Finn is said to have decided to become a musician at the age of 12 and throughout his school years performed in hospitals and prisons, as well as at home gatherings. In 1976 he formed a group known as After Hours with Mark Hough, Geoff Chunn and Alan Brown. The following year, in 1977, Finn was invited to London to join Split Enz, the band formed by his elder brother, Tim Finn. Split Enz broke up in 1984 and Neil Finn formed a new band, Crowded House, with several other Australian and New Zealand musicians.
Crowded House had a string of hits over the next 10 years, releasing four albums and culminating in a concert in the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House. Finn went solo after this, releasing several albums as well as two albums with his brother Tim (Finn Brothers).
In 2007, Finn re-united Crowded House and released a new album, Time on Earth, and the band began a world tour. In 2010, another new album, "Intriguer", was released and coincided with another world tour.
In 2012, Finn recorded the track "Song of the Lonely Mountain", which was featured in the end credits of the movie "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".
Song Of The Lonely Mountain
Neil Finn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leave us standing upon the heights
What was before, we see once more
Is our kingdom a distant light
Fiery mountain beneath the moon
The words unspoken, we'll be there soon
For home a song that echoes on
And all who find us will know the tune
Some folk we never forget
Some kind we never forgive
Haven't seen the back of us yet
We'll fight as long as we live
All eyes on the hidden door
To the Lonely Mountain borne
We'll ride in the gathering storm
Until we get our long-forgotten gold
We lay under the Misty Mountains cold
In slumbers deep and dreams of gold
We must awake, our lives to make
And in the darkness a torch we hold
From long ago when lanterns burned
Till this day our hearts have yearned
Her fate unknown the Arkenstone
What was stolen must be returned
We must awake and make the day
To find a song for heart and soul
Some folk we never forget
Some kind we never forgive
Haven't seen the end of it yet
We'll fight as long as we live
All eyes on the hidden door
To the Lonely Mountain borne
We'll ride in the gathering storm
Until we get our long-forgotten gold
Far away from Misty Mountains cold
Neil Finn's "Song of the Lonely Mountain" is a song that captures the spirit of adventure and perseverance. The song begins with a description of a distant kingdom, far beyond the misty mountains. The singer is standing on the heights, looking out towards the fiery mountain beneath the moon. The song's lyrics inspire a sense of hope, and determination to venture towards the far-off kingdom where long-lost treasures await.
The chorus expresses a sense of defiance, a refusal to be defeated. The singer professes that some people can never be forgotten, while others may never be forgiven. The singers vow to fight as long as they are alive and to ride into the gathering storm, all for the sake of reclaiming their long-forgotten gold.
The final verse evokes feelings of urgency and the need to take action. The singers have been slumbering for too long, and their hearts have been yearning for too many years. The Arkenstone, a powerful gemstone that was stolen, must be reclaimed, and they must find a song for their heart and soul.
Overall, the lyrics of "Song of the Lonely Mountain" are a call to action, a reminder that even in the face of the impossible, one must never give up hope, fight to the very end, and find the music that fuels the soul.
Line by Line Meaning
Far over the Misty Mountains rise
We are looking at the far-off Misty Mountains as they rise from the ground
Leave us standing upon the heights
We are standing on high ground with views for miles around
What was before, we see once more
We are revisiting our past and seeing it with new eyes
Is our kingdom a distant light
Our homeland seems far away and out of reach
Fiery mountain beneath the moon
We see a volcano glowing in the moonlight
The words unspoken, we'll be there soon
We are heading towards a destination without saying a word about it
For home a song that echoes on
We have a song in our hearts that reminds us of home
And all who find us will know the tune
Anyone who meets us will recognize the melody of our song
Some folk we never forget
We remember certain people forever
Some kind we never forgive
We can never bring ourselves to forgive certain kinds of people
Haven't seen the back of us yet
Our enemies have not seen the last of us
We'll fight as long as we live
We are prepared to battle until our dying breath
All eyes on the hidden door
Everyone is focused on finding the secret entrance
To the Lonely Mountain borne
We are journeying to the desolate Lonely Mountain
We'll ride in the gathering storm
We will endure the upcoming difficulties and obstacles
Until we get our long-forgotten gold
We will not rest until we retrieve our treasure long lost and forgotten
We lay under the Misty Mountains cold
We were once dormant under the chilly Misty Mountains
In slumbers deep and dreams of gold
We slept soundly while dreaming of the precious metal
We must awake, our lives to make
We need to wake up and take control of our lives
And in the darkness a torch we hold
We are carrying a flame to light our way in the darkness
From long ago when lanterns burned
Many years ago when there was no electricity and people used lamps
Till this day our hearts have yearned
Until now, we have been longing for something intently
Her fate unknown the Arkenstone
We do not know what will happen to the Arkenstone
What was stolen must be returned
We must give back whatever was taken from us
We must awake and make the day
We need to be alert and productive to accomplish our goals
To find a song for heart and soul
We are searching for a tune that speaks to our deepest feelings
Far away from Misty Mountains cold
We are now distant from the frigid Misty Mountains
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NEIL FINN, JANET RODDICK, STEVE ROCHE, DAVID DONALDSON, DAVID LONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind