I said Tom Bombadil is eldest of ME, not that he was eldest. Ofcourse the Valar were the very first 'children' of Eru Iluvatar, but they are all on Aman for the time being and Melkor (in the beginning also a Vala and later cast out), he was cast in the Void. Tom Bombadil is eldest of ME, not eldest of Arda.
I think the Dark Lord meant by him was indeed Melkor, because the things he says in his quote (apart from the first raindrop and acorn) seem to go back in time...first he says the big people, the the elves and at last he mentions the Dark Lord. This is one reason to believe that it was Melkor, but in the quote he also says this:
Quote:
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He knew the dark under the stars when it was FEARLESS - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.
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If he would have meant Sauron, it would already have been fearfull. I think he means the first Dark Lord because before Melkor there were no Dark Lords, maybe even no evil at all (except Ungoliant) for he himself 'created' from the elves the orcs, the trolls against the ents, he even 'made' the first dragon, Glaurung. So if he would have meant Sauron, i guess he wouldn't have said such a thing.