Be Prepared

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This page was made Song of the Month for January 2020.

"Be Prepared" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. It features the villainous lion Scar rallying Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and the rest of the hyenas together to prepare for his reign as king of the Pride Lands. The song was mostly performed by Scar's voice actor Jeremy Irons. However, when Irons' voice gave out, the song was finished by voice actor Jim Cummings. The parts of Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were performed by their voice actors Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings respectively. The hyenas were performed by a chorus.

In 2019, Disney remade The Lion King with computer animation. The 2019 version had different lyrics and was performed by Scar's voice actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and a chorus as the hyenas.

Lyrics[]

I know that your powers of retention
Are as wet as a warthog's backside
But thick as you are, pay attention!
My words are a matter of pride

It's clear from your vacant expressions
The lights are not all on upstairs
But we're talking kings and successions
Even you can't be caught unawares!

So, prepare for the chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news
A shining new era
Is tiptoeing nearer
And where do we feature?
Just listen to teacher

I know it sounds sordid
But you'll be rewarded
When at last, I am given my dues
And injustice deliciously squared
Be prepared!

[Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?]

[For the death of the king!]

[Why? Is he sick?]

[No, fool, we're gonna kill him. And Simba, too.]

[Great idea! Who needs a king?
No king! No king! La-la-la-la-la-la!]

[Idiots! There will be a king!]

[Hey, but you said, uh...]

[I will be king! Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!]

[Yay! All right! Long live the king!
Long live the king! Long live the king!]

(King, king, king, king, king, king!)

It's great that we'll soon be connected
With a king who'll be all time adored
Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected
To take certain duties on board

The future is littered with prizes
And though I'm the main addressee
The point that I must emphasize is
You won't get a sniff without me!

So prepare for the coup of the century
Be prepared for the murkiest scam
(Ooh... la, la, la!)
Meticulous planning
(We'll have food!)
Tenacity spanning
(Lots of food!)
Decades of denial
(We repeat!)
Is simply why I'll
(Endless meat!)

Be king, undisputed
Respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am!
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

[I never thought hyenas essential
They're crude and unspeakably plain
But maybe they've a glimmer of potential
If allied to my vision and brain...]

I know that your powers of retention
Are as wet as a warthog's backside
But thick as you are, pay attention!
My words are a matter of pride

It's clear from your vacant expressions
The lights are not all on upstairs
But we're talking kings and successions
Even you can't be caught unawares!

So, prepare for the chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news
A shining, new era
Is tiptoeing nearer
And where do we feature?
Just listen to teacher

I know it sounds sordid
But you'll be rewarded
When at last, I am given my dues
And injustice deliciously squared
Be prepared!

[Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?]

[For the death of the king!]

[Why? Is he sick?]

[No, fool, we're gonna kill him. And Simba, too.]

[Great idea! Who needs a king?
No king! No king! La-la-la-la-la-la!]

[Idiots! There will be a king!]

[Hey, but you said, uh...]

[I will be king! Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!]

[Yay! All right! Long live the king!
Long live the king! Long live the king!]

(King, king, king, king, king, king!)

It's great that we'll soon be connected
With a king who'll be all time adored
Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected
To take certain duties on board

The future is littered with prizes
And though I'm the main addressee
The point that I must emphasize is
You won't get a sniff without me!

So prepare for the coup of the century
Be prepared for the murkiest scam
(Ooh... la, la, la!)
Meticulous planning
(We'll have food!)
Tenacity spanning
(Lots of food!)
Decades of denial
(We repeat!)
Is simply why I'll
(Endless meat!)

Be king, undisputed
Respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am!
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

[Mufasa has always shown too much restraint when it comes to hunting. When I'm king, the mighty will be free to take whatever they want, because a hyena's belly is never full.]

[Mufasa's far too powerful to challenge...]

Mufasa is yesterday's message
A clapped-out, distracted regime
Whose failings undoubtedly presage
The need for a different dream

Yes leonine times are a-changing
Which means that hyenas must too
My vision is clear and wide-ranging
And even encompasses you.

So prepare for the coup of the century
Prepare for the murkiest scam
Meticulous planning
Tenacity spanning
Decades of denial
Is simply why I'll

Be king undisputed
Respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared, be prepared
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)

Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!

Other Appearances[]

The version of the song on the soundtrack features a short soliloquy from Scar before the song begins.
The song was featured on the following albums:
- The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- The Lion King: Special Edition
- Best of the Lion King
- Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs
- Walt Disney Records the Legacy Collection: The Lion King
- ICON: Disney Villains
- Cruella's Favorite Villain Songs
An instrumental version of the song is used as the background music for the Elephant Graveyard levels of the 1994 The Lion King video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Part of the song was used in The Lion King 1½ as Timon and Pumbaa are sneaking around the Elephant Graveyard.
The 2019 version was featured on its film's soundtrack.
The song was featured in Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom Festival of The Lion King.
The song is featured in the Broadway musical, also with the soliloquy.
An instrumental piano version was featured on the Disney Peaceful Piano album Disney Peaceful Piano: Balance.

Gallery[]

Images[]

Videos[]

Official[]

The Lion King (1994) - Be Prepared

Be Prepared (From "The Lion King" - Soundtrack Version)

The Lion King - SNES - Elephant Graveyard-Be Prepared

El Rey León (2019) - Be prepared -1080P- Subtitled

Chiwetel Ejiofor - Be Prepared (2019) (From "The Lion King" Audio Only)

Be prepared-The Lion king Broadway(lyrics)

Be Prepared-2

Covers[]

Be Prepared (Disney's The Lion King) Jonathan Young ROCK METAL COVER

THE LION KING - BE PREPARED (Metal Cover)

Be Prepared - The Lion King (Female Disney cover)

The Lion King - Be Prepared - Tay Zonday

Be Prepared - Caleb Hyles (from The Lion King)

BE PREPARED - The Lion King 2019 - Cover by Caleb Hyles

The Ultimate Disney Villains Song - A Cappella Style

Be Prepared - The Lion King Epic Version

Be Prepared (Lion King) female ver.【covered by Anna】

Be Prepared

Be Prepared-0

Be Prepared (From "The Lion King")

Be Prepared (The Lion king) - Female Ver. - Cover by Chloe

BE PREPARED - Female Version by Lydia the Bard - Lion King

Be Prepared (In Latin, Lyrics by Stefano Vittori) Lion King (Duce Me)

Suite From The Lion King- Be Prepared

Be Prepared (From "The Lion King")-2

"Be Prepared (The Lion King)" female cover by RafScrap ft. @GezeusQuiryst & @AndrewEisen

Trivia[]

The song had a reprise written, but it was cut from the film for being considered too dark.
The line "My words are a matter of pride" is a pun, as a group of lions is called a "pride".
The sequence showing the Hyenas goosestepping was notoriously modeled after actual footage of Nazi troops marching in Berlin with Adolf Hitler watching.
In the soundtrack's lyric booklet, the line "You won't get a sniff without me!" was errorlessly written as "You won't get a sniff out of me!"

See Also[]

Songs

Disney Animated Films
A Special Sort of Death • Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee • I've Got No Strings • Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (Reprise) • The Coach to Pleasure Island • Night on Bald Mountain • Hit the Big Boss (For a Raise) • Pink Elephants on Parade • Man Returns • Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum • Headless Horseman • Sing, Sweet Nightingale • The Walrus and the Carpenter • 'Twas Brillig • Painting the Roses Red • March of the Cards • Who's Been Painting My Roses Red? • The Unbirthday Song (Reprise) • A Pirate's Life (Is a Wonderful Life) • A Pirate's Life (Reprise) • The Elegant Captain Hook • The Siamese Cat Song • Cruella De Vil • Mad Madam Mim • I Wanna Be Like You • Trust in Me • The Phony King of England • Heffalumps and Woozles • A Huntin' Man • The Horned King • The World's Greatest Criminal Mind • Goodbye, So Soon • Poor Unfortunate Souls • Les Poissons • Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise) • Home on the Range • Belle • Gaston • Gaston (Reprise) • The Mob Song • Prince Ali (Reprise) • Be Prepared • Stampede • The Virginia Company • The Virginia Company (Reprise) • Mine, Mine, Mine • Savages, Pt. 1 • Savages, Pt. 2 • The Bells of Notre Dame • Out There • Hellfire • Paris Burning • And He Shall Smite the Wicked • The Gospel Truth II • Perfect World • Kronk's Theme Music • The Firebird Suite • (You're The) Devil in Disguise • Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo • Friends on the Other Side • Friends on the Other Side (Reprise) • Healing Incantation • Mother Knows Best • Mother Knows Best (Reprise) • The Backson Song • March of the Winkies • Love is an Open Door • Wolves • Kakamora • Shiny • Know Who You Are • At All Costs • This Is The Thanks I Get?! • Knowing What I Know Now

Pixar Films
La Cucaracha • Kronos Unveiled • Rollin' in the Rearview • Songbird • Song of Mor'du • Remember Me • Much Needed Advice • La Llorona • Midnight, The Stars And You

Animated Sequels
I'm Looking Out for Me • Forget About Love • You're Only Second Rate • Welcome to the Forty Thieves • Are You In or Out? • Don't Fall in Love • Things Are Not What They Appear • My Lullaby • Not One of Us • Junkyard Society Rag • Here We Go Another Plan • Feel Like a Million • Aloha Oe • Jailhouse Rock • Perfectly Perfect • Just One Mistake • Bye Bye • Brother Betrayed

Other Animated Films
Everybody's Got A Laughin' Place • It's a "B" Movie • Cutting Edge • Worthless • Kidnap the Sandy Claws • Oogie Boogie's Song • Gloomius Maximus • I, Ivan Krank • Petey's King of France • Chains of Love • It's Our House Now • If I Ruled the World • Sidekicks and Henchmen • The Frigate That Flies • Alone on Halloween • Gwendolyn's Lament

Live Action Films
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 • We Won't Be Happy 'Till We Get It! • Castle In Spain • Fidelity Fiduciary Bank • The Happiest Home in These Hills • Passamaquoddy • Every Little Piece • Bill of Sale • Scrooge • Marley and Marley • When Love Is Gone • Come Little Children • I Put a Spell on You • Shiver My Timbers • A Professional Pirate • Secret of Survival • Little Girls • Easy Street • Little Girls (Reprise) • Bravo, Stromboli! • The Kraken • Davy Jones • Fabulous • North Pole, North Pole • Hello, Little Girl • Stay with Me • Agony • Last Midnight • Once Upon A Dream • My Jolly Sailor Bold • Mermaids • Rainbow Connection (Moopets Version) •Let's Talk About Me • I'm Number One • I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu) • Rotten to the Core • Evil Like Me • Evil • Ways to Be Wicked • What's My Name? • Chillin' Like a Villain • It's Goin' Down • What a Shame • Queen of Mean • Call Me Cruella • Sympathy for the Devil • One Way or Another • I Wanna Be Your Dog • Tie the Knot Tango • Shut It Down • The Coachman To Pleasure Island • The Witches Are Back • Behemooth • Ode to the Falling • Red • Love Ain't It • Perfect Revenge • All Is Fair • All Is Fair (Reprise)

Animated Series & Shorts
The Skeleton Dance • Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? • Der Fuehrer's Face • The Best of Everything • Fat Cat Stomp • Sky Pirates (TaleSpin) • The Lobster Mobster's Mob • The Beddy Bye Blues • You Wouldn't Want to Mess With Me (Part 1) • You Wouldn't Want to Mess With Me (Part 2) • Evil Lullaby • My Town • One Good Man • Yzmopolis • Boom-Da-Boom • Let's Slay The Beast • Mortimer Mouse • Rappin' Drakken • Cedric the Great • All You Desire • Helping Hand • A Kingdom of My Own • This Fliegel Has Landed • Wendell's Way • My Evil Dreams • My Power Will Be Crystal Clear • Get Wicked • On Your/My Own • Lord Dominator's Theme • Let the Pun Fit the Crime • Mandrake's Evil Jam • I'm the Bad Guy • Tonight We Strike • Jackal Style • Outta the Way • Panic and Run • Lions Over All • We'll Make You a Meal • Bring Back a Legend • I Have A Plan • Big Bad Kenge • We're the Smartest • Let Me Make You Proud • Let Me Make You Proud (Reprise) • Ready As I'll Ever Be • I'm Gonna Run This Dump • Li'l Ol' Me • Weirdmageddon Theme • We'll Meet Again • You Can't Catch Me • Don't Look Now • The Art of the Steal • We've Got Dance Power • Sky Pirates (DuckTales) • Sky Pirates (Reprise) (DuckTales) • Decay Incantation • Waiting in the Wings • Crossing The Line • Waiting in the Wings (Reprise) • Nothing Left to Lose • Goblin Jail • GlomTales Theme Song • I'm Not Very Nice • Heartstomper • Sasha Theme Song Takeover • Whatcha Playin'? • If We're Gonna Play Owl House... • Blame It on Toby • Hail to the Legion of Pirate Villains • Killjoy • You've Been Jinxed • We Take What We Want • La Cebolla • Neighslayer Rap Battle • Taco Crunchies • Earworm Jingle • Look in Your Eyes • Tearing You Down • Ice Queen • The Council of Düm • The Scarm Song • Evil As Can Be • Simon Says • Give Me Your Voice • Mary, Mary • Back to Misery • A Dust Mite Might • A Little Bit Bad • A Car Is a Car Is a Car in a Chase • Fist Foot Time • Give Me That Book • Joy No More • I Annihilate

Deleted Songs
Rolling Along to Pleasure Island • I'm Odd • Beware the Jabberwock • Never Smile at a Crocodile • The Pirate Song • Evil - Evil • The Mighty Hunters • Don't Buy a Parrot from a Sailor • The Creation of Cruella De Vil • How Much You Mean to Me/Court Me Slowly • Not in Nottingham (Prince John Demo) • Silence is Golden • All Good Things Must End • Arabian Nights (Reprise 1) • Arabian Nights (Reprise 2) • Why Me? • Humiliate the Boy • My Finest Hour • Be Prepared (Reprise) • Born to Be Bad • Snuff Out the Light • Perfect World (Yzma) • Gonna Get My Wish • I'll Give You One Guess • All That I've Done For You • You're You • It's Gonna Get Weird • Hans of the Southern Isles (Reprise 2)

Theatrical Songs
Another Pyramid • Like Father Like Son • Me • Maison Des Lunes • Chow Down • The Madness of King Scar • Brimstone and Treacle (Part 1) • Brimstone and Treacle (Part 2) • It's Never Too Late • I Want the Good Times Back • Sweet Child • Les Poissons (Reprise) • I Want the Good Times Back (Reprise) • Sweet Child (Reprise) • Sweet Child (Reprise) • Diamond in the Rough • Make a Little Noise •Flower of Gold • The Bottom Line • The Bottom Line (Reprise) • Hans of the Southern Isles • Hans of the Southern Isles (Reprise) • I Knew I Smelled A Rat • Prologue • 'Night, Kittens

Video Games
I Love Fur • Puppies, Oh, Puppies • The Rat Tango • Go Bananas in the Coconut Tree • A Mood for Food • Run • Villains of a Sort • The Heartless Has Come • Squirming Evil • One-Winged Angel • Dr. Finkelstein's Song • Hail to Mr. Oogie • Casino Clash • A Filthy Finale • Organization XIII • The 13th Struggle • Ursula's Revenge • It's a Small World • Opening • The Mad Doctor Isn't Mad • I'm Falling Apart • The Fall of Prescott • The Mad Doctor's Plan • Mad Doctor's Wonderful World of Evil • Piece of My World

Promotional Songs
Honest John • Monstro the Whale • If You Wanna See Some Strange Behavior (Take a Look at Man) • The Legend of Davy Jones • Cruella • I'm Gettin' Good at Being Bad • Shadow Man • Do What I Wanna Do • Love is a Magical Mystery

Parks
Hawaiian War Chant • Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me) • Grim Grinning Ghosts • Burrow's Lament • We Love Junk • Partners in Crime • Friend Like Iago • Uh-Oa's Song • Mystic Manor Theme Song • Guardians of the Galaxy Monsters After Dark • Magic Mirror

Songs

Films
Be Prepared • Stampede • My Lullaby • Not One of Us • Bye Bye • Brother Betrayed

The Lion Guard
Tonight We Strike • Jackal Style • Outta the Way • Panic and Run • Lions Over All • We'll Make You a Meal • Bring Back a Legend • I Have A Plan • Big Bad Kenge • We're the Smartest • The Worst Hyena We Know • I'm Gonna Run This Dump • When I Led the Guard • The Tree of Life • You Best Not Mess With Mama

Musical
Chow Down • The Madness of King Scar

Other
Be Prepared (Reprise) • Friend Like Iago • Uh-Oa's Song

Headlined Articles

2017

January N/A	February N/A	March N/A	April N/A	May N/A	June Hellfire
July N/A	August N/A	September N/A	October It's Terror Time Again	November From Shadows	December You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch

2018

January Nightmare	February Poison Me	March We Are Number One	April Deadpool vs Boba Fett	May I'm the Bad Guy	June I Have A Plan
July the WORLD	August Grounded	September Shiver My Timbers	October Oogie Boogie's Song	November Your Reality	December Jingle Bombs

2019

January Hold on to You	February One Room Sugar Life	March Renegade	April The Phantom of the Opera	May Mother Knows Best	June Intelligence
July Die House	August Hotel California	September The Imperial March	October Grim Grinning Ghosts	November Befall	December Luna's Future

2020

January Be Prepared	February The Wish is to Live the Future	March High to Be Loathed	April Kyle's Mom's a Bitch	May MEDIC!	June One-Winged Angel
July You'll Be Back	August Holding Out for a Hero	September Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)	October Thriller	November Snuff Out the Light	December The Night Santa Went Crazy

2021

January Still Alive	February Toxic Love	March Poor Unfortunate Souls	April Pretty Women	May Double Trouble	June Other Father Song
July Blame Canada	August Trust in Me	September Haman's Song	October It's Our House Now	November The Vengeful One	December Snow & Heat Miser Song

2022

January Ready As I'll Ever Be	February The Love Song	March Friends on the Other Side	April Villains of a Sort	May It Has to be This Way	June Club Villain
July Everybody's Got the Right	August The Servant of Evil	September Remember	October I Put a Spell on You	November La Llorona	December Jingle Bells (Batman Smells)

2023

January Sympathy for the Devil	February House of Asmodeus	March Cell Block Tango	April Shiny	May The Plagues	June Mad Laugh Riot
July Main Title	August One Thing	September Gaston	October Halloween Theme	November Horn of Plenty	December Kidnap the Sandy Claws

2024

January When You're Evil	February This Day Aria	March This Jesus Must Die	April How Bad Can I Be?	May Lapti Nek	June Cruella De Vil
July The Room Where It Happens	August Miss Gulch	September It's Gonna Get Weird	October Say My Name	November Queen of the Night's Aria	December The Gremlin Rag

2025

January Robot Hell	February Meant to Be Yours	March Leperchaun	April The Bunny Song	May Little Girls	June Ruthlessness
July Stars	August ???