Into the West

[rabidsamfan]

Listening to Annie Lennox again, and the more I listen to the lyrics, the more I feel like it's Frodo singing to Sam from the Grey Havens when it's time for Sam to take ship.

Or am I missing something? I mean, the line "Across the sea, a pale moon rises," has to be sung by someone standing on the western edge of the sea, no? "dream of the ones who came before... they are calling, from across the distant shore..." The whole description of what he can expect as he goes, fears passing away, and the sea turning to silver glass. Fears fading into night, and memories fading... It's either dying or Valinor... and with the reassurance "only sleeping", it's Valinor.

Or am I just feeling sappy after staring too long at shadowfax8's beautiful screencaps of Sam and Frodo on the slopes of Mt. Doom?

Edit to say that I went and found my DVD from the special edition of the RotK Soundtrack -- the one with the Howard Shore Introspective-- which has all the lyrics and I'm more convinced than ever.

I'm also incredibly moved from watching the section with the lyrics and poems. (with pictures and music behind them).
One poem in particular has me stunned. The words are by Phillipa Boyens:

Lie down, sleep. I cannot yield.
Why do you still hope? I have nothing else.
You are a fool. I will not leave him.

You owe him nothing. I gave him my word.
Death will break it. Then let Death break it.

He has the last of my heart.
I will go with him to the end.


There are so many beautiful lines from the book that are in the music, translated into Elvish usually... It stuns me, sometimes. And then there are other things which feel like they're from the book that just came from someone's heart.

I'm amazed.

Comments

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

Of course it is spoken (or sung) from Sam's POV. And the lines from the SEE of the soundtrack - ah, that's awesome! It seems to be the very "essence" of Sam.

[illyria-novia.livejournal.com]

He has the last of my heart.
I will go with him to the end.

The final word. I see no point in writing fanfiction after these two lines. I can just die... *sigh*

Thanks for sharing this.

From the Heart

[girlofring.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way you do. It is Frodo finally being happy, but sad at the same time. He knows that when he sails, his pains will go away, and in time, Sam will join him, and they will rest together in their final days. It is a love story between two friends (without having them being gay, know what I mean?)

[pippinswolf.livejournal.com]

I listened to "Into the West" more carefully this morning, and I began to think that the song isn't being sung for Frodo...it was the "why do you weep?" that made me think so. While the movie implies that the White Ship that carried the Ringbearers was the last one (we know it wasn't) there also wasn't any hint that Sam might be able to follow later, should he choose to do so.
Which raises the other question always stirring in my head: do Frodo and Bilbo actually go to Valinor, or on one of the auxiliary islands such as Tol Eressea? I thought Valinor was home only to the Valar.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

I don't know about Valinor/Tol Eressea (Not having read the Silmarillion, or even all the appendices nearly as carefully as I should.) But I do think the song is for Sam from Frodo's p.o.v. It's even more obvious that that's the viewpoint if you listen to "Use Well the Days" which Howard Shore describes as the place they had to go to on the way to "Into the West," where it is definitely Frodo "speaking" to Sam.

I mean, here are the lyrics to "Into the West"

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
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
Grey ships pass
Into the West

And here are the lyrics to part of "Use Well the Days" that are the dead giveaway:

"I must leave, must cross the sea,
The love you gave is all I take with me.
Use well the days, use well the days
Spread your faith to the green wood
Use well the days."


It's gotta be Frodo to Sam. just gotta.

Re: From the Heart

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know.

The funny thing is, the script closes off any chance that Sam will follow Frodo, and the song opens the possibility right back up again...