PC's (Piano Conductor), Vocal Scores, Full Orchestral Scores and Band Parts. Submission Lion King - 24 Part Full Score (Broadway and L.A.) (drive.google.com).

• Orchestral Score Paper

The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1994 Disney animated film, The Lion King. It contains songs from the film written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. Elton John has a dual role of performer for several tracks. Additional performers include Carmen Twillie, Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Sally Dworsky. The album was released on April 27, 1994 on CD and audio cassette. The soundtrack was recorded in three different countries: the U.S., the U.K. and South Africa. It is the best-selling soundtrack album to an animated film in the United States with over 7 million copies sold, with 4,934,000 copies sold in 1994.^[6]

An expanded version of The Lion King soundtrack, featuring 30 minutes of previously-unreleased material, was released as part of the Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection series on June 24, 2014. In 2014, Hot Topic released a vinyl picture disc of the soundtrack.^[7]

• 1Track listing
• 2Chart and commercial success
  • 2.1Charts

Track listing[edit]

All music composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. All scores composed by Hans Zimmer.

The Legacy Collection release[edit]

Walt Disney Records released an expanded edition of The Lion King soundtrack containing an additional thirty minutes of previously-unheard material from the film, as well as a collection of demo versions of cues.^[7] This revision contains a new remastered mix by Alan Meyerson.

Chart and commercial success[edit]

The soundtrack shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S. and eventually went 10x platinum in 1995, thus becoming the biggest-selling soundtrack ever from an animated film. Its certification was promoted to Diamond when the award was instituted in 1999. According to Nielsen Soundscan the soundtrack, as of April 2014, has sold a total of 7.873 million copies in the US.^[6] It is also the best-selling vinyl album in the Nielsen SoundScan era (starting 1991), with 1,043,000 copies sold as of June 2014.^[10]

In 2010, Rhapsody called it one of the all-time great Disney & Pixar Soundtracks.^[11]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Accolades[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Legget, Steve. 'The Lion King – Hans Zimmer'. Allmusic (Allrovi). Retrieved August 29, 2011.
2. ^Christgau, Robert (November 29, 1994). 'Consumer Guide: Turkey Shoot'. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
3. ^Clemmensen, Christian (September 24, 1996). 'Review: The Lion King'. Filmtracks Publications. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
4. ^Phillips, Shaun. 'Review: Various Artists – The Lion King (Phonogram 522690-2)'. Vox. IPC Media (VOX48, September 1994): 104.
5. ^[1]
6. ^ ^abPaul Grein (April 30, 2014). 'Chart Watch: Sell 14K Albums, Make The Top 10'. Yahoo Music.
7. ^ ^abGrisham, Lori (May 7, 2014). 'Walt Disney Records to release legacy collection'. USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
8. ^'The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists'. iTunes Store. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
9. ^'The Lion King: Special Edition by Various Artists'. iTunes Store. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
10. ^Paul Grein (June 18, 2014). 'Chart Watch: Vinyl Boosts Jack White'. Yahoo! Music.
11. ^10 Essential Disney & Pixar SoundtracksArchived October 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Referenced July 27, 2010
12. ^'australian-charts.com Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
13. ^'austriancharts.at Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved December 12, 2013.
14. ^'ultratop.be Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
15. ^'ultratop.be Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Hung Medien (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
16. ^'Top Albums/CDs – Volume 60, No. 3'(PHP). RPM. August 8, 1994. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
17. ^'dutchcharts.nl Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
18. ^source:Pennanen, Timo: Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, 2006. ISBN9789511210535. page: 280
19. ^'InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste' (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
20. ^'Album Search: Soundtrack – The Lion King' (in German). Media Control. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
21. ^'Highest position and charting weeks of The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
22. ^'charts.org.nz Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
23. ^'swedishcharts.com Soundtrack – The Lion King'(ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved December 12, 2013.
24. ^'Soundtrack – The Lion King – hitparade.ch'(ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
25. ^'allmusic ((( The Lion King > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))'. allmusic.com. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
26. ^'ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1994'. aria.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
27. ^'RPM Top 100 Albums of 1994'. RPM. December 12, 1994. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
28. ^'Les Albums (CD) de 1994 par InfoDisc' (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original(PHP) on March 30, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
29. ^'Billboard.BIZ – Year-end Charts – Billboard 200 – 1994'. billboard.biz. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
30. ^'ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1995'. aria.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
31. ^'Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1995'(ASP) (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
32. ^'RPM Top 100 Albums of 1995'. RPM. December 18, 1995. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
33. ^'Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts' (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
34. ^'Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1995'(ASP). Swiss Music Charts (in Swedish). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
35. ^'Billboard.BIZ – Year-end Charts – Billboard 200 – 1995'. billboard.biz. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
36. ^Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
37. ^'Austrian album certifications – Soundtrack – The Lion King' (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved May 14, 2017.Enter Soundtrack in the field Interpret. Enter The Lion King in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen.
38. ^'Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1995'. Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
39. ^Malena Segura Contrera (1996). 'O mito na mídia: a presença de conteúdos arcaicos nos meios de comunicação' (in Portuguese). Selo Universidade, Annablume: 85. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
40. ^'Canadian album certifications – Various Artists – The Lion King – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'. Music Canada. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
41. ^'Les Meilleurs Ventes d'Albums 'Tout Temps' (33 T. / Cd / Téléchargement)' (in French). InfoDisc.fr. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) Archived.
42. ^'French album certifications – B.O.F. – Le Roi Lion (Histoire Du Film)' (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved May 14, 2017.Select B.O.F. and click OK.
43. ^'Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Diverse; 'Walt Disney – Der König der Löwen')' (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
44. ^'RIAJ > The Record > November 1994 > Page 5 > Certified Awards (September 1994)'(PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original(PDF) on December 16, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
45. ^David Sinclair (November 11, 1995). 'Netherlands'. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
46. ^'NZ Top 50 Albums Chart'. Recorded Music NZ. November 19, 1995. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
47. ^'Polish album certifications – Soundtrack – Król Lew' (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
48. ^'Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998'(PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
49. ^'The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Soundtrack; 'The Lion King (Elton John)')'. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
50. ^'British album certifications – Original Soundtrack – The Lion King – OST'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2017.Select albums in the Format field.Select Platinum in the Certification field.Type The Lion King – OST in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
51. ^'American album certifications – Soundtrack – The Lion King'. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 22, 2017.If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
52. ^'IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996'. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
53. ^'ARIA Catalogue Albums – Week Commencing 31st March 2014'(PDF) (1257). Australian Recording Industry Association. March 31, 2014: 12. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
54. ^'French album certifications – BOF/COMEDIE MUSICALE – LE ROI LION' (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
55. ^'Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Musical; 'Walt Disney – Der König der Löwen')' (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
56. ^'British album certifications – Original Broadway Cast – The Lion King'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 14, 2017.Select albums in the Format field.Select Silver in the Certification field.Type The Lion King in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
57. ^'American album certifications – Soundtrack – The Lion King (Original Cast)'. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 14, 2017.If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
58. ^'British album certifications – Various Artists – The Lion King Sing-Along'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2017.Select albums in the Format field.Select Silver in the Certification field.Type The Lion King Sing-Along in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
59. ^'American album certifications – Various – Lion King Sing-Along'. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 22, 2017.If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
60. ^'British album certifications – Hans Zimmer – The Lion King – OST'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2017.Select albums in the Format field.Select Silver in the Certification field.Type The Lion King – OST in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.

'Shadowland' is a song written by Lebo M., Hans Zimmer and Mark Mancina for the musical The Lion King (1997), a stage adaptation of Disney's 1994 animated film of the same name. Based on the song 'Lea Halalela (Holy Land)', a track featured on Lebo's Lion King-inspired concept albumRhythm of the Pride Lands (1995), Lebo composed the track with Zimmer, while both Lebo and Mancina contributed new lyrics to its pre-existing melody. Lebo based the song's lyrics on his own experiences having been exiled from South Africa during apartheid, therefore imbuing 'Shadowland' with themes about refugeeism and survival.

Originally performed by Trinidadian-American singer and actress Heather Headley as the lioness Nala and South African actress Tsidii Le Loka as the baboon Rafiki, roles that both performers originated on stage, 'Shadowland' narrates Nala's decision to leave the Pride Lands in search of a more habitable environment upon realizing that her homeland has grown dry and barren in the midst of Scar's reign. Taking place shortly after Nala rejects Scar's romantic advances, the song was used by director Julie Taymor to develop Nala into a stronger character for the stage adaptation, and personally identified 'Shadowland' as her favourite among the production's original songs, believing its message and themes to be universal.

Musically, 'Shadowland' has been identified as a soulpower ballad. Sung in both English and African languages, the instrumentation combines African percussion with European orchestration to create a more exotic sound when accompanying pop vocals and African chants; some critics have observed political themes such as feminism, injustice and the ecosystem in the song's lyrics. 'Shadowland' has been mostly positively received by music and theatre critics; both Headley and actresses who replaced her in subsequent productions of the musical have been praised for their interpretations of the ballad, particularly Kissy Simmons.

Background[edit]

Disney decided that the five pop-oriented songs composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice had written for the animated film would be augmented by more exotic-sounding, percussive and African-influenced musical numbers for its stage adaptation.^[1][2] 'Shadowland' was written by songwriters Lebo M., Hans Zimmer, and Mark Mancina,^[3][4][5] with Lebo and Zimmer composing its music, while both Lebo and Mancina collaborated on the song's lyrics.^[6] 'Shadowland' is based on 'Lea Halalela (Holy Land)', a song Zimmer and Lebo had originally written for the film that debuted on the Lion King-inspired concept albumRhythm of the Pride Lands (1995),^[7][8] the production of which Lebo had been heavily involved in.^[9] The track itself is inspired by an orchestral theme heard in the film.^[8] Based on both an excerpt from Zimmer's film score and 'Lea Halalela (Holy Land)',^[4][10] 'Shadowland' became the fifth of the musical's original songs to be directly adapted from a Rhythm of the Pride Lands track.^[8] Meanwhile, Lebo and Mancina contributed new lyrics to the song's pre-existing music,^[11] with Lebo basing his lyrics on his own experience being exiled from South Africa during apartheid.^[2][12] Mancina arranged and produced the track himself.^[13][14]

Nala contributes to two duets to the animated film: 'I Just Can't Wait to be King' and 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight'.^[15] Director Julie Taymor consistently found herself drawn to the South African musical influences Lebo brought to the production during rehearsals.^[12] Citing the film's lack of prominent female roles,^[16] the director longed to expand Nala's role into that of a more complex, three dimensional female character for the stage musical and felt that 'Shadowland' would help develop her into a stronger heroine.^[8] Will Albrittonat of the University of South Florida'sThe Oracle agreed that the song contributes to strengthening Nala's character,^[17] providing her with a more significant role.^[16] Taymor explained, 'When you talk about lions, the females do all of it ... So I threw out a lot of the soft stuff in the film and made Nala very strong', giving the character 'one of the best songs in the show, 'Shadowland,' which is about being a refugee,' a subject matter that the director felt continues to be 'very topical'.^[18] Additionally, Taymor cited the song as a 'perfect' example of music that 'has a narrative force of its own', via which 'Nala's feelings are transmitted'.^[19] Calling the ballad 'extraordinary',^[2] Taymor identified 'Shadowland' as one of her favorite songs in the musical, after 'Circle of Life',^[12] and continues to get emotional when she hears it.^[19] In addition to originating the role of Nala,^[20] Trinidadian-American singer and actress Heather Headley recorded 'Shadowland' for The Lion King: Original Broadway Cast Recording.^[21]

Context and use in The Lion King[edit]

Orchestral Score Paper

In the musical, 'Shadowland' is performed by Nala before she leaves the Pride Lands in search of a better land once she realizes she can no longer tolerate her current circumstances and continue to live under Scar's treacherous reign.^[8][22] Set during the musical's second act,^[23] the song takes place shortly after 'The Madness of King Scar', in which Nala rebukes Scar's lecherous attempts to make her his queen.^[8] Nala is forced to choose between survival or remaining with her pride.^[24] Seeking permission from her pride before she ventures out on her journey in search of a fertile land to which her pride can relocate,^[4] Nala bids an emotional farewell to her fellow lionesses and her homeland, which has grown dry and barren due to famine and drought under Scar's rulership.^[8][17] Performed against a background of 'jungle fauna' and,^[25] the lionesses join Nala in chanting while mourning the barren state of what was once their ancestors' home,^[4] voicing their dissatisfaction with the state of its ecosystem.^[26] Ultimately, Nala promises to eventually return with a form of hope,^[17] and 'always remember [her] pride'.^[8] Rafiki also bestows her personal, sacred blessings upon the young lioness.^[27] Featuring exclusively females,^[28] the sequence features feline-influenced movements and choreography.^[29] According to Sarah O'Hara of Lowdown Magazine, the performance 'demonstrate[s] all the desperation the lionesses faced in the hunt for food', continuing, 'I could really feel Nala’s sadness and determination to better their situation.'^[30] John Moore of The Denver Post believes that by preceding “Endless Night' and 'He Lives in You', 'Shadowland' initiates a 'climax' that 'becomes a wildebeest stampede of ongoing powerful moments.'^[31] Everett Evans, writing for the Houston Chronicle, agreed that the song is one of the show's ballads that supply the musical with 'emotional clout'.^[32]

Actress Kissy Simmons described the musical number as the sequence in which 'her character has to do something to help her pride of lionesses.'^[17] Simmons believes that, at this point in the musical, it is likely that most of the lionesses have already been raped or sexually harassed by Scar by the time she realizes how dangerous the Pride Lands have become, forcing her to leave in search of hope and help.^[17][33] Depicting Nala's 'fierce drive',^[34] the ballad further demonstrates the heroine's loyalty, beauty and strength.^[35] Nala experiences several different emotions during the song, beginning reserved as she observes how barren her homeland has become, a feeling that transitions into sadness and vulnerability before she accepts that she must ultimately 'fight for this land, and get things to where they used to be”, according to actress Noxolo Dlamini.^[36] Miyako Singer of TheDaily Californian wrote that, in addition to providing Nala with 'her big solo moment', the song 'showcases ... Nala’s strength and determination' as she ventures away from the Pride Lands in search of help.^[37]

Due to the musical sequence featuring lionesses fighting back against 'a male-dominated regime', the Houston Chronicle's Wei-Huan Chen likened the song to a women's march, comparing its use of black feminism to the music video for singer Beyonce's 'Formation' (2016).^[38] Furthermore, Chen said that Nala sings the song in response to 'Scar, threatening Nala that she, as his property, will bear his children without her consent.'^[38] Citing 'Shadowland' as her favorite moment in the musical, ensemble singer Lindiwe Dlamini, who had sung the song for over 8,000 performances by 2017, agreed that 'There’s something about the strength of a woman in that moment.'^[28] Ensemble actress Pia Hamilton agreed with Taymor's conscious decision to make certain scenes, such as 'Shadowland', particularly 'female heavy', believing that the song is used to depict 'women in power.'^[39]

Music and lyrics[edit]

Performed slowly, emotionally and dramatically,^[6][40] 'Shadowland' is a ballad written in the key of C major at a tempo of 70 beats per minute, according to the song's official sheet music,^[41] that spans a duration of four minutes and thirty seconds.^[42]The Disney Song Encyclopedia author Thomas S. Hischak described 'Shadowland' as a 'hauntingly beautiful ballad',^[4] while I. Herbert, author of Theatre Record, called it 'hauntingly expressive'.^[43] Several critics and media publications have acknowledged the song's 'haunting' nature and sentiment.^{[24][44][45][34]} Musically, the ballad begins sad in tone before growing more determined and hopeful as it progresses.^[17] The song combines Zimmer's original melody with both English and African phrases that result in 'a beguiling tribal flavor.'^[4] Seth Kubersky of Orlando Weekly identified 'Shadowland' as one of the musical's songs lifted from the film's original score.^[46]Theatre Histories: An Introduction author Phillip B. Zarrilli agreed that 'Shadowland' fuses 'African and European rhythms and orchestration'.^[47][48] According to the book The Oxford Handbook of The American Musical, 'Shadowland's prominent use of African sounds is a strong example of 'Non-Western musical styles hav[ing] made occasional appearances in the theater'.^[49] Due to its African and South African influences,^[1][40]WhatsOnStage.com's Richard Forrest wrote that the composition is one of the songs written specifically for the musical that 'express most fully the show’s African roots',^[1] featuring African percussion and 'soul-searching lyrics'.^[50] Martin Brady, writing for the Nashville Scene, observed that African folk rhythms, melodies and choral harmonies are especially 'omnipresent' throughout 'Shadowland'.^[51]Lowdown Magazine's Sarah O'Hara described 'Shadowland' as a soul song performed 'with power ballad emotion'.^[30] The song does, however, incorporate some pop rock influences as well.^[41] Instrumentally, 'Shadowland' makes use of synthesizer strings.^[52]

NewsOK's Brandy McDonnell described the ballad as an 'understated ode'.^[53] Described by Thesauro Cultural of The Cult as an 'evocative ballad',^[14] the song begins with an African-language chant that reads 'Fatshe leso lea halalela'.^[41] Lyrically, the song is about 'losing [one's] home and finding solace elsewhere', according to Taymor,^[2] and alludes to themes about surviving as a refugee.^[18] Writing for the Houston Chronicle, Wei-Huan Chen agreed that 'Shadowland' explores several political themes and subtexts that include feminism, believing that its title is 'applicable to any period in history shrouded by injustice'.^[38] Taymor agreed that, in addition to being 'reminiscent of Africa', the ballad boasts several additional meanings that can be interpreted and understand by virtually any culture 'without understanding what is being said.'^[19] Janice M. Nargi, writing for JMN Publications, agreed that the song 'fuse[s] contemporary messages of courage and empowerment with insistent cadences that suggest universality and timelessness.'^[54] The song also contains an ecology-themed message, demonstrated by its lyric '“The river's dry, the ground has broken.'^[26]Michael Billington, arts critic for The Guardian, believes that the song's use of grassland chants 'pays homage to Africa'.^[55]Billboard music critic Larry Flick wrote that Headley and actress Tsidii Le Loka exchange 'smooth pop vocals and traditional tribal chants'; the two soloists are augmented by a choir who 'gradually builds the song to anthemic proportions'.^[50] Describing Headley's vocals as 'sung achingly', The New York TimesStephen Holden recognized 'Shadowland' among the musical's three original ballads that both serve as 'potent vocal showcases' while contributing 'genuine emotional depth' to the production, alongside 'They Live in You' and 'Endless Night'.^[56] Headley's vocal range on the song spans approximately two octaves, from E₃ to A₅.^[41] Vocally, the ballad is believed to be best-suited for a mezzo-soprano/belter vocalist, according to the book Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology - Volume 4: Mezzo-Soprano/Belter.^[22]

Critical reception[edit]

To promote the musical, Headley performed 'Shadowland' with Le Loka and the Lion King ensemble live on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1997; Headley was grateful that Disney had asked her to sing 'Shadowland' because it allowed her to showcase her voice.^[57] Critical reception towards 'Shadowland' has been positive, with Headley consistently garnering acclaim for her live rendition of the song during her tenure as Nala.^[58] In August 1997, Chris Hewit of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote that he enjoyed Headley's 'passionate' interpretation,^[59] while Playbill's Robert Simonson observed that the singer's performance 'draws applause every night at the New Amsterdam Theatre'.^[58] Richard Forrest of WhatsOnStage.com ranked 'Shadowland' among the show's standout musical numbers, alongside “One by One” and “Endless Night”.^[1]Variety's Matt Wolf wrote that the ballad 'rightly stops the second act.'^[60] ClickLiverpool said Nala's 'performance of Shadowland is so poignant tears prick the eyes as surely as the myriad of lights that illuminate the magnificent set.'^[61] Lisa Martland, writing for The Stage, described the song as a musical highlight that provides the production with 'a poignancy lacking in other important scenes'.^[62] Kieran Jonson of WhatsOnStage.com wrote that 'Shadowland' offers Nala her moment to 'shine'.^[63] Michael Portantiere, author of The Theatermania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings, ranked 'Shadowland' among the best new additions to the musical.^[64] Rex Smith, writing for Newsweek, called the song 'beautiful',^[65][66] while Mark Collins of the Reporter-Herald called 'Shadowland' 'show stopping and mournful'.^[67] Describing 'Shadowland' as a 'glorious ballad', Billboard's Larry Flick believed that both pop and R&B-oriented radio stations should be particularly receptive towards the song.^[50] Carrie Ruth Moore of the Daily Trojan believes that the musical's addition of “Shadowland' is one of the reasons why the original cast album won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 1999.^[68]

Since Headley's departure, actresses who have replaced her in subsequent productions have continued to earn positive reviews for their renditions. When actress Kissy Simmons auditioned for the role in 2002, she auditioned for Taymor using 'Shadowland'; Taymor enjoyed her rendition to the point of which she remarked 'where have you been all of these years?'^[69] Jay Handelman, contributing to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, wrote that Simmons 'shines during 'Shadowland'.'^[70] Laura Sternberg of About.com's Detroit Travel Guide praised Syndee Winters' performance at the Detroit Opera House, calling both her voice and the song 'memorable'.^[29] Praising actress Ta'Rea Campbell's performance at the Bass Concert Hall in 2007, Robert Faires of The Austin Chronicle wrote that she 'fills 'Shadowland' with such urgency as to make it a potent dramatic statement as well as a lovely ballad.'^[71] Describing 'Shadowland' as both 'inspiring' and 'lovely', The San Diego Union-Tribune critic Pam Kragen wrote that actress Marja Harmon sung the song 'with great beauty'.^[72]

Actress Nia Holloway has also garnered strong reviews for her interpretation, whose performance Shannon McLoud of Motif Magazine deemed worth 'The price of admission'.^[73]The Daily Californian's Miyako Singer commended Holloway's rendition of 'Shadowland' for 'showcas[ing] her incredible vocal chops',^[37] while the Toronto Star's Kelly Cameron called the actress' vocals 'stunning'.^[74] Recognizing Holloway's performance as a standout, the News and Tribune contributor Claire White wrote that the actress' 'combination of vocals and movement gave a great display of emotion to the audience.'^[33] Describing the song itself as 'beautifully understated', Brandy McDonnell of NewsOK wrote that Holloway 'provided the night's musical highlight' in review of a performance at the Civic Center Music Hall.^[53]The Capital Times' Lindsay Christians agreed that the actress sings the musical number 'well'.^[27]K103-FM called the ballad a second act showstopper, writing, 'You really feel [Holloway's] presence on the stage' throughout the song.^[75]

In a less positive review, Susan Haubenstock of the Richmond Times-Dispatch dismissed 'Shadowland' as one of the new songs that resemble 'filler', accusing it of slowing down the pace of the production and causing 'the action and the energy peter out in the second act.'^[76] Similarly, Erin Gleeson of the Baltimore City Paper felt 'Shadowland' was 'unmemorable', writing that it 'drag[s] down an otherwise lively and spirited production.'^[77] Alan Morrison of the Herald Scotland found the song's use of synthesizers dated.^[52]

Impact[edit]

'Shadowland' is still considered to be one of Headley's signature songs.^[78] In October 2014, Disney Theatrical Group released an official lyric video for the song and uploaded it to YouTube.^[23][79] Emily Brandon of Oh My Disney remarked that the song 'is one of those songs that sticks with us long after we hear it' due to a combination of its moving lyrics, references to the film's score and appreciation for Nala's and her story'.^[80] Actor Michael Crawford covered the song in a medley of songs from The Lion King.^[4] In 2016, Simmons performed the song live on the Disney Wonder cruise ship as part of the Disney Theatrical Group's 'Stars Set Sail' live concert series.^[81] After Disney announced that singer Beyoncé had been cast as Nala in John Favreau's upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King in November 2017, fans started hoping Beyoncé would be recording a version of 'Shadowland' for the film.^[15][82]WLCK's Ray Cornelius speculated, 'While this tune was not in the original movie, I’m sure the film’s producers will make an exception and allow Beyoncé to perform it or create a new song for her. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.'^[78]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdForrest, Richard (October 25, 1999). 'The Lion King'. WhatsOnStage.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
2. ^ ^abcdAmodio, Joseph V. (November 2, 2017). ''The Lion King' to mark 20th anniversary on Broadway'. Newsday. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
3. ^'The Lion King – Songs'. Internet Broadway Database. Although sources tend to differ, Lebo M. is the artist/songwriter credited first on the Internet Broadway Database, followed by Zimmer and Mancina. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
4. ^ ^abcdefgHischak, Thomas S.; Robinson, Mark A. (2009). The Disney Song Encyclopedia. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 173. ISBN9780810869387 – via Google Books.
5. ^Lewis, David H. (2002). Broadway Musicals: A Hundred Year History. United States: McFarland. p. 187. ISBN9780786412693 – via Google Books.
6. ^ ^abJohn, Elton; Rice, Tim (1999). The Lion King - Broadway Selections Songbook. United States: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN9781458430977 – via Google Books.
7. ^Leydon, Joe (October 19, 1998). 'The Lion King II: Simba's Pride'. Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
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