The Circle of Life

Name	The Circle of Life
Written by	Leslie Bricusse
Sung by	Grandma Longneck (Linda Gary)
Released	December 10, 1996 (America) January 6, 2000 (Iceland)

"The Circle of Life" is a song from The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists. It is a lullaby sung by Grandma Longneck while she is escorting her grandson, Littlefoot, to bed, after he has expressed concern about his ill and weak grandfather. The song received considerable criticism for its description of "the Circle of Life", which is believed to draw parallels to the same concept, in The Lion King.

Description

After Grandpa Longneck has fallen ill and weak in Journey Through the Mists, his wife and grandson both become worried for him. The Old One has said that the only thing that will cure his illness is the Night Flower, but the flower only grows in the Land of Mists, and she tells Grandma Longneck and Littlefoot that it is too dangerous to risk. Littlefoot is upset about this, but Grandma Longneck assures him that it's all part of the Circle of Life. She then sings to him about how life continues onward, no matter what happens, and how it benefits to everyone.

The song, 'The Circle of Life' is sung by Grandma Longneck in the Land Before Time film, Journey Through the Mists which she escorts Littlefoot to bed after Grandpa Longneck who has fallen ill to get a Night flower in the Land of Mists but it is a dangerous mission to do it.

Lyrics

Grandma Longneck (Speaks:) The circle of life Is simple, yet profound. (Sings:) A quite straight forward line That goes around and round and round It starts at the beginning (Speaks:) And it will never end. (Sings:) And that to me Must surely be Life's secret, my friend

For the circle of life Continues every day None of us can stop it From going on its way With each new generation One more circle is complete

On and on and on It goes repeating Repeating Repeating Repeating

It nurtures the young Until they're fully grown And soon life's magic circle Brings them children of their own

The family of nature Each husband and wife Enhances the circle The ever-winding circle The wonderful circle of life (Spoken) Good night, my little one.

Reception

Richard Scheib, on the Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review Database believed this song copies The Lion King, which was released in 1994 (two years before The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists's release), with the concept of "The Circle of Life". Michael Scheinfeld on Disney Family.com, in his review on all the Land Before Time movie series (in 2007), also criticized the song, and said that it was a "blatant attempt to conjure up memories" of that film.

Track Listings

Releases of Journey Through the Mists:

• December 10, 1996 (VHS and laserdisc)
• May 13, 1997 (VHS and laserdisc - The Land Before Time Collection)
• December 1, 1998 (VHS and laserdisc; the last laserdisc release - Universal Family Features)
• December 4, 2001 (VHS)
• April 1, 2003 (DVD)
• December 2, 2003 (VHS and DVD - 4 Movie Dino Pack (Volume 1) and 9 Movie Dino Pack)
• September 27, 2005 (DVD - 2 Dino-Mite Movies)

Other:

Gallery

Sunset

External Links

• Video clip of the song sequence at YouTube.com