Yesterday, the music video for “The Last Goodbye,” the song for the end credits of the third Hobbit movie, The Battle of the Five Armies, that will come to U.S. cinemas beginning December 17, premiered exclusively on EW.com.
Composed by the great Howard Shore, “The Last Goodbye” is sung beautifully by Billy Boyd, who so masterfully played Pippin in The Lord of the Rings movies.
Boyd said:
“After seeing the film [The Battle of the Five Armies], I went to my room and I started to put down some ideas, and along with Fran and Philippa, we started to sculpt the song we thought the movie needed. A lot of ideas took us to dead ends or we found the tone wasn’t just right. I think we discovered very quickly this wasn’t just a song to end The Battle of the Five Armies—it was a song to say goodbye to Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings films were such a special time for me in many ways—working with Pete, Fran and Philippa, being in New Zealand, being part of Professor Tolkien’s work or even just the incredible friends I made. And being asked to go back to that, to work in that wonderful fantasy world again and to be singing the song that says goodbye to Middle-earth for everyone involved and the fans who took this beautiful journey with us is truly a great, great honor.”
Indeed, since the Tolkien Estate has not given movie rights to any books other than The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, “The Last Goodbye” is also Sir Peter Jackson’s goodbye to us after his superlative 6-movie effort depicting Middle-earth on film. As such, it is fitting that the music video features Boyd singing to images of the entire saga spanning 6 movies.
Tears . . . .
Lyrics:
I saw the light fade from the sky
On the wind I heard a sigh
As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers
I will say this last goodbye
Night is now falling
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams that run down to the sea
Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow one winter’s morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell.
Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
But I don’t regret
Nor will I forget
All who took the road with me.
Night is now falling
So ends this day.
The road is now calling
And I must away.
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams that run down to the sea.
To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
To turn at last to paths that lead home.
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell.
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell….
I bid you all a very fond farewell.
H/t TheOneRing
~Eowyn
