Suite (The Lion King)

The Lion King came to Zimmer in 1993 partly on the strength of his earlier work in southern Africa, and he brought in the South African composer and singer Lebo M, whose Zulu call opens the film before a word is spoken. The songs are by Elton John and Tim Rice; the score is written around and between them, for choir, African percussion and orchestra. Zimmer has said he wrote the music for the father's death while thinking of his own. It took the Academy Award in 1995, and the film has since been restaged and remade several times.