Into The West
Annie Lennox sang a beautiful song called “Into the West” for Peter Jackson’s movie, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. What captured me about the song, aside from Lennox’s haunting vocal performance, was the perfect execution of lyrics, music, and cinema. Tolkien would have approved.
I have been a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works since I first discovered The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings so many years ago. As authors go, Tolkien knew how to express his message within a fictional universe which was bolstered by his love for language and history.
More often than not, his message was that of simple pleasures in life. Friends, family, and food were held most dear. A pipe and a mug of brew were indulgences that were savored and shared. Still, there is more to learn from his writings.
One of my favorite songs by Tolkien is “The Road Goes Ever On”. The lyrics distill the journey of life.
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.
2 Responses to “Into The West”
I love Tolkien’s message of simple pleasures. The Hobbit was the first book I ever read (I mean real book with small print). Have a great weekend, Ian.
No kidding. Did it ever have small print. The awesome thing was how easy it was to get drawn into the story. Then again, I’m not saying anything new about Tolkien. I have met a couple people who do not like his writings at all, though, so I suppose it’s not all sunshine and roses, eh?
Thanks for stopping by, WD. Best wishes on Mia’s birthday. You have a great weekend, too.
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