Lyric Discussion: Nightfall in Middle-Earth

[Calan]

So I'm going to try my hand at an actual, productive thread. I'd commented in the last thread on this, and I think it'd be interesting to see what other folk have to say when it specifically comes down to the lyrics of this album. Not specifically book-related, so it's here in N&N for all to enjoy. I figure about a week between my posts of lyrics, but if discussion seems to close I'll certainly move on.

Unfortunately, I'm not a music connoisseur, nor have I my copy of the Sil at hand. I shall have to leave it to others to help tie in the 'historical' links to what happened in the book, and take my point of view as a complete newcomer. Thusly:

Blind Guardian's Nightfall in Middle-Earth retells in part the doom of Morgoth and the fall of the Eldar. Twenty-two tracks and just over an hour of runtime, though half of them are half-minute segue pieces or a few lines of dialogue. I'll include these with the songs that seem to fit best, so there may be two or three tracks up in one post.

So, to begin:

I: War of Wrath

Wind howls. Swords clash. Sounds of battle.

Narration (Sauron):
The field is lost
Everything is lost
The black one has fallen from the sky
And the towers in ruins lie
The enemy is within, everywhere
And with him the light, soon they will be here
Go now, my lord, while there is time
There are places below

(Morgoth):
And you know them too
I release thee, go
My servant you'll be for all time

(Sauron):
As you command, my King

(Morgoth):
I had a part in everything
Twice I destroyed the light and twice I failed
I left ruin behind me when I returned
But I also carried ruin with me
She, the mistress of her own lust

Morgoth is besieged, his designs failed, the enemy within - who? The Elves? The Valar? And who is she? On a purely technical note, I adore the voices here; it's a way of speaking I have since borrowed for my own villainous characters.

II: Into the Storm
Give it to me
I must have it
Precious treasure
I deserve it

bridge:
Where can I run
How can I hide
The Silmarils
Gems of treelight
Their life belongs to me
Oh it's sweet how the
Darkness is floating around

chorus:
We are following
The will of the one
Through the dark age
And into the storm
And we are following
The will of the one
Through the dark age
And into the storm
Follow me...

Black heart show me
What you hold in your hand
I still hunger for more
Release me
From my pain
Give it to me
How I need it
How I need it
How I need it

bridge

chorus

I did my part
Now it's your turn
And remember
What you've promised

bridge

chorus

Ah, but who is speaking here - Morgoth, or Sauron? The last verse seems to indicate a bargain between the two, the theft of the Silmarils? This is a fast-paced piece, even frantic at times; suggesting the thought of flight and escape, e.g. Where can I run, how can I hide....

And to close:

III: Lammoth

A distant scream, and a whispering wind. That is all.

Might this be Feanor, discovering the loss of his crafted gems?

[Encaitare]

Originally Posted by Morgoth in NiME

But I also carried ruin with me
She, the mistress of her own lust

Originally Posted by Calan

And who is she?

"She" is Ungoliant. This part is a great example of Blind Guardian drawing directly from the Sil. In the second paragraph of chapter 8 (Of the Darkening of Valinor) there is this:

The Eldar knew not whence she [Ungoliant] came; but some have said that in ages long before she descended from the darkness that lies about Arda, when Melkor first looked down in envy upon the Kingdom of Manwe, and that in the beginning she was one of those that he corrupted to his service. But she had disowned her master, desiring to be mistress of her own lust, taking all things to herself to feed her emptiness...

For "Into the Storm," parts of it are certainly Morgoth and Ungoliant arguing. This is what I think:

Morgoth

Give it to me
I must have it
Precious treasure
I deserve it

Where can I run
How can I hide
The Silmarils
Gems of treelight
Their life belongs to me
Oh it's sweet how the
Darkness is floating around

???

[I don't know who this "we" could be here. Those who went with Feanor, perhaps?]

We are following
The will of the one
Through the dark age
And into the storm
And we are following
The will of the one
Through the dark age
And into the storm
Follow me...

Ungoliant:

Black heart show me
What you hold in your hand
I still hunger for more
Release me
From my pain
Give it to me
How I need it

[Side note to tie into the text: Ungoliant refers to Morgoth as Blackheart in chapter 9, and wants to consume the Silmarils, but he refuses to open the hand which holds them]

I did my part
Now it's your turn
And remember
What you've promised

And regarding "Lammoth," this was the place where Ungoliant attacked Morgoth, trying to get the Silmarils from him so she could consume them like she had the lesser jewels. In chapter 9 (of the Flight of the Noldor):

But Ungoliant had grown great, and he less by the power that had gone out of him; and she rose against him, and her cloud closed about him, and she enmeshed him in a web of clinging thongs to strangle him. Then Morgoth sent forth a terrible cry, that echoed in the mountains. Therefore that region was called Lammoth for the echoes of his voice dwelt there ever after, so that any who cried aloud in that land awoke them, and all the waste between the hills and the sea was filled with a clamour as of voices in anguish.

And it goes on and on, a la "It was a loud cry. No, really. This wasa seriously loud yell. You think your little baby cousin is noisy? That's just peanuts compared to Morgoth, etc."

Great idea, Calan. I think I shall enjoy this thread immensely.

[Calan]

Pardon my tardiness here; reality has had me unfortunately swamped.

Encaitaire - many thanks for replying, and also for catering to my utter, utter lack of Sil knowledge.

As to your replies: I had completely forgotten about Ungoliant's role, and I happen to agree completely concerning the lyrics between Morgoth and she.

This week's installment: one musical track, one brief spoken bit.

IV: Nightfall
No sign of life did flicker
In floods of tears she cried
"All hope's lost it can't be undone
They're wasted and gone"

"Save me your speeches
I know (They blinded us all)
What you want
You will take it away from me
Take it and I know for sure
The light she once brought in
Is gone forevermore"

Like sorrowful seagulls they sang
"(We're) lost in the deep shades
The misty cloud brought
(A wailing when beauty was gone
Come take a look at the sky)
Monstrous it covered the shore
Fearful into the unknown"
Quietly it crept in new horror
Insanity reigned
And spilled the first blood
When the old king was slain

chorus:
Nightfall
Quietly crept in and changed us all
Nightfall
Quietly crept in and changed us all
Nightfall
Immortal land lies down in agony

"How long shall we
Mourn in the dark
the bliss and the beauty
Will not return
Say farewell to sadness and grief
Though long and hard the road may be"
But even in silence I heard the words
"An oath we shall swear
By the name of the one
Until the world's end
It can't be broken"

Just wondering how
I can still hear these voices inside

The doom of the Noldor drew near

The words of a banished king
"I swear revenge"
Filled with anger aflamed our hearts
Full of hate full of pride
We screamed for revenge

chorus

"Vala he is that's what you said
Then your oath's been sworn in vain
(But) freely you came and
You freely shall depart
(So) never trust the northern winds
Never turn your back on friends"

"Oh I'm heir of the high lord!"
"You better not trust him"
The enemy of mine
Isn't he of your kind and
Finally you may follow me
Farewell
He said

chorus

Back to where it all began...

Partly a title track, I think Nightfall is one of the more dramatic pieces. Might this be a reference to the kin-slaying and internal strife of the elves?

V: The Minstrel
So I stand still
In front of the crowd
Excited faces
What will be next?
I still don't have a clue
I still don't have a clue...

Very short, and accompanied by the simple strumming of a guitar or lute. Is this Feanor, pondering his decision to lead or leave?

[Anguirel]

Lord above! It must be Maglor, Feanor's gentle second son, the great minstrel himself!

Well...it was news to me that good old Maglor had entered popular culture. A survivor as ever!