Bilbo's Last Song
| Author | J. R. R. Tolkien |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | verse |
|
Publication date
|
1974 |
| Media type | |
| Preceded by | Smith of Wootton Major |
| Followed by | The Father Christmas Letters |
"Bilbo's Last Song" is a poem by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was given by Tolkien as a gift to his secretary Joy Hill in 1966. Although it was never published in the author's lifetime, it was the first work of Tolkien to see the light of publication following his death in 1973. It has been published in text form and set to music several times.
The poem is sung by Bilbo Baggins at the Grey Havens, as he is about to leave Middle-earth forever. Chronologically this places it at the very end of The Return of the King, the last book of The Lord of the Rings, although it was written later than the books and was never included in them.
J.R.R. Tolkien gave this poem to Joy Hill as a gift in 1966. It was first published on a poster containing illustrations by Pauline Baynes in 1974, the year after Tolkien's death.
In 1990 the text was published in book form, reillustrated by Baynes.
Sometime after Tolkien's death, Joy Hill showed the poem to Donald Swann, who liked the poem so much that he set it to music and included it in the second edition of The Road Goes Ever On in 1978. This version was recorded and released on a CD that accompanied the third edition of The Road Goes Ever On in 1993.
Another musical setting was included in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (1981), with music by Stephen Oliver. The first verse is chanted by John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, the second omitted, and the third sung by a boy soprano. (All three verses are sung on the soundtrack recording.)
The song was also recorded by The Hobbitons (to Stephen Oliver's melody) on their recording, J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth.
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