But there may be more than one tune to many songs. And they don't always fit the mood. It may be a question of age and taste but I don't think that say, all of the Donald Swann settings really fit the Tolkien poems he sets - I invariably prefer the Stephen Oliver settings which seems to have given more thought to context. Or maybe it is the interpretation too that matters - think of the difference between Judy Garlands "over the rainbow" and Eva Cassidy's - or more painfully Will Young's "Light my Fire" compared to Jim Morrisson's. William Elvin just sounds too robust and jolly throughout - yet Swann's faltering rendition of "Bilbo's Last Song" I find very moving.
Similarly I found Billy Boyd's song very moving while I had never been particularly struck by that poem.... so was it the tune or the interpretation. Hmm.....
Oh Davem .. I am glad I never cared much for Bilbo's song of Earendil (althought I am rather fond of G&S) or you would have ruined it for me ..... Emily Dickinson's " A cetain slant of light ..." was one of my all time favourite poems until someone told me that most of Emily Dickinson can be sung to "The yellow rose of texas" ... experiment at your peril..... it has blighted my life..
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/yellowrose.htm
http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/d.../poem2636.html