Track-by-Track: Soundtrack Discussion and Analysis

[Encaitare]

Last track, my dears!

It's difficult for me to say which of the three "end titles" songs is my favorite, as I love them all so much. But if I had to pick, it would probably be Into the West. The lyrics are lovely, and it's fun to sing harmony along with it. I think Annie Lennox was a good choice, as she has that rather androgynous image which is associated with the Elves. In fact, I think her voice is pretty close to what I'd imagine Galadriel's to sound like. I also love the use of the French horn.

Although the lyrics are obviously in English, I'm going to post them here for discussion purposes:

Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You have come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across a distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping

What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
All Souls pass

Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don't say
We have come now to the end
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping

What can you see...

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West

Who would you say is the speaker here? There are some parts which would seem to be Sam ("here in my arms just sleeping"), others which sound more like Galadriel or Gandalf ("all will turn to silver glass"), even bits which could be Frodo ("you and I will meet again"). I don't think we can pick any one speaker, but I like the effect we get here with all the different possibilities.

When the singing ends, we hear the music of the Havens, with the moving violins reflecting gentle waters and peace. The use of strings almost reminds me of Mendelssohn's "Fingal's Cave/Hebrides Overture," except not as harsh and dramatic. Please feel free to share your thoughts on this last track.

I suppose that's it! Many thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread, to Esty for her support, to Magpie for her awesome and insightful website, and to Gwaith-i-Phethdain for the lyrics. It's been fun!

Musically yours,
Enca

[Lathriel]

The last Track already?
The best thing about this track is the lyrics, I love them. I also like Annie Lennox but I do have a problem with the way she suddenly raises the volume in the chorus, sometimes it sounds a little like she is at the edge of yelling, "On the horizon." But it probably sounds like that because not only do the dynamics go up, she goes into a higher range as well.
I remember when Annie Lennox sand this song at the oscars, it was definitly the best song from all the other ones I heard at the ceremonies that year.

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

First of all, thank you, Enca, this has been a huge commitment for you!

I think this is the most wonderful and emotional closing track of the three films. I like the way that The Grey Havens and Into the West are related by using a same theme.

Also, it's so beautiful how the lyrics tell you of a new better land while guitars and a bodhran on the background remind you of the Shire. I've always thought that it's Galadriel, who's singing this song to Frodo and I think Annie Lennox's voice is perfect for this. Did you know that since the third movie's title was the Return of the King, PJ and his crew considered using a male voice to sing the end title? Well, I'm glad that they chose Lennox instead.

Here's again something that Mr. Shore said in an interview:

Tell me about your idea to add on that one minute finale to 'Into the West', after Annie's vocal is finished.
I just wanted to write an ending to the trilogy, a piece you hadn't heard. In a way it's an ending, but it's also a new beginning. There's connection in both pieces to Ring mythology. I had to write a statement that this is the end of the trilogy. It ends in reflection really, the end of the movie as a parting. Sam stays in The Shire and has a family, it's a rebirth.

I first didn't like the little outro there, but now I think that it's something that might be needed. I don't see it as much as a new beginning or a rebirth as a gentle nudge to tell us that 'seriously guys, this is the end'.

During this track, I clearly see in my mind how the ship sails towards Undying Lands and when that outro begins, it feels like it's finally time to part from Frodo. I see the ship sailing away while I'm left behind because that's when they reach Valinor, and I can't go there.

Originally Posted by Lathriel

I remember when Annie Lennox sand this song at the oscars, it was definitly the best song from all the other ones I heard at the ceremonies that year.

I remember that, too. I think Lennox's performance didn't go so well there, but it was definitely the best song and worthy of an Oscar.

[Lathriel]

I remember thinking that Annie Lennox looked really nervous when she sang "Into the west"

Anyway it has been great to see this thread through all the way from the beginning to the end. It is a first for me since I often loose interests in threads before they are halfway through.

I'm sad to see this end, as well. I would love to find a new discussion that could engage people as well as this one has.

Onto the track.

I was not as pleased with this track as many others were. You're free to kind of skip over the next few paragraphs if you like.

What I've loved about the soundtrack music never seem to be present in the end of the movies songs. I'm a huge fan of Enya's but I thought her writing fell short on both Aniron and May it Be. I can sing along with both of them and be 'happy' (hey.. just singing makes me happy) but I don't get that same feeling as I do from the rest of the soundtrack. I do enjoy But in Dreams more than May It Be. I also enjoy Gollum's Song quite a bit since it contains all kinds of wonderful Gollumness in Emiliana's voice. But on to Into the West.

I struggle with a number of issues. The voice is confusing... that is, 'who is talking?' (And the triad have confirmed that it's Galadriel) It's a question oft asked and I think it's due mainly to (ahem...) poor writing. (Back to May It Be.. that song makes no sense to me in parts) As much as I love the movies, there are parts were I feel the PJ imposed his own stuff in a way that (for me) did not improve anything... was counter to the book... and actually lessened my enjoyment of the movies. I will defend his right to do so, but I don't personally enjoy or approve of those decisions. I think that's what happened with this song. I thing their whole relationship with Cameron directed them enormously. Again, it's not that I blame them or disapprove... it's just that this song doesn't work for me. And, in a way, I don't even think it was written for me.. the Tolkien fan. I think it was something they needed to do for themselves.

I don't know if it would have worked better for an end of the movie song, but I like both the message and the melody of Use Well the Days better. I think Into the West is a song meant to comfort that person crossing over. Use Well the Days is meant to comfort those left behind.

Although I enjoyed Annie's singing on the CD well enough, I saw her sing live on numerous tv shows around the time of the Oscars and I never heard her sing it well. (Again... my opinion... I'm comfortable with people disagreeing) In fact, I kind of think Scarlet Tide was robbed and I think Alison Krause greatly outsung Annie Lennox. (I will admit that the music from Cold Mountain is a huge favorite of mine and I find Scarlet Tide is a haunting, beautiful song.)

Be that as it may, like it or not, the music represents more than just notes or melody. It represents my whole intense relationship to the movies, the music and the book/story. Into the West came out even before the soundtrack CD which itself predated the movies. I listened for the first time and came to that quiet ending that just faded away. I knew then, that that fading was a perfect embodiedment of the fading of the Elves, the fading of Frodo, the fading of the books... Frodo leaves Sam and the story leaves us and we are left behind. That fading... it did it for me. I wrote this back 2 some years ago...

I listened to the last moments of the CD in the car as I drove up to home. I sat there in tears and realized that at some point, I will hear those notes and it will all be over. Over! No more theatrical showings. No more news on filming. No more speculations or spoilers. No more new scenes of my long-haired Elves.

PJ, I take back every criticism I ever voiced. I don't care that Imrahil wasn't in there. I don't care that Faramir has flaws. I don't care that you killed Haldir. Keep Middle-earth coming. I love the books and I always will. But those images are so dear to me and for me, the two... your images and Tolkien's words... are tied together inextricably.

Excuse me I need a tissue....

So, Into the West isn't a total wash for me. It's part of the movie. Like flaws in family members, I take the good with the bad.

Endings are a big focus for me. They have been personally for some time and this story is all about endings. I find it interesting that there are a number of musical endings. One is the soundtrack cd with it's fade away ending. Then there is Sam back at Bag Shot row (clip provided in an earlier post) with the green door closing and us on the outside and the words "The End" (meaning, I think, "GO HOME" as Tracy Ullman used to say.). Then there is the different ending at the end of the Theatrical Credits which is a little less fadey than the CD. Then... there's the ending of the music as it's heard on the ROTK Fan Credits. This music is heartbreakingly beautiful and I wonder how many people have paid attention to it. I now have my travel copy of ROTK with this music tacked onto the end. This is my final moments for the soundtrack.

I went through an intense period of writing about Tolkien in an online class (Barnes and Noble University) and a few forums... now defunct. I don't have the energy to do much of that now, but I still can find the energy to talk about the soundtrack. I've enjoyed having the opportunity to do some of that here. Thank you to Encaitare for shepherding us. Thanks to the rest of you for accepting me. (And putting up with my long winded emotional responses.) I will miss coming here and I would like to see more opportunity for a soundtrack discussion of some kind (how many have the Complete Recordings... she says with a hopeful look in her eye).

Ta,
Magpie

[Lathriel]

Well, Magpie there might be some hope because I got the complete recordings this christmas and I would be more then happy to discuss it, including the booklet that came with it.

I have watched all the credits for all the movies just to listen to the music. Listen to the end of ROTK EE. During the fan credits there is an amazing song there that has brought me to tears. I don't know what it is called but I haven't heard it anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Lathriel

I have watched all the credits for all the movies just to listen to the music. Listen to the end of ROTK EE. During the fan credits there is an amazing song there that has brought me to tears. I don't know what it is called but I haven't heard it anywhere else.

My guess is it's the Sissel song. That has that piercing female vocals. Bilbo's Song is sung by a boy's choir. It's has a soothing but sad quality. They are both very evocative in their own way.) On that same page (which is quite minimal) you can follow a link to my website where I discuss the Fan Credits of ROTK. If you want a direct link there, follow THIS LINK
I have been so busy with school, an internship, and real life, that I have done very little with the new information from the Complete Recordings. I hope to complete an update on lyrics very soon. But I haven't done more than just glance at the theme information. A discussion would be good incentive for me to at least read that information!