Saving the best for last? Billy Boyd's "The Last Goodbye"

It was announced some weeks ago that Billy Boyd, who played Peregrin ("Pippin" Took) in Sir Peter Jackson's cinematic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, would sing the during final credits of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

Beginning with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Jackson's viewers have been treated to songs which take their inspiration from each of Jackson's films about Middle-earth. Each of these songs has moved Jackson's audiences with their somewhat mystical and melancholy feel.

Beginning with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the songs have been, in order of release:

"May It Be," by Enya, for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

"Gollum's Song," by Emiliana Torrini, for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

"Into the West," by Annie Lennox, for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

"Song of the Lonely Mountain," by Neil Flynn, for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

 

 "I See Fire," by Ed Sheeran, for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

 

Of each of these songs, the only one I do not particularly care for is "Gollum's Song." The song feels too whiny to me. The others, though, I enjoy very much, especially "Into the West."

We were given to wonder for several weeks what Billy Boyd might sing during the final credits for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, with our only possible hint being his "The Edge of Night," which he composed and sang for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:

He impressed me very much, both with his voice and talent as a composer.

As of our yesterday, our waiting and wondering has come to the end with the audio release of Billy Boyd's "The Last Goodbye":

(Click the above audio link for the full song.)

The lyrics to "The Last Goodbye" are clearly inspired by - and sometimes directly taken from - the works of Tolkien and are, I think, a most fitting tribute:

I saw the light fade from the sky
On the wind I heard a sigh
As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers
I will say this last goodbye

Night is now falling
So is this day
The road is now calling
And I must away

Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams
That run down to the sea

Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow and winters warm
I turn it last to paths that lead home

And, oh, where the road then takes me
I cannot tell

We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
But I don't regret
Nor will I forget
All that took that road with me

Night is now falling
So is this day
The road is now calling
And I must away

Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams
That run down to the sea

To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
To turn at last to paths that lead home

And, oh, where the road then takes me
I cannot tell

We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

I'll bid you all a very fond farewell

Something about this song stirs my heart in ways I cannot adequately describe with words. I think Jackson and company has saved the best song for last.