He Lives In You

Ten years ago this week, I saw The Lion King musical at the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End. Much has been written already about this spectacular production. The unique costumes. The amazing choreography. The new songs not heard in the movie version. Although a decade has passed since I saw it, the show was truly one of the trip's highlights and quite unforgettable.

Everyone knows the story of The Lion King. A young cub loses his father much too soon and grapples with the guilt and shame of believing, erroneously, that he caused his father's death. It's heavy stuff for a Disney movie, which is probably why many consider it one of Disney's finest.

Coincidentally, I was listening to some random Disney songs on iTunes the other day, and one particular song from the Lion King musical that I really like came on. For the first time, despite having heard it many times, it reminded me of our friend, Steve Damm. In fact, I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of Steve before whenever I've listened to it in the almost 14 months since he passed away. For this song is about how a father, although no longer with us, lives on forever in his children and his children's children. It's about him being everywhere and seeing everything. Just like Steve.

So with much love, I send this song and video out to Steve's family--his soul mate, Tyra, and their precious children, Cooper and Katie, in his memory. Happy Birthday, dearest Steve. We miss you but you truly live on in everyone whose lives you touched.

HE LIVES IN YOU




Ingonyama nengw' enamabala [Here is a lion and a tiger]

Night and the spirit of life calling mamela
And a voice with the fear of a child answers mamela

Ubu khosi bo khokho [This is the throne of our ancestors]

We ndodana ye sizwe sonke [Oh, son of the nation]

Wait, there's no mountain too great
Hear the words and have faith
Have faith

He lives in you
He lives in me

He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in you
He lives in you
He lives in you

He lives in you

He lives in me

He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

Music and Lyrics (English and Swahili) by Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and Lebo M