I'm gonna be a mighty king
So enemies beware!
Well, I've never seen a king of beasts
With quite so little hair
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my ROAR
Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
(You've rather a long way to go, young master, if you think...)
No one saying do this
(Now when I said that, I)
No one saying be there
(What I meant was...)
No one saying stop that
(Look, what you don't realize...)
No one saying see here
(Now see here!)
Free to run around all day
(Well, that's definitely out...)
Free to do it all my way!
I think it's time that you and I
Arranged a heart to heart
Kings don't need advice
From little hornbills for a start
If this is where the monarchy is headed
Count me out!
Out of service, out of Africa
I wouldn't hang about
This child is getting wildly out of wing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Everybody look left
Everybody look right
Everywhere you look I'm
Standing in the spotlight!
Not yet!
Let every creature go for broke and sing
Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing
It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't waaaaaait ... to be king!
So enemies beware!
Well, I've never seen a king of beasts
With quite so little hair
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my ROAR
Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
(You've rather a long way to go, young master, if you think...)
No one saying do this
(Now when I said that, I)
No one saying be there
(What I meant was...)
No one saying stop that
(Look, what you don't realize...)
No one saying see here
(Now see here!)
Free to run around all day
(Well, that's definitely out...)
Free to do it all my way!
I think it's time that you and I
Arranged a heart to heart
Kings don't need advice
From little hornbills for a start
If this is where the monarchy is headed
Count me out!
Out of service, out of Africa
I wouldn't hang about
This child is getting wildly out of wing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Everybody look left
Everybody look right
Everywhere you look I'm
Standing in the spotlight!
Not yet!
Let every creature go for broke and sing
Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing
It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't waaaaaait ... to be king!
song info:
Verified yes
LanguageEnglish
Genre−
Rank−
Duration00:03:33
Charts
Copyright ©
Writer
Lyrics licensed byLyricFind
AddedJuly 1st, 2010
Last updatedMarch 7th, 2022
About"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film, The Lion King. With music by Elton John and words written by Tim Rice, the song is performed by the characters of Simba (Jason Weaver), Nala (Laura Williams) and Zazu (Rowan Atkinson) in the film.
The song is about the naive desire to do whatever you want once you assume a form of power, or reach the age of majority. However, often when you achieve your goals, you don't acquire freedom in the way your teenage mind imagined it. With great power comes great responsibility. The song is "An ode to youthful arrogance, invincibility and above all, impatience".
The New York Times Theater Reviews 1997-1998 described the song as "conventionally comic and upbeat". The New York Times Film Reviews 1993-1994 deemed the "derivativeness" of the "cute, lilting...safe" pop song "irritating", and described it as sounding "as if Michael Jackson were singing "Under the Sea". At a Hayes Centre summer youth camp, the song was "the favourite song for our kids". Lakeland Ledger described it as a "dazzling Busby Berkeley-style dancefest" with a "Rockettes kickline". The Cavalier Daily called it a "festive number", and reminiscent of songs from The Little Mermaid. It has been described as "strutting ", "bouncy ", "grand ", and a "hubris-filled fantasy song". The song was ranked the 5th song from The Lion King out of 6, describing it as "catchy", "irritating", and "a little too close to 'River of Dreams'". BoingBoing listed it as the 11th best Disney I Want song; it is ranked so low due to not being very "thematically rich". News.com deemed it the underdog song of The Lion King, adding "this showstopper about the future didn't get the accolades its brethren received."
The Cavalier Daily deemed the Elton John reworking "uneventful and boring".
Cover versions
Performed live by the ska/funk band Suburban Legends, most often when performing at Disneyland's Tomorrowland Terrace, but occasionally while on tour as well. Vincent Walker sings the part of Simba, while Brian Klemm sings the part of Zazu. The song appears on their 2012 album, Day Job.
Pop star Aaron Carter remixed the song on Disneymania.
Allstar Weekend remade the song for DisneyMania 7.
The Brazilian musical group "Exaltasamba" recorded a Portuguese version of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (O que eu quero mais é ser rei, roughly translated as "What I want most is to be king") in a samba style to the CD Disney Adventures in Samba.
Brian Wilson covered the song for his album In the Key of Disney.
The song is about the naive desire to do whatever you want once you assume a form of power, or reach the age of majority. However, often when you achieve your goals, you don't acquire freedom in the way your teenage mind imagined it. With great power comes great responsibility. The song is "An ode to youthful arrogance, invincibility and above all, impatience".
The New York Times Theater Reviews 1997-1998 described the song as "conventionally comic and upbeat". The New York Times Film Reviews 1993-1994 deemed the "derivativeness" of the "cute, lilting...safe" pop song "irritating", and described it as sounding "as if Michael Jackson were singing "Under the Sea". At a Hayes Centre summer youth camp, the song was "the favourite song for our kids". Lakeland Ledger described it as a "dazzling Busby Berkeley-style dancefest" with a "Rockettes kickline". The Cavalier Daily called it a "festive number", and reminiscent of songs from The Little Mermaid. It has been described as "strutting ", "bouncy ", "grand ", and a "hubris-filled fantasy song". The song was ranked the 5th song from The Lion King out of 6, describing it as "catchy", "irritating", and "a little too close to 'River of Dreams'". BoingBoing listed it as the 11th best Disney I Want song; it is ranked so low due to not being very "thematically rich". News.com deemed it the underdog song of The Lion King, adding "this showstopper about the future didn't get the accolades its brethren received."
The Cavalier Daily deemed the Elton John reworking "uneventful and boring".
Cover versions
Performed live by the ska/funk band Suburban Legends, most often when performing at Disneyland's Tomorrowland Terrace, but occasionally while on tour as well. Vincent Walker sings the part of Simba, while Brian Klemm sings the part of Zazu. The song appears on their 2012 album, Day Job.
Pop star Aaron Carter remixed the song on Disneymania.
Allstar Weekend remade the song for DisneyMania 7.
The Brazilian musical group "Exaltasamba" recorded a Portuguese version of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (O que eu quero mais é ser rei, roughly translated as "What I want most is to be king") in a samba style to the CD Disney Adventures in Samba.
Brian Wilson covered the song for his album In the Key of Disney.
Album Details
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