Billy Boyd to perform credits song for The Battle of the Five Armies!
News has just been released that Billy Boyd will be performing the closing credits song entitled “The Last Goodbye”, written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Boyd himself.
@AwardsCircuit broke the news on Twitter (here), stating:
Original Song from ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is titled “The Last Goodbye” and is written by Billy Boyd, Walsh, & Boyens
And whilst not everyone thought it legit, this was later confirmed by a “For Your Consideration” list for the third Hobbit film, including in its list of contenders, details of the song (here).
Frankly, we should have seen this coming.
There was already a general agreement that a male singer should continue the tradition of singing the closing credits to each Hobbit film (much like female singers have done on The Lord of the Rings).
Including Boyd’s performance of “Edge of Night” in the recent teaser trailer was surely the biggest hint we could get.
And yet, how could we have known?
I’m really excited about this news: both to hear what Billy Boyd has to offer and the admittedly tear-inducing title of the song 😀
Whilst it really is a last goodbye, I’m wondering how it will fit-in with the whole Middle-earth saga.
It certainly feels a “goodbye” since this will be the final film, but considering there’s still another trilogy to continue the story, I wonder how it will ultimately make sense to first-time viewers.
Still, I’m super excited about it!
What do you think?
Are you as thrilled as I am or were you expecting something different?
A Tolkienist's Perspective 
Boyd’s song for LOTR remains my favorite thing about that last film. This bodes well.
Spot on D.J. I wonder how he can top “Edge of Night” 🙂
Oo yeah, I’ve been wondering about the ‘goodbye’ part. At first I thought it might end with Bilbo contemplating the power of the ring and Sauron moving to Mordor after being cast out from Dol Guldur. But now I’m wondering if after that they might add a touching scene of how Bilbo adopts Frodo, showing how he’s grown from the first movie – like an emotional arch – and then to the song. Whatever PJ decides, I know I’ll love anyway…but it’s nice to ponder.. 🙂
Hmm, great thoughts there Celina. That’s one of the big questions I have (well, all of us do I guess!). Which is, what the last scene of The Hobbit will be.
I’m trying to think how this Goodbye (which seems to be a feeling expressed by the filmmakers to us the fans) will be interpreted within the entire film saga – considering the story continues into The Lord of the Rings and is not really a “goodbye”.
I think the “good bye” has to saying goodbye to all **SPOILERS!** the wonderful characters that die! **SPOILERS!**
But it is a “goodbye” as far as we know for Bilbo. Frodo takes up the Lord of the Rings.
Then again, Bilbo is going to say his last goodbye to many of **SPOILERS!**his dwarf friends who die in the battle.**SPOILERS!**
Furthermore, this is the last goodbye to the idyllic life Bilbo knew before his trip with the dwarfs. He is forever changed as is his view of life.
So many possibilities….
i’m actually a bit surprised that Boyd was the selection for the closing song…i had always thought that Peter Gabriel would be a great fit, but obviously securing him would have been a massive challenge. Neil Finn and Ed Sheeran were good picks for the previous two films (though at times, Sheeran’s “I See Fire” feels a little too poppy for Middle-Earth- more violin would have helped!).
no matter what the “goodbye” is, it’s a safe bet that Peter Jackson is going to make EVERYONE cry.
You are right phanteana about making us cry. I’m not much of a “tear-shedder” myself, but when it comes to the words “Middle-earth” and “Goodbye”, I can’t hold back the overwhelming emotions.
To be honest, I had no idea who might have been tasked to sing this last film’s song. I’m not well-versed in the music scene, but having heard Finn’s and Sheeran’s songs, I think the filmmakers made a very good decision (not to mention the songs in The Lord of the Rings).
With Billy Boyd now at the helm of the third, there’s no doubt we won’t be disappointed 🙂
Have you heard the lower version of Sheeran’s ‘I See Fire’? Someone just took the song and lowered the key and it is really, really haunting and sounds a lot better than the original.
I believe the last goodbye may refer to BIlbo’s farewell to Thorin…
That was my first thought too. But, who knows what they may have planned for a final scene? Perhaps a last shot of Ian Holm.
My oh-so-secret wish is for the last scene to be of Ian Holmes leaving Bag End like he did in Fellowship. This time, we follow him down the road where he meets our living dwarves, led by Bofur, who escort him to Rivendell.
That would be rather wonderful!
Though my personal theory involves a knock on the door and Bilbo shouting “No thank you! …” until he opens the door. And before the audience realizes who it is, the screen fades to black 😉
Hmm who knows … only 53 days to go 🙂
Yes, and the others that die in battle. I agree!
This is really surprising yet perfect news! I’m so excited for Billy, and he has such a beautiful voice! This is the perfect choice, particularly since a fellow “Hobbit” will get to sing the credits to The Hobbit. This news has made me so happy!
I can tell you right now, this song will make me bawl my eyes out.
You and me both Alyssa! 😀
I must say, I was hoping for Led Zeps Battle of Evermore, but this will do nicely 🙂 I believe this will be one of the best songs from all of the movies, probably only topped by Enya’s “May it Be.”
Hey Bryan, I’m sure Billy will do (or has done!) a great performance. I also trust in the lyrical writing skills of Walsh and Boyens to further add to the magic 🙂
‘Tis good, and gladdens my heart. Hopefully they will not feed off of Ed’s whiny song.
Hehe! I actually enjoyed Ed Sheeran’s song. Though I would be lying if I said I had no objections towards it the first time I heard it. Originally, it didn’t feel as if it had a Middle-earth vibe.
But on the second and third hearing, it appealed to me more. That said, however, I still prefer Neil Finn’s song out of the two.
Here’s hoping “The Last Goodbye” tops the lot 😉
I’m definitely hoping it tops the lot.
Well, I’m glad we can agree that we had objections to “I See Fire”, and Finn’s song superiority. Ed’s song has grown on me as well, I can at least listen to it now. 😛
To date Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” has been my favorite credit song. Everything from the music, to the lyrics, to its relevance to its corresponding film just hits home. I definitely believe that a song entitled “The Last Goodbye” for this final film performed by Billy Boyd has the potential to top it for me. While “The Hobbit” is not the end of the Middle-earth saga, it is the end of Peter Jackson’s reign as Middle-earth film king and it is a nice way to conclude the series, as it were. I also think it will be an emotional song because SPOILER we will be saying good bye to a fair amount of characters, at least three major ones, possibly more depending on the liberties Jackson decides to take. I look forward to this song very, very much.
I think the theme of the “Last Goodbye” is not only saying goodbye to The Hobbit characters and story line, but also maybe Peter saying goodbye to that world as it is the last movie for Middle-Earth. That is probably why Billy was brought back into the picture. To in a way close the circle to the whole saga.
I completely agree Alex.
I’m just curious how everything will play out for first-time viewers of both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films.
I wonder how they will feel, as they listen to “The Last Goodbye”, knowing there’s still 3 more films to go until the full story ends! 😀
He has such a calming voice. I cant wait to hear this new composition in December.
This is exciting news! I really like Billy Boyd’s voice, and I have no doubt that it’ll be a great song. 🙂 I’m actually very excited about this movie… The last two were a bit disappointing, but I think this one has a lot of potential. I’m really looking forward to December, and the fact that Boyd is doing the credit song is like the cherry on top. 😀
Personally, I wouldn’t say the first two Hobbit songs were disappointing. I found Neil Finn’s Song of the Lonely Mountain quite moving and powerful.
As I’ve said elsewhere, Ed Sheeran’s song did give me a bit of an eyebrow raising moment. It felt (and still does, at times) not part of the Middle-earth mythos – though as a sing I like it.
And yes, I’m really hoping Boyd will give us something rather special to close off this saga 🙂
Oh my gosh, have you heard The Last Goodbye yet? I’ve been listening to it on repeat throughout this afternoon; it’s so beautiful.
The full song was removed from YouTube, but it’s also here: http://abstractandbriefchronicles.tumblr.com/post/102606827351
I haven’t! Thanks so much for the link though, but I’m trying to resist the temptation to have a listen … I’m really tempted though … argh!
I’ll confess though that I’ve heard a quick 5 seconds of it and am liking it already. I have to refrain from pressing the ‘Play’ button and experience it for the first time together with the movie 😀
I’m with you, James. The first time I hear it, I want it to be in context with the full emotional weight of everything I’ve just watched behind it.