! | The title of this article is conjectural. While the content of this article is based on official information, the actual name of the subject is conjectural, and is yet to or cannot be officially named. |
! |
In western lands beneath the Sun is the first line of a song based on "an old tune that Bilbo used to sing"[1] in The Shire.[2]
History[]
On March 14, of the year 3019 in the late Third Age,[3] Samwise Gamgee reached the top of the stairs in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, and was initially defeated upon not finding Frodo Baggins. However, he began to sing then; and after beginning to sing some childish Hobbit rhymes snatches of tunes by Bilbo Baggins, he broke out suddenly into a new song.[2]
In western lands beneath the Sun
the flowers may rise in Spring,
the trees may bud, the waters run,
the merry finches sing.
Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night
and swaying beeches bear
the Elven-stars as jewels white
amid their branching hair.
Though here at journey's end I lie
in darkness buried deep,
beyond all towers strong and high,
beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun
and Stars for ever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
nor bid the Stars farewell.
Beyond all towers strong and high,
He stopped his song at the beginning of the third stanza as Frodo tried to answer it, but was cut off, though this revealed the hidden top chamber to Sam. His voice also attracted Snaga, who opened the trapdoor, unwittingly allowing Sam to follow him in.[2]
In other versions[]
Originally, Sam was to sing The Stone Troll before switching to a part of A Elbereth Gilthoniel, an Elvish hymn to Varda, which was called "O Elbereth" in that version.[4]
Tolkien wrote a few more versions of the song before settling on the version in the published book.[5]
In adaptations[]
Donald Swann wrote music for this song, which can be found in the book The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle;[6] it is also found on the accompanying CD of the latest version.
Stephen Oliver also wrote music for the song for the BBC Radio dramatization. It was sung in the story by Bill Nighy (billed as William Nighy) and on the BBC Record by wine critic, Oz Clarke.
In Paul Corfield Godfrey's opera Beren and Lúthien, this poem is given to the titular characters, with Lúthien singing the first stanza and Beren the second as she discovers him in Sauron's lair.[7]
References[]
- ↑ The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, Volume Three, no. 171: "I Sit upon the Stones Alone · In Western Lands beneath the Sun (1938-54)"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Lord of the Rings, Vol. III: The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter I: "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", pg. 184-6
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, vol. VII: The Treason of Isengard, XVI: "The Story Foreseen from Lórien", pgs. 333-4
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, vol. IX: Sauron Defeated, Part One: The End of the Third Age, II: "The Tower of Kirith Ungol", pgs. 27-8, 30 (note 14)
- ↑ The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle, "In Western Lands"
- ↑ Epic Scenes From The Silmarillion after the mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien, Part Two: "Beren and Lúthien" on paulcorfieldgodfrey.co.uk