He and his sister Margaret were raised by their grandmother after their parents died. In 1984, aged 16, he appeared in local musical company Theatre Guild, Glasgow's production of Hans Anderson.
He worked as a book-binder for 6 years before pursuing an acting career. One of the books he bound was The Lord of the Rings. After book-binding, he attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where he earned a diploma in Dramatic Arts.
He has been in several plays, including San Diego and The Ballad Of Crazy Paola. He has also had a guest appearance in the Scottish TV sitcom Still Game, as well as in two episodes of long-running Scottish detective TV drama Taggart. Recently, he is starred in a BBC TV comedy Empty. He is currently starring as Richard MacDuff in BBC Radio 4's adaptation of Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently’s Holistic Agency series.
As well as being an actor, he can sing, and play the guitar, bass, and drums. He also wrote and sang The Steward of Gondor (also known as The Edge of Night) in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He is currently the lead singer and co-songwriter in his band, Beecake (previously known as The Angels' Share). As of July 2008, the band has released an LP titled Just B and are currently recording their first album.
He remains close with his Rings' co-stars, most especially with Dominic Monaghan, whom he has written a script together.
He currently owns a house in Lesmahagow with his girlfriend, Alison McKinnon. On April 26, 2006, he and McKinnon welcomed their first child, son Jack William Boyd. On 2008, he revealed in an interview that he is engaged to McKinnon after proposing to her at the Ardanaiseig Hotel on Loch Awe, Scotland.
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Billy Boyd is also a pseudonym for legendary guitarist Jerry Cole, best known for his chops in The Champs' Tequila, and throughout The Beach Boys's Pet Sounds.
The Last Goodbye
Billy Boyd Lyrics
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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 ends 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 one winter's morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though 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 who took the road with me
Night is now falling
So ends 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 though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell
I bid you all a very fond farewell
The Last Goodbye by Billy Boyd is a poignant piece that was written for the final installment of the Lord of the Rings movie franchise, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The song speaks of a journey that comes to an end, and the singer's emotional farewell to the people and places that have been part of that journey. It is sung from the perspective of a character in the movie who bids a heartfelt goodbye to his fallen comrades.
The song opens with the singer watching the light fade from the sky and hearing a sigh on the wind, signaling the end of the day and of their journey. As the snow falls and covers his fallen brothers, he bids them a final goodbye. The singer reflects on the many places he has been and the sorrows he has seen, but he does not regret anything and will not forget those who took the road with him. The chorus repeats the imagery of the night falling and the road calling, as the singer must journey on.
The second verse describes the singer's travels over hills and through lands where light has never shown, and by streams that flow to the sea. He describes the beauty of the snow and the stars, and the uncertainty of where his path may lead. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the bittersweet nature of saying farewell. The final stanza is a hopeful one, where the singer declares his intention to hold onto memories of the journey with the blessing of those he is leaving behind. He will turn to paths that lead home, but where that road will take him is unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw the light fade from the sky
I witnessed the end of a beautiful moment
On the wind I heard a sigh
I sensed a loss in the atmosphere
As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers
As I mourn for those who've passed away and watch the snow settle over them
I will say this last goodbye
I will bid my final farewell
Night is now falling
The day is coming to an end
So ends this day
This day has ceased to exist
The road is now calling
It's time for me to leave
And I must away
I must depart
Over hill and under tree
I'll traverse mountains and forests
Through lands where never light has shone
I'll journey through uncharted territories
By silver streams that run down to the sea
I'll follow the streams that lead to the ocean
Under cloud, beneath the stars
In the midst of the clouds, under the beauty of the stars
Over snow one winter's morn
On a snowy winter morning
I turn at last to paths that lead home
I finally return to the path that leads me home
And though where the road then takes me
Even if I don't know where the road ahead will lead me
I cannot tell
I don't know
We came all this way
We have journeyed far together
But now comes the day
But now, the moment has arrived
To bid you farewell
To say goodbye
Many places I have been
I have traveled to many destinations
Many sorrows I have seen
I've experienced many heartaches
But I don't regret
But I have no regrets
Nor will I forget
And I won't forget
All who took the road with me
The people who journeyed with me
To these memories I will hold
I will cherish these memories
With your blessing I will go
With your approval, I will depart
I bid you all a very fond farewell
I say goodbye to everyone with fondness and affection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BILLY BOYD, HOWARD LESLIE SHORE, FRANCES ROSEMARY WALSH, PHILIPPA JANE BOYENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind