The Edge of
Night
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FEATURED IN
REGULAR CD
COMPLETE RECORDINGS
Pippin sings for Denethor
(ROTK - Track 5)
Pippin sings for Denethor
Adapted by Philippa Boyens
Melody by Billy Boyd
Words by J.R.R. Tolkien
FOTR, Book 1, Chapter III,
Three is Company
Movie title* and lyrics found on the
ROTK Special Edition soundtrack DVD and in the
AS-ROTK. This is one verse of a
longer song from FOTR. The index
for the books lists the song title as "A Walking Song" (different
from "The Old Walking Song) and fans will often use the first line
as the title "Upon the Hearth the Fire is Red". (It is perhaps unfortunate that
"The Edge of Night" was the name of an old US soap opera. It evokes
the quality of over-the-top melodrama.)
Sung by
Billy Boyd.
English Key:
Text in blue indicates language used
Text in green indicates lyrics used
FOTR, Book 1, Chapter III, Three is Company
These
lyrics are from a song in FOTR with the first line "Upon the Hearth
the Fire is Red." Bilbo had written the words to an old tune
and taught it to Frodo. It speaks of the comforts of home that are
enticing... but adventure more so. In the end, the traveler heads
home and leaves behind the adventure.
Mist and twilight, cloud
and shade, Meaning, to me, that mist,
twilight, cloud and shade will be left behind for light, warmth,
food, bed and home. And those elements of
adventure: mist, twilight, cloud and shade... they are not bad per
se... but they have the capability of being bothersome in the least,
and more menacing in dark times. But these
lines have been changed in the movie to Mist and shadow, cloud and
shade. Perhaps twilight was changed to
shadow for the sake of driving home the menace of the 'Shadow' of
evil. But why the last lines of 'All shall fade'?
To me, it seems to suggest not
the mere fading of the outdoor life for life at home... nor even the
fading of darker elements of life outside of home. "All shall fade"
makes me think that it is the world that is in danger of fading..
under the pall of 'mist and shadow, cloud and shade'.
So a comforting song has just
become a whole lot less comforting. It has become foreboding. It's possible it was a simple memory slip on Billy's part... but I
don't think so.
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