"Be Prepared" is a song written by Elton John and Tim Rice (music and lyrics, respectively) from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King.
The song was originally performed in this film by Jeremy Irons and Jim Cummings, with Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin providing supporting vocals.
The song is performed as a musical number by Scar, who covets his brother Mufasa's position as king of the Pride Lands.
In other interviews, such as at the 2012 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo and on his podcast in 2024, Cummings has claimed that he sang the entirety of the song and Irons only performed spoken dialogue.
[6] During early production of the film, there was a reprise created of the song, taking place after Scar has assumed power over the Pride Lands.
A second version of the reprise was also considered to be sung during Mufasa's funeral (this variation is included as a special supplement on the laserdisc edition of the film and was also featured on the Broadway musical).
[8] In DisneyToon's 2004 direct-to-video film The Lion King 1½, the music from the beginning of the song is briefly heard as Timon and Pumbaa tour Scar's lair as a possible new home, commenting on how it is quiet, secluded and with no uninvited visitors.
She describes the song as "camp, fun, and just scary enough to make younger viewers feel a little on edge" and perfectly summed up Scar's character.
[11] Glen Weldon from NPR also praised the song as indelible and iconic for its pure expression of Scar's character.
[12] Hannah-Rose Yee from Stylist cited Be Prepared as one of the best songs in the film for mixing humor and tragedy in the lyrics that build up the character's deluded aspiration and twisted desire.