If I Were King of the Forest

"If I Were King of the Forest" is a song featured in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz with music composed by Harold Arlen and lyrics written by E.Y. Harburg. The comic number is sung by the Cowardly Lion played by Bert Lahr during the scene at the Emerald City, when the Lion, Dorothy (with Toto), Tin Man, and Scarecrow are waiting to learn whether or not the Wizard will grant them an audience.

Lyrics[]

Lion: in another hour, I will be the King of the Forest. Long live The King!
[LION]
If I were King of the Forest
Not queen, not duke, not prince…
Or the Artist Formerly Known as Prince
My regal robes of the forest
Would be satin, not cotton, not chintz
I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl
With a ruff and a ruff and a royal growl - woof
As I'd click my heel, all the trees would kneel!
And the mountains bow and the bulls kowtow!
And the sparrow would take wing
If I, if I, were King!
Each rabbit would show respect to me
The chipmunks genuflect to me
Though my tail would lash, I would show compash
For every underling!
If I, If I, were King!
Just King!
[DOROTHY, SCARECROW, & TIN MAN]
Each rabbit would show respect to him
The chipmunks genuflect to him
[SCARECROW]
And his wife would be queen of the mane
[LION]
And I'll be monarch
Of all I survey
Monarch
Of all I survey
Mo--na-a-a--a-arch
Ah, shucks
Monarch
Of all I survey!
[DOROTHY]
Your Majesty, If you were King, you wouldn't be afraid of anything?
[LION]
Not nobody, not nohow!
[TIN MAN]
Not even a rhinocerous?
[LION]
Imposserous!
[DOROTHY]
How about a hippopotamus?
[LION]
Why, I'd trash him from top to bottomamus!
[DOROTHY]
Supposin' you met an elephant?
[LION]
I'd wrap him up in cellophant!
[SCARECROW]
What if it were a brontosaurus?
[LION]
I'd show him who was King of the Forest!
[DOROTHY, TIN MAN, & SCARECROW]
How?
[LION]
How?
Courage! What makes a King out of a slave?
Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave?
Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk, in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk?
Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder?
Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder?
Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot?
What have they got that I ain't got?
[DOROTHY, TIN MAN, & SCARECROW]
Courage!
[LION]
You can say that again!
Courage is the king of kings
With courage I'd be king of kings
The whole year round
I'd be hailed and crowned by every living thing
If, if I, If I, were K-
King!

v - e - d

Media
Films: The Wizard of Oz (soundtrack/video) • Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz • Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz Shows: 1990 Turner Entertainment TV series • Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz

Characters
Dorothy Gale • Toto • Scarecrow • Tin Woodman • Cowardly Lion • Glinda the Good Witch of the North • The Wicked Witch of the West • The Wizard of Oz • Aunt Em • Uncle Henry • Miss Almira Gulch • Professor Marvel • Hunk • Hickory • Zeke • Flying Monkeys • The Munchkins

Songs

The Wizard of Oz: Nobody Understands Me • Over the Rainbow • The Wonders of the World • Come Out, Come Out • Ding Dong the Witch is Dead • Follow the Yellow Brick Road • If I Only Had a Brain • We're Off to See the Wizard • If I Only Had a Heart • If I Only Had the Nerve • Optimistic Voices • The Merry Old Land of Oz • Bring Me the Broomstick • If I Were King of the Forest

Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz: If I Only Had the Height
Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz: The Jitterbug • There's No Place Like Home • A Mighty Fine Affair • All Hail • Oh My, Oh My, Oh My • What's Mine is Mine
Musical: Red Shoes Blues • Farewell to Oz • Already Home

Objects
Ruby slippers • The Wicked Witch of the West's broomstick

Locations
Dorothy's farmhouse • Professor Marvel's Trailer • Munchkinland • Land of Oz • Emerald City • Field of Poppies • The Haunted Forest • The Wicked Witch of the West's Castle

See also
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer • Warner Bros. • Turner Entertainment