The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Elton Johndoesn't seem like a natural choice to write for a Disney musical, but he rose to the task onThe Lion King, transcending his usual penchant for the softest of soft rock. Sir Elton's collaboration with Tim Rice (former writing partner of Andrew Lloyd Webber) helps connect the soundtrack to the theatrical lineage of all Disney musicals--so much so that, likeBeauty and the Beast,The Lion Kingwas eventually adapted for Broadway. Undistinguished songs like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" are far outnumbered by stirring, stately tunes that lent the film so much of its sense of pageant and play.--John Sanchez