The Music of the Hobbit (Now with possible Spoilers)

[Passdagas the Brown]

Cool.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It has been announced on Twitter that Original Song from 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" is titled "The Last Goodbye" and is written by Billy Boyd, Walsh, & Boyens!

https://twitter.com/AwardsCircuit/statu ... 4636507137

Not clear if it will be Billy Boyd actually performing the track, but I for one hope so!

ETA: Yes, it is confirmed by WB that Billy is performing the song, on their "For Your Consideration" page:

http://www.warnerbros2014.com/screening ... =thehobbit

Wow, I didn't see that coming. I think that is super!

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[Alatar]

Sweet!

[Primula Baggins]

That's great news.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The more I think about this, the more pleased I feel about it, both in terms of the choice of artist, and the title, and what it suggests about where the focus of the film will be. At another place, I've seen some worry that this is sign that there won't be as much focus on transitioning into the LOTR films. I, on the other hand, am optimistic for exactly the same reason. I want the focus on the emotional power of The Hobbit itself, and this title certainly implies that this will be the case!

As for Billy himself, beyond the fact that I really like his voice and think it could really work well with what he imagine this song will be. Also, the choice suggests that they are going for less of a pop feel. I know Billy is a working musician as well as actor, but he certainly is less of a 'pop star' than any of the last three Original Song singers (or Enya).

I can't help but think of the use of Billy singing "Home is Behind" (aka "The Walking Song", aka "The Edge of Night") in the teaser trailer. I wonder whether either: (1) the effectiveness of that inspired this choice; or (2) they knew about this already and used that song to presage this.

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[Smaug's voice]

Fabulous news.
seems like finally we can get a credits-song which is as apt for middle - earth as "May it be".

[Elentári]

I can't help but think of the use of Billy singing "Home is Behind" (aka "The Walking Song", aka "The Edge of Night") in the teaser trailer. I wonder whether either: (1) the effectiveness of that inspired this choice; or (2) they knew about this already and used that song to presage this.

I've been wondering the same thing! With hindsight it seems it could have been a tease, to see if anyone would leap to a conclusion on the credits song, but also possibly to gauge reaction about Billy's style/involvement...

[Dave_LF]

Didn't somebody suggest or predict that? I feel like I've heard about this idea before...

[Elentári]

And, (as I predicted,) the cover for the Special Edition of the BotFA soundtrack is



For some reason they bucked the trend with AUJ, but once they reverted to the LotR pattern for DoS, it was almost a dead cert this OST SE would match the DoS EE packaging... Now the logical conclusion must be that the BotFA EE packaging will match the magenta/purple of the DoS OST SE cover!

[Passdagas the Brown]

I like it.

[Alatar]

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/10/24/l ... t-credits/

“I wanted the song to be a goodbye to all the fans who have been part of this amazing journey and to the whole world of Tolkien as it has been told in the cinema for our generation,” says Boyd in the release. “No one knows the world of Tolkien better than Peter, Fran and Philippa, and I feel incredibly touched and honored to be asked to write and perform this song, and to be at the start and end of these beautiful, historic stories. To once again work so closely with them has been one of the true honors of my working life.”

[Elentári]

Woot! The track listings have been revealed for the BotFA OST:
Special Edition:
http://www.amazon.fr/The-Hobbit-bataill ... l_1#disc_1

Disque : 1

1. Fire and water
2. Shores of the long lake
3. Beyond sorrow and grief
4. Guardians of the three
5. The ruins of dale
6. The gathering of the clouds
7. Mithril
8. Bred for war
9. A thief in the night
10. The clouds burst
11. Battle for the mountain


Disque : 2

1. The darkest hour
2. Sons of durin
3. The fallen
4. Ravenhill
5. To the death
6. Courage and wisdom
7. The return journey
8. There and back again
9. Ironfoot
10. The last goodbye - Billy Boyd
11. Dragon-sickness
12. Thrain

Standard Edition:

Disc 1:

1 - Fire and Water
2 - Shores of the Long Lake
3 - Beyond Sorrow and Grief
4 - Guardians of the Three
5 - The Ruins of Dale
6 - The Gathering of the Clouds
7 - Mithril
8 - Bred for War
9 - A Thief in the Night
10 - The Clouds Burst
11 - Battle for the Mountain

Disc 2:

1 - The Darkest Hour
2 - Sons of Durin
3 - The Fallen
4 - Ravenhill
5 - To the Death
6 - Courage and Wisdom
7 - The Return Journey
8 - There and Back Again
9 - The Last Goodbye - by Billy Boyd
10 - Ironfoot

[Voronwë the Faithful]

For some reason, I find those titles quite encouraging!

[Passdagas the Brown]

Me too. Maybe just because seeing "Ironfoot" gives me some reassurance that Dain will become King (I've become increasingly worried that this honor will be given to Fili).

Though I was hoping for another prologue, and the first track suggests that it may all start with a fire-breathing bang.

[Elentári]

Seems strange that "Ironfoot" is listed after "The Return Journey" and even "There and Back Again", so I suppose it might be a track like "Beyond the Forest" that will mainly be heard after the credits song - unless we are going to get Balin and Gandalf's later visit to Bag End, with a flash back to Dain's coronation narrated by Balin!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Those are reasonable guesses, although it is always difficult to read too much into the order of the soundtrack tracks.

I wonder if and when we will start getting little tastes of the music, like we did last year?

[Mithranduil]

I want to listen to these songs so badly! But i will NOT listen to them before the movie. I will NOT. Not again, like the two previous years.

Surprise is better than "getting used to it"

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I don't know, I can see both sides. There is something to be said for having a certain familiarity with the music before knowing exactly what it goes with.

But I respect your decision, and your will-power-to-be! I know that I would not be able to avoid listening to it, so it isn't really even a choice for me.

[Mithranduil]

I don't know, I can see both sides. There is something to be said for having a certain familiarity with the music before knowing exactly what it goes with.

But I respect your decision, and your will-power-to-be! I know that I would not be able to avoid listening to it, so it isn't really even a choice for me.

What do you mean, V? Something to be said...

I think I know what you mean! By having previously absorbed the knowledge and having given the attention to the soundtrack beforehand, it makes you unconsciously ready to pay more attention to other aspects of the movie.

While still sub-enjoying the music, while it goes along with the rest, but certainly not being distracted by its surprises and WTFrog moments.

Yes, if that's basically what you mean, i pretty much agree! But let's use for example the potential music for Thorin's dying moments. I don't know if the scene will have the same impact on me if i already know what's coming.

It's hard, it's hard. I don't wanna watch the trailer, but Saruman is "unmissable"!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

What do you mean, V? Something to be said...

I think I know what you mean! By having previously absorbed the knowledge and having given the attention to the soundtrack beforehand, it makes you unconsciously ready to pay more attention to other aspects of the movie.

While still sub-enjoying the music, while it goes along with the rest, but certainly not being distracted by its surprises and WTFrog moments.

Yes, if that's basically what you mean, i pretty much agree!

Yup, that's a pretty darn good elaboration of what I meant.

But let's use for example the potential music for Thorin's dying moments. I don't know if the scene will have the same impact on me if i already know what's coming.

But the reality is that you DO know what's coming, you just don't know exactly how, or when. I doubt that listening to the tracks beforehand will reveal that! In fact, will we even be able to tell what part of the soundtrack will go with Thorin's dying moments until we see the film? I doubt that I will, I will say that much.

It's hard, it's hard. I don't wanna watch the trailer, but Saruman is "unmissable"!

Might as well just bow to the inevitable!

The spoiler-or-not debate overall is always interesting. For myself, I eat up spoilers, and I am convinced that it enhances my appreciation of the films, particularly knowing the potential WTF moments beforehand. I am convinced that if I had not known about Frodo sending Sam home, I would have gotten up and walked out of the theatre when I first saw ROTK, for instance.