“Into the West”

 “Into the West” (Annie Lennox)

  Hope fades

  Into the world of night

  Through shadows falling

  Out of memory and time

Yesterday Tim and I went to a concert of Gins Allen. The Cake Stage, where Gins held his performance, is one of the stages for the SL8B. One of the songs he sung was "Into the West" did give me the shivers.

About SL8B

This year’s theme is “The Magic of Second Life.” No, we’re not just talking about wizards and sorceresses (though of course they’re included). The true magic of Second Life is something different for each of us. It’s all about that moment when we realized how amazing Second Life really is. It’s when we found our own personal connections to Second Life, realizing its potential in our own lives and the lives of other Residents. Whether it’s the social aspect, the content creation possibilities, or unique business and commerce opportunities, we’ve all got a tale of Second Life magic to share.

About the song

“Lay down your sweet and weary head; night is falling, you have come to journey’s end”: the first words of this song, written in 2003 by Annie Lennox with Fran Walsh and Howard Shore for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings third chapter (The Return of the King), set a dreamy and wistful mood in which a woman comforts her loved one, promising him they will be together again after his parting: “Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face? Soon you will see all of your fears will pass away; safe in my arms, you’re only sleeping”.

And while moonlight softly lights the sea in silver, sorrow slowly replaces with peace: “And all will turn to silver glass; a light on the water, grey ships pass into the West”.

“Into the West”, interpreted as an Elvish lament, was inspired by the demise of Cameron Duncan, a young film maker who was going to make a cameo in the film.

The song was conceived as a bittersweet Elvish lament sung by Galadriel* for those who have sailed across the Sundering Sea. Several phrases from the song are taken from the last chapter of The Return of the King.

* Caladriel is Legolas' younger sister

In the commentaries and documentaries accompanying the extended DVD edition of the film, director Peter Jackson explains that the song was partially inspired by the premature death from cancer of young New Zealand filmmaker Cameron Duncan (born in New Zealand on April 20, 1986 and passed away on November 12, 2003 at the age of 17), whose work had impressed Jackson and his team. The first public performance of the song was at Duncan's funeral.

And last but obviously not least, Annie won her (at now) first Oscar for Best Original Song at the 76th Academy Awards.

Into the West 

Lay down
your sweet and weary head
Night has fallen
you have come to journey's end
Sleep now
and dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
from across a distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
all of your fears will pass away,
safe in my arms
you're only sleeping.

What can you see
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
a pale moon rises -
The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn
to silver glass
A light on the water
All souls pass

Hope fades
into the world of night
through shadows falling
out of memory and time
Don't say
We have come now to the end
White shores are calling
you and I will meet again.

And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping

What can can you see
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
a pale moon rises -
The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn
to silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass Into the west

Sources

www.eurythmics.me.uk

wikipedia

sl8b.wordpress.com