymania 4 and Disneymania 6, respectively. The song was also covered by Jason Derulo for the 2015 United States version of We Love Disney. Filipino soprano Vell Baria covered the song in a classical version as a dedication song for the APEC Philippines 2015 was released in her YouTube channel.[5] Jackie Evancho covered the song for her album Songs from the Silver Screen. Cakra Khan covered the Indonesian version of this song for We Love Disney (2015 album) Indonesian edition. Harajuku, a Eurodance band covered a dance version of the song in a 1995 release with singer Stephanie O'Hara, also known as Stefanie Obst, performing vocals.[6][7][8]

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 9
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 4
France (SNEP)[11] 1
Germany (Media Control Charts)[12] 14
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 9
New Zealand (RIANZ)[14] 7
Sweden (Topplistan)[15] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] 14
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 4
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 3
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[18] 1
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Dutch Mega Top 100[19] 14
Norwegian Singles Chart[20] 4
Swiss Singles Chart[21] 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1994) Position
French Singles Chart[22] 18
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 18
Chart (1995) Position
French Singles Chart[24] 23

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[25] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[26] Gold 25,000x
France (SNEP)[27] Gold 250,000*
Sweden (GLF)[28] Platinum 50,000x
United States (RIAA)[29] Gold 600,000[30]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 137. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ↑ King, Alex P. (2004). Hit-parade — 20 ans de tubes (in French). Paris: Pascal. p. 339. ISBN 2-35019-009-9.
  3. 1 2 Roger Allers (director), Rob Minkoff (director) (October 7, 2003). The Lion King: Platinum Edition, Disc 1, Director's Commentary (DVD). Los Angeles, California: Disney.
  4. ↑ Finch, Christopher (1994). "Afterword". The art of The Lion King. Hyperion. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-7868-6028-9.
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zse9FFWIqrg Vell Baria - Can You Feel The Love Tonight (for APEC Philippine Summit 2015)
  6. ↑ "Harajuku". Discogs.
  7. ↑ "Stephanie O'Hara". Discogs.
  8. ↑ "Harajuku – Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Dance Version)". Discogs.
  9. ↑ "australian-charts.com". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  10. ↑ "austriancharts.at". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  11. ↑ "lescharts.com". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Elton John singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  13. ↑ "irishcharts.ie". Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  14. ↑ "charts.org.nz". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  15. ↑ "swedishcharts.com". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  16. ↑ "everyhit.com search results". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  17. ↑ "Billboard.com Hot 100 Chart Listing For The Week Of 12 Nov 1994". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Billboard.com Hot Adult Contemporary Chart Listing For The Week Of 26 Nov 1994". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  19. ↑ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 11, 1995". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  20. ↑ "norwegiancharts.com". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  21. ↑ "hitparade.ch". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  22. ↑ 1994 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  23. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  24. ↑ 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  25. ↑ Kent, David (2006). Australian Chart Book 1993-2005. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-45889-2.
  26. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Elton John – Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Elton John in the field Interpret. Enter Can You Feel the Love Tonight in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  27. ↑ "French single certifications – Elton John – Can You Feel the Love" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  28. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  29. ↑ "American single certifications – John, Elton – Can You Feel the Love Tonight". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  30. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard (BPI Communications) 107 (3): 57. January 21, 1995. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
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