December 27, 2014

The Last Goodbye

If you haven't heard the song that graces the credits of the final Hobbit film.... you are missing out.  I have never had a song that moved me so much.  I am not exaggerating when I say that I cry every time that I hear it.  I've just spent the last twenty minutes listening to various covers on YouTube, and each one keeps making me cry over again.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings where very much a part of my childhood.  I discovered the Hobbit when I was 12 or 13 and fell in love... I read and re-read The Lord of the Rings every year for a good five years before I hit college and somehow life ended up getting too hectic.

I will admit along with anyone else, that the changes to The Hobbit trilogy haven't exactly been my cup of tea.  The second movie in particular, I cannot stand... the first was alright, and the third I actually enjoyed.  But this song - it is the perfect ending to the last visit to Middle Earth.

When Bilbo returned to the Shire, I was crying in the movie theater.  Knowing that this was the last time we would see the green hills of Hobbiton for many a year, having them end with the same lines as starting out Gandalf's visit in the Lord of the Rings... having things come full circle like that.... and then hearing the beautiful, haunting melody of The Last Goodbye play.

If that all wasn't enough, it's sung by Billy Boyd, by Pippin.  I can picture Pippin singing this song, surrounded by the Fellowship, this being a folk song of the Hobbits, sung at gatherings and goodbyes throughout the years.  It's not just Bilbo saying goodbye to the dwarves, it's Middle Earth saying goodbye to us, the fans who have watched and loved it throughout the years.

And.... I just watched the Official Music video for the first time, after I wrote that last paragraph above... and yeah.  I'm going to have to stop now because I'm losing it.

Here are some lovely covers if anyone is interested in joining me in bawling their eyes out.

The Last Goodbye - Original, not music video version if you can't handle the music video

The Last Goodbye - Rachel Hardy

The Last Goodbye - Piano/Cello cover, Peterr Khan

The Last Goodbye - Juggernoud1 and Karilene

The Last Goodbye - Violin, Taylor Davis

The Last Goodbye - Rock version, Phedora

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