To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic film, Disney is releasing The Lion King’s soundtrack for the first time on zoetrope vinyl. Thanks to the moving images on the vinyl, fans will experience beloved songs including “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and more in a new, nostalgic way. The vinyl is set for release on July 26th, and is available for pre-order now.
Order the Lion King soundtrack on zoetrope vinyl now.
The zoetrope vinyl technology is a modern adaptation of one of the earliest forms of animation, creating the illusion of movement. The idea is that when a sequence of images move in a circular motion, the vinyl will display a fluid, progressive animation. For example, Disney has already released a Frozen zoetrope vinyl that displays moments from the film, including Elsa’s iconic “Let It Go” transformation, as the record spins.
The Lion King’s soundtrack remains one of Disney’s most ambitious and most loved projects. Following the death of lyricist Howard Ashman during the production of 1992’s Aladdin, Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborator Tim Rice was asked to finish his work on the film. He was so successful that Disney invited him to work on their new film, The Lion King, where he was able to assemble a team.
His first request? Sir Elton John. In his 2019 biography, Elton reflected on being asked to work with Rice, saying “ten years after we’d last written a song together, Tim Rice phoned up out of the blue, asking me if I was interested in working with him again. Apparently, Disney were making their first animated film based on an original story rather than an existing work, and Tim wanted me involved. I was intrigued… The songs had to tell a story. The plan was that we wouldn’t write the usual Broadway-style Disney score, but try and come up with pop songs that kids would like.”
Order the Lion King soundtrack on zoetrope vinyl now.