I was wondering, does anyone know any good songs that have to do with lions? My high school's mascot is the lion and they make us play "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" at every pep rally we have. No one likes playing it since its saying that we, the lions are sleeping not beating the other team. As band librarian, I'm responsible for picking out music to play and my fellow band members want a different song that would pump up the crowd more. The only 2 songs that I know of that involve a lion are "the Lion Sleeps Tonight" and Camille Saint-Saëns' Royal March of the Lion from Carnival of the animals. Does anyone have any ideas?
OK - how about a medley of The Lion Sleeps Tonight (so everyone gets the reference) and music from the scene where all the animals are running away ... from the lions, if I remember rightly. (Haven't seen the movie in ages!)
You could throw in some of the march from Aida, which has animalistic overtones.
I don't think we could use any songs by White Lion, as the students and fans wouldn't get the reference. My fellow students aren't to smart when it comes to making references. It has to be a song with either lion in the title or has to do with a lion. As for using songs from The Lion King, none would fit the criteria that I am looking for. I need a song that could pump up the crowd. Such as schools with tiger mascots have Eye of the Tiger.
Yeah – lions sleeping would seem to embody the wrong sentiments. Would a completely re-worked kick-a*** version of that song be any good? Huge percussion effort @ 144bpm or thereabouts. Otherwise you might need something to do with your uniform colour or name of school/town, leaving lions out of the picture altogether.
***thinking further*** what about treating the lion sleeps tonight part of the song as a prelude, eight bars only, band entirely static ... and then all h*** breaks loose at the wimoweh chorus. The music stays on the chorus, over and over, never to return to the lion sleeping bit?
***I'm on a roll here*** Prelude: unison melody over simple three-part drone-like chordal gloop ... deliberately slow ... then a "signature" drum motto (could be as simple as bang-bang-bang-bang ... or could be to the rhythm of a band/team/school slogan, one or two bars ... with a "signature" action from pom-pom-persons/bandmembers(?)/spectators(?)) ... and into Wimoweh!
It's got drama!! It's got romance!!! It's telling a story of Biblical proportions!!!! Cecil B., eat your heart out!!!!!
i like your idea but im thinking of something easier that i could find sheet music for instead of having to write it myself. i think im go to see if i could find a good full band arrangement of either welcome to the jungle or jungle boogie, since the lion is king of the jungle
Sarsax – don't wimp out on me now!! … ... Why not write a custom arrangement? Could be the start of a whole new career – as you nudge John Williams out of the way!!!
For marching band, isn't the main idea to keep the arranging "broad brushstroke" style? Eg: ONE brass line, voiced or not; ONE woodwind line, voiced or not; ONE counterline, most probably unison; Bassline, unison, of course; Drums (get the principal drummer to sort out that bit).
i think i might if I have time to write it out, but i have alot to do in the coming months. ill let you know when i finish it if i end up actually writing it.