middle-earth challenge - days 22 and 23 {my favourite songs}

{30 Day Middle-earth Challenge at Lianne Taimenlore & The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls}

Day 22, being favourite in-book song.  “At last, weary and feeling finally defeated, he sat on a step below the level of the passage-floor and bowed his head into his hands.  It was quiet, horribly quiet.  The torch, that was already burning low when he arrived, sputtered and went out; and he felt the darkness cover him like a tide.  And then softly, to his own surprise, there at the vain end of his long journey and his grief, moved by what thought in his heart he could not tell, Sam began to sing.
His voise sounded thin and quavering in the cold dark tower: the voice of a forlorn and weary hobbit that no listeningnorc could possibly mistake for the clear song of an Elven-lord.  He murmured old childish tunes out of the Shire, and snatches of Mr. Bilbo's rhymes that came into his mind like fleeting glimpses of the country of his home.  And then suddenly new strength rose in him, and hus voice rang out, while words of his own came unbidden to fit the simple tune.

In western lands beneath the Sun

the flowers may rise in Spring,

the trees may bud, the waters run,

the merry finches sing.

Or 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.”

Day 23, being favourite soundtrack song.  It was difficult to choose a favourite costume because these costumes are the best that were ever made.  It was difficult to choose a favourite location because these are the most because places I can think of.  It was difficult to choose a favourite character because these ae some the greatest characters I've ever met.  And it's difficult to choose a favourite song because this is possibly the best soundtrack ever composed (to me, at least).  I can pick one that really stands out in meaning to me, though.  Maybe that makes it my favourite.
The Black Gate Opens, from Return of the King.  It's a very visual piece, to me.  You can see and feel the darkness that threatens to overwhelm the light, but then you see the resistance that forms on the horizon, heroes standing up against the choking black.  Then you see the clouds part a little, revealing a single star.  A light that says hope is still there, and it's not in vain.  There's still some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for.  The sun is going to rise again.  There is freedom and goodness to be won.  There is strength of heart that will not be crushed.  A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day!  It's like the entire story of LOTR, abridged and put into music.  

Of course, that's not my only favourite track.  The best tracks, in the order they're appearing on shuffle (that means in no particular order): 

 The Hobbit: AUJ 

• The Edge of the Wild

• Misty Mountains

• Song of the Lonely Mountain

• Dreaming of Bag End

• Over Hill

• Erebor 

• Moon Runes

• Old Friends

Fellowship of the Ring

• May It Be

• Council of Elrond/Aniron

• Many Meetings

• The Ring Goes South

• The Breaking of the Fellowship

The Two Towers

• Evenstar

• Breath of Life

• Samwise the Brave

• The King of the Golden Hall

Return of the King

• The Ride of the Rohirrim

• Andúril

• The Steward of Gondor

• The Grey Havens

• The Return of the King

• Minas Tirith

• Twilight and Shadow

• Into the West

And in case you haven't heard it yet, I See Fire by Ed Sheeran, which is going to be on the DOS soundtrack is fantastic.  Really, really exceptionally fantastic.