Endless Night (song) facts for kids

"Endless Night" is a special song from The Lion King musical. It was written by Lebo M., Hans Zimmer, Julie Taymor, and Jay Rifkin. The song first appeared in 1997 as part of the stage show, which is based on Disney's 1994 animated movie, The Lion King. Mark Mancina helped produce the song.

The lyrics for "Endless Night" were written by Julie Taymor. She based them on a melody from an earlier song called "Lala." This song was from the 1995 album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. The very first person to sing and record "Endless Night" was Jason Raize. He was the first actor to play Simba in the Broadway production. His version is on the musical's original cast recording.

"Endless Night" is a ballad, which is a slow, emotional song. It's about Simba feeling sad after his father, Mufasa, dies. A choir also sings in the song. They encourage Simba to keep going and look to the future. Many people liked the song. They felt it helped show how Simba's character grew. "Endless Night" has been performed many times outside the musical. For example, Nick Afoa released his version to help a charity called Centrepoint.

Making the Song

"Endless Night" was created by a team of talented people. Lebo M. from South Africa, Hans Zimmer from Germany, and Jay Rifkin from America composed the music. Julie Taymor, an American theatre director, wrote the words. She wanted "Endless Night" to be Simba's main song in the musical.

This song was one of ten new songs made for The Lion King musical. The musical is based on the 1994 Disney animated movie. The tune for "Endless Night" came from a song called "Lala." "Lala" was on the 1995 album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. "Lala" is sung in the Zulu language. It is about losing someone in your family. Julie Taymor said they chose songs from Rhythm of the Pride Lands for their feeling, not their original words.

Who Sang It First?

The first person to sing and record "Endless Night" was Jason Raize. He was an American actor and singer. Jason Raize was the very first actor to play Simba in the Broadway show. His singing, along with "The Lion King Ensemble" (the backup singers), is on the musical's original cast recording.

The music for the show was recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City. Mark Mancina, an American composer, produced "Endless Night." The Walt Disney Company released the musical's soundtrack on November 14, 1997. You could buy it on cassette tapes and CDs. Later, in 2006, it became available to download online.

What the Song is About

"Endless Night" is a ballad. It uses instruments like piano, synthesizer, guitar, and drums. A choir sings along with the main singer. Some people think it sounds like folk music.

In The Lion King musical, "Endless Night" is performed in the second part of the show. It takes place in a setting called "Under the Sun." To make the performance powerful, the actor playing Simba stands alone. Bright lights shine behind him. Simba starts singing the song while crouching down.

The song is like a sad poem or a speech. It shows Simba feeling very sad about his father, Mufasa, dying. Simba sings directly to his father. The song begins with lines like, "Where has the starlight gone?" The main part of the song, called the chorus, says: "I know that the night must end, and that the sun will rise. I know that the clouds must clear and that the sun will shine."

The song is about Simba growing up and taking on new duties. It's also about his memories of his father's promise to always be with him. Simba wonders if he should go back to help his home, the Pride Lands. He sings to his father, "Whenever I call your name / You're not anywhere." The choir in the song represents "voices of hope." They remind Simba that "even the longest night is followed by sunrise." By the end of the song, Simba understands that his father will always guide him. One writer said the song shares the main message of The Lion King. It's a story about a father and son, where the son loses his father and then must find his own purpose in life.

Other Ways the Song Has Been Performed

"Endless Night" has been recorded in many languages for different cast recordings. These include Japanese, Dutch, and German versions. In 1998, an instrumental version (without singing) was released on an album. You can also find a karaoke version of the song from 2011.

Nick Afoa sang "Endless Night" in 2013 when he tried out for the role of Simba. He was auditioning for an Australian production of The Lion King. While singing, he thought about his own son. He became very emotional and couldn't finish the song. In 2018, Nick Afoa released his version of "Endless Night." He did this through Disney on Broadway's YouTube page to help a charity in the United Kingdom called Centrepoint. He also sang it live at the Lyceum Theatre for a Facebook Live event that same year.

Adam Jacobs said that singing "Endless Night" was his favorite part of playing Simba. He played Simba in a touring version of the show across North America. In 2016, he sang a mashup (a mix of two songs) of "Endless Night" and "Proud of Your Boy" for an event. Josh Tower played Simba on Broadway for the longest time. He sang "Endless Night" at a high school event in 2014. The audience really enjoyed his performance. Alton Fitzgerald White, who played Mufasa in many American productions, also recorded "Endless Night" for his album.

Credits

These are the people who helped make "Endless Night" for The Lion King - Original Broadway Cast Recording:

Management

• The Walt Disney Company

Recording locations

• Sony Music Studios (New York City)
• The Village (Los Angeles)
• Oceanview Digital Mastering (Manhattan Beach)

Credits

• Composers – Hans Zimmer, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Lebo M.
• Arrangement – Mark A. Brymer
• Production – Mark Mancina