What is the name of the song Scar sings while plotting with the hyenas?

Scar sings “Be Prepared” while plotting with the hyenas in the original 1994 film The Lion King. The song is Scar’s villainous declaration that he intends to overthrow his brother Mufasa and seize control of the Pride Lands.

The number was written by Elton John, with lyrics by Tim Rice, and its music was produced within the broader score-and-song collaboration involving Hans Zimmer. Jeremy Irons performs Scar’s opening vocal performance, while Jim Cummings supplied part of the singing after Irons developed vocal difficulties during recording. Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin also provide supporting hyena vocals.

The sequence is more than a simple plot song. Its militaristic staging, marching hyenas, harsh shadows, and imposing cliffside imagery deliberately make Scar’s movement feel authoritarian and propagandistic. The visual design drew on imagery associated with Nazi rallies and the 1935 film Triumph of the Will.

The 2019 remake retained “Be Prepared,” but used a shorter, darker, largely spoken version performed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. That remake version is different from the elaborate musical number in the 1994 animated film.