# You'll Be in My Heart
"You'll Be in My Heart" is a song written, composed, and performed by the English musician Phil Collins for Disney's 1999 animated feature film *[Tarzan](https://www.edgepedia.org/tarzan-1999-film)*, sung in the film from the perspective of the gorilla Kala to the orphaned baby Tarzan. It won the [Academy Award for Best Original Song](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-award-for-best-original-song) at the 72nd Academy Awards and the [Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-globe-award-for-best-original-song), Motion Picture, and it spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.[1](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2000) • [2](https://goldenglobes.com/film/tarzan/) • [3](https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/phil-collins/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Writer and performer | Phil Collins, who also sang four of the film's five songs[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/tarzan-film/) |
| Film and album | *Tarzan* (1999); soundtrack released 18 May 1999 on Walt Disney Records 60645-7[5](https://www.genesis-news.com/article/phil-collins-recording-compendium-part-9-1998-2000/) |
| Film version | Vocals by Phil Collins and Glenn Close, produced by Mark Mancina and Phil Collins, arranged by Mancina; runs 1:36, against 4:18 for Collins's solo version[6](https://hans-zimmer.com/product/tarzan/comment-page-1/) |
| Academy Award | Best Original Song at the 72nd Academy Awards, held Sunday, March 26, 2000, at the Shrine Auditorium[1](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2000) |
| Golden Globe | Best Original Song, Motion Picture, 2000 winner[2](https://goldenglobes.com/film/tarzan/) |
| Chart performance | 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart; No. 21 in the US and No. 17 in the UK[3](https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/phil-collins/) • [7](https://sessiondays.com/2022/12/16/1999-phil-collins-youll-be-in-my-heart-us21-uk17/) |
| Later recognition | Ranked first in Time's 2024 list of the 50 best Disney songs[8](https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/) |
## Origin and writing
Disney hired Collins for *Tarzan* in 1995, four years before the film reached cinemas.[9](https://zhljdcnyme.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/image/marketing/drumeo/lead-gen/phil-collins/The-Genesis-of-Phil-Collins.pdf) The film, based on [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgar-rice-burroughs)'s *Tarzan of the Apes*, traces a baby orphaned in the African jungle and raised by gorillas led by Kerchak and his mate Kala.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/tarzan-film/)
Collins wrote the song as a lullaby for his daughter Lily, and Time later described his vocals on the finished recording as achingly emotional.[8](https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/) His daughter, the actress [Lily Collins](https://www.edgepedia.org/lily-collins), has confirmed that the song began as a lullaby for her.[10](https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/)
**Role in the film.** In the movie, the song is sung from a mother gorilla's perspective, calming the orphaned Tarzan's fears with reassurance ("I will protect you from all around you/I will be here don't you cry").[11](https://www.pluggedin.com/album-reviews/varioussoundtrack-tarzan/) Unlike traditional Disney musicals in which characters break into song, *Tarzan* uses Collins's numbers as mood pieces that enhance the action without overshadowing it, alongside [Mark Mancina](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-mancina)'s score.[12](https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=3469)
## Recording and versions
The soundtrack appeared on 18 May 1999 as *Tarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack* (US CD, Walt Disney Records 60645-7).[5](https://www.genesis-news.com/article/phil-collins-recording-compendium-part-9-1998-2000/) The album places the song on two tracks: the short film version with [Glenn Close](https://www.edgepedia.org/glenn-close) (1:36) and Collins's full solo version (4:18), produced by Mancina and Collins and arranged by Mancina.[6](https://hans-zimmer.com/product/tarzan/comment-page-1/) The Universal Music Group metadata for the soundtrack version credits Collins as producer, composer, and lyricist, with Rob Cavallo as producer and Chris Lord-Alge as mixing engineer.[13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfHLHdSxQA0) A single version of the song also appears in the album's discography.[14](https://musicbrainz.org/release/9e60da79-b27a-493e-b726-d13870e62953)
The single's music video was directed by [Kevin Godley](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-godley).[7](https://sessiondays.com/2022/12/16/1999-phil-collins-youll-be-in-my-heart-us21-uk17/)
## Chart performance and awards
The song spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and No. 17 in the United Kingdom.[3](https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/phil-collins/) • [7](https://sessiondays.com/2022/12/16/1999-phil-collins-youll-be-in-my-heart-us21-uk17/) A July 1999 Hits magazine item noted it as the highest debuting single of Collins's career, including his work with Genesis.[15](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hits/90s/1999/Hits-1999-07-02.pdf) The soundtrack as a whole was a million-selling, Top-5 album.[11](https://www.pluggedin.com/album-reviews/varioussoundtrack-tarzan/)
At the 72nd Academy Awards, held March 26, 2000, at the Shrine Auditorium, "You'll Be in My Heart" won Best Original Song, with music and lyric by [Phil Collins](https://www.edgepedia.org/phil-collins), defeating "Blame Canada" from *[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-park-bigger-longer-and-uncut)*, "Music Of My Heart" from *Music of the Heart*, "Save Me" from *Magnolia*, and "When She Loved Me" from *Toy Story 2*.[1](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2000) Collins also won the 2000 Golden Globe for Best Original Song, Motion Picture, with the Golden Globes database crediting him as composer, lyricist, and performer of the film's songs.[2](https://goldenglobes.com/film/tarzan/)
## Reception and legacy
Time's 2024 ranking of the 50 best Disney songs placed "You'll Be in My Heart" first, calling it a crossover sensation and describing the bridge ("When destiny calls you/ You must be strong/ I may not be with you/ But you've got to hold on") as its most heartbreaking passage.[8](https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/) Reviewers have singled out Collins's vocal: Sputnikmusic called it a very strong performance with tender lyrics that stands out as more than just the song that beat *South Park* for the Oscar.[16](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/40252/Soundtrack-Disney-Tarzan/) Mancina, the film's score producer, has called "You'll Be in My Heart" his favorite song on the entire soundtrack.[17](https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2019/06/17/youll-be-in-our-hearts-an-oral-history-of-disneys-tarzan-for-its-20th-birthday/)
The song has drawn many cover versions cataloged by [MusicBrainz](https://www.edgepedia.org/musicbrainz), including instrumental recordings by [Gheorghe Zamfir](https://www.edgepedia.org/gheorghe-zamfir) and Van-Anh Nguyen, a cover by Jonathan Young, and live performances by Collins in Paris on 15 June 2004 and Montreux on 7 July 2004 during his 2004 tour.[18](https://musicbrainz.org/work/2ba07431-85ba-3889-bff3-a284ea518b80) [The Piano Guys](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-piano-guys) have also released an instrumental recording.[19](https://thepianoguys.bandcamp.com/track/youll-be-in-my-heart)
## References
1. [The 72nd Academy Awards | 2000, Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2000)
2. [Tarzan – Golden Globes Awards Database](https://goldenglobes.com/film/tarzan/)
3. [Phil Collins – D23 (Walt Disney Legends)](https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/phil-collins/)
4. [Tarzan (film) – D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/tarzan-film/)
5. [Phil Collins Recording Compendium, Part 9: 1998–2000, Genesis News Com](https://www.genesis-news.com/article/phil-collins-recording-compendium-part-9-1998-2000/)
6. [Tarzan soundtrack booklet credits, hans-zimmer.com](https://hans-zimmer.com/product/tarzan/comment-page-1/)
7. [1999 Phil Collins – You'll Be In My Heart (US:#21 UK:#17), Sessiondays](https://sessiondays.com/2022/12/16/1999-phil-collins-youll-be-in-my-heart-us21-uk17/)
8. [The 50 Best Disney Songs, Ranked, Time](https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/)
9. [The Genesis of Phil Collins, Drumeo (Brandon Toews)](https://zhljdcnyme.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/image/marketing/drumeo/lead-gen/phil-collins/The-Genesis-of-Phil-Collins.pdf)
10. [11 Classic Disney Songs Performed Flawlessly by Famous Pop Stars, Time](https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/)
11. [Tarzan soundtrack review, Plugged In](https://www.pluggedin.com/album-reviews/varioussoundtrack-tarzan/)
12. [Soundtrack review, Daily Vault](https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=3469)
13. [You'll Be In My Heart (From "Tarzan"/Soundtrack Version), YouTube (Universal Music Group)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfHLHdSxQA0)
14. [Release "Tarzan" by Phil Collins & Mark Mancina, MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/release/9e60da79-b27a-493e-b726-d13870e62953)
15. ["You'll Be in My Heart", Hits magazine, 2 July 1999, WorldRadioHistory](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hits/90s/1999/Hits-1999-07-02.pdf)
16. [Soundtrack (Disney) – Tarzan album review, Sputnikmusic](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/40252/Soundtrack-Disney-Tarzan/)
17. [You'll Be In Our Hearts: An Oral History Of Disney's 'Tarzan' For Its 20th Birthday, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2019/06/17/youll-be-in-our-hearts-an-oral-history-of-disneys-tarzan-for-its-20th-birthday/)
18. [Song "You'll Be in My Heart", MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/work/2ba07431-85ba-3889-bff3-a284ea518b80)
19. [You'll Be In My Heart, The Piano Guys (Bandcamp)](https://thepianoguys.bandcamp.com/track/youll-be-in-my-heart)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Compositions and songs › Musical-theater, film, television, and game songs › Film songs and themes › Animated and family film songs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license