The Pyre of Denethor
Howard Shore Lyrics


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ON THE FIELDS OF PELENNOR
text from J.R.R. TOLKIEN, adapted by PHILIPPA BOYENS, translation by DAVID SALO
( SINDARIN )

Edrochant e
Na nagor,
Ed nan gurth.
A e gladhant
An e naun ad neth

(( Forth he rode
Into battle,
Forth into death.
And he laughed
For he was young again. ))

A naun aran
Hir gwaith beleg.
Elo!
Sui orthant vegil ín
Vi'las beleg
Ortholl gurth.

(( And he was King.
The Lord of a great people.
And lo!
Even as raised his sword
In great joy,
Death came on. ))

Anann si lostar
Nu lae vi Ngondor
Sí lostar na hír veleg,
Mithrin sui nîr, thiliol celebren,
Ta geliant caran,
Púrinnen na hereg

(( Long now they sleep
Under grass in Gondor.
Sleep now by the great river,
Grey as tears, gleaming silver,
Red then it rolled,
Dyed with their blood. ))

Lachant ned annûn
Úrianner i eryd
Sui ros garan dannant
Or pheli Pelennor.

(( Flamed at sunset;
The mountains burned;




As red dew fell
On the fields of Pelennor. ))

Overall Meaning

"The Pyre of Denethor" is a song by Howard Shore that features lyrics adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's novel "The Return of the King," which tells the story of the battle on the fields of Pelennor. The first stanza describes a soldier riding into battle and embracing his death with laughter, acknowledging that he is young once again. The second stanza speaks of a great king leading his people to war and ultimately falling in battle. The third stanza speaks of the fallen soldiers who now rest in Gondor, under the great river.


The final stanza describes the fiery aftermath of the battle and the fields of Pelennor. The mountains burn with flames, and the red dew falls on the fields of Pelennor, signifying the immense bloodshed that has taken place. The lyrics of "The Pyre of Denethor" are poignant and moving, capturing the intensity and emotion of the battle and its aftermath.


Line by Line Meaning

Forth he rode Into battle, Forth into death.
He rode forward into the battle, knowing that death was a likely outcome.


And he laughed For he was young again.
Despite knowing the risks, he laughed because he felt youthful and alive once again.


And he was King. The Lord of a great people.
He was the King, responsible for leading his people into battle and making difficult decisions.


And lo! Even as raised his sword In great joy, Death came on.
Despite his joy, he was killed in battle as he raised his sword to strike down his enemies.


Long now they sleep Under grass in Gondor.
Those who have died in battle now rest eternally beneath the earth in Gondor.


Sleep now by the great river, Grey as tears, gleaming silver, Red then it rolled, Dyed with their blood.
They rest beside the great river, which was once grey and silver, but now runs red with the blood of those who died in battle.


Flamed at sunset; The mountains burned; As red dew fell On the fields of Pelennor.
As the sun set, the mountains blazed with the fires of war, and a red dew fell on the fields of Pelennor.




Contributed by Riley W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@PatrickDC202

2:08 The music from this scene has haunted me for years... in the very best sense. The transition to the scene of Denethor plunging to his death in flames and the quick transition to the battle below when they finally claim victory. Those choral voices are chillingly beautiful. This entire soundtrack is a genuine masterpiece that unravels even more wonders over time. LOVE it.

@JoshuaClingman

I didn't really ever understand how Gandalf made it from the Gates of Minas Tirith to the Tombs of the Kings in such a small amount of time...

@captaineren544

Because a wizard is never late nor he is early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

@JoshuaClingman

+Captain Eren Lol, I forgot about that. ;)

@campbellmays9900

Shadowfax:)

@michaelrussell3890

Or how Denathor manages to run nearly a mile after being set on fire!

@RenegadeShepTheSpacer

@Michael Russell It's not a mile in the film.

6 More Replies...

@Benkins1989

"You may triumph on the field of battle for a day, but against the power that is risen in the East, there is no victory."

@Darkrunn

I love the gradual crescendo towards the end. It seems to just keep building and building!

@EthanCruise

2:15 felt like victory! Then... Nope lol

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