Lion King/Lion King II: Return to Pride Rock [Import, Compilation, Soundtrack]

The first disk on the set includes the original soundtrack to the 1994 movie the Lion King. Full of all the songs that appeared in the movie, as well as Elton John versions of the main songs sung throughout. "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love tonight?" are some of the more memorable songs that any fan of the movie will want to listen to over and over again. Also inclused on the soundtrack as the instrumental songs we hear like when Simba confronts Scar and the memorable background songs heard all the way through. A definte masterpiece and probably one of Disney's best musical scores ever. A must have for any fan of good Disney music and of the Lion King.

The second CD is from the 1998 sequal of the Lion King and again is filled with some great songs. Instead of Elton John we have a graet Africanesque singer by the name of Lebo M. The opening song while not as powerful as Circle of Life still is very effctive and also used in the Broadway Lion King musical. That song being called "He Lives in You" and it is plays on a lot of themes from the first as well as bringing us into the new movie. Like the first soundtrack where Elton John did his own rendition of the main songs of the movie, Lebo has his own versions of some of the songs as well as some original songs like "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" which is a pretty interseting version of the song.

The pluses overall would be that you get two great soundtracks to two great films. A great view at what Disney used to be able to accomplish and what a great work of cartooning was, even if the second is a made to video, it still seems to work quite well musicaly. Keeping up well with the quality of the first. Also for the price it is a great deal. Two CD's to the original and follow up all in one nice set really can't be beat as a very fair price. Also I found it very interseting to see the similarites between the two, even if the stories in both films were totaly differnet. For example we have Scar's "Be Prepared" in the first fiml where he rallies the troops and dreams of being king and "My Lulliby" sung by Zira singing to a male cub and her children preparing them for a hostile take over of Simba's pride. And most of all you get 24 songs for the price of one CD. A set that all ages will truly enjoy.

A few downsides are that songs on the second CD are weak. "Upendi" which is sung by Rafiki is a song that most in the Lion King community frown on as the whole song and moment in the film are awkard at points. Some of the Lebo M songs you probably won't care for as he isn't any Elton John and the songs aren't all remixes of the songs heard in Simba's Pride. Would have been nice to have more songs related to the second movie rather then sounding more like half soundtrack and half Lebo M album.

Bottom Line is this is a great set of musical pieces to two of Disney's finest movies both story and musicaly. Definitely check it out as you won't be sorry.