The Madness of King Scar facts for kids

The Madness of King Scar is a song from the musical The Lion King. It was written by Elton John and Tim Rice. This musical is based on the Disney animated film from 1994. The song was originally planned for the movie but was not used. It was later added to the stage musical. "The Madness of King Scar" is one of the few songs where Nala sings a lot. Its title is a nod to the 1994 movie The Madness of King George.

What is "The Madness of King Scar" About?

This song starts the second part of The Lion King musical. It mostly features talking between Scar, Nala, Zazu, and the hyenas Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. This happens after Scar becomes king because his brother Mufasa died.

Scar's Worries and Plans

The song's words show Scar's worries. He is especially anxious about people comparing him to Mufasa. Scar also plans to have a child to take over his kingdom. He wants Nala to be the mother of his heir.

How the Song Changed

Experts have studied the song's words and music. Some felt it showed Scar's thoughts in a very direct way, like a character from a Shakespeare play. Others thought the music sounded like a tango dance, showing Scar's actions towards Nala. For later shows of the musical, "The Madness of King Scar" was made shorter. Eventually, it was removed completely from many productions.

Where to Hear the Song

Even though it was removed, the song was on the cast album for the first musical production. John Vickery sang as Scar on this album. It was also included on recordings for the musical's shows in Mexico and Madrid.

How Was "The Madness of King Scar" Received?

Most music critics liked "The Madness of King Scar." They felt it made the character of Scar more interesting and deeper.

Mixed Opinions

However, some people had mixed or negative feelings. Some were unsure about adding new songs to the musical that were not in the original movie. Others disagreed with some of the song's themes.

Animated Version

In 2014, an animator named Eduardo Quintana made a cartoon video for the song. He created it for the 20th anniversary of The Lion King animated film. Many media outlets praised the video. They said the animation looked very professional.