Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and Merton Professor of English Language and Literature from 1945 to 1959.He was a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.
After his death, Tolkien's son, Christopher, published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about an imagined world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. Between 1951 and 1955 Tolkien applied the word legendarium to the larger part of these writings.
While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when they were published in paperback in the United States led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or more precisely, high fantasy. Tolkien's writings have inspired many other works of fantasy and have had a lasting effect on the entire field. In 2008, The Times ranked him sixth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Opening Titles
J.R.R. Tolkien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl meets, boy meets girl! soshite I miss you
Good-bye sadness!
Girl meets, boy meets, girl meets super dream
ikkaime magure de
nikaime tte dou darou
guuzen ja nai yo ne? sankai me ga au no wa
kawatta hito da to wari to minna iu kedo
ki ni natta koto wa chigau nda soko ja nai
kimi wa tabun junsui de junsui o magezu
dakara chiisana nichijou ni sae tachimukatte
yume o mottekita
kotoba ja tarinai yume no arika
kitto konna fuu ni hajimaru
atarashii tokimeki sekai
yume o mottekita
kotoba o shiranai furi shite yukou
tokimeki to yume no arika
oh! Welcome happiness!
Girl meets, boy meets girl! yatto I know you
Welcome happiness!
Girl meets, boy meets, girl needs super freedom
yonkaime hen da na
gokaime tte waza to da
kakunin sae muri nara rokkai mitemireba ii?
wakannai hito da to toozakatcha sabishii yo
henken wa yamete nakayoshi o fuyashite
boku wa izen donkan de hyotto shite boku no
yowasa to ka de daiji na mono ga kieta no ka mo
iro ga nottekita
kokoro o hirogeru iro no kiseki
yagate masshiroi kimochi de
tsunagaru kirameki mirai
iro ga nottekita
katachi wa fushigi de setsumei dekinai
kirameki to iro no mirai
kimi wa sou sa junsui de junsui o magezu
dakara chiisana nichijou ni sae tachimukatte
yume o mottekita
kotoba ja tarinai yume no arika
kitto konna fuu ni hajimaru
atarashii tokimeki sekai
iro ga nottekita
kokoro o hirogeru iro no kiseki
yagate masshiroi kimochi de
tsunagaru kirameki mirai
yume o mottekita
kotoba o shiranai furi shite yukou
tokimeki to yume no arika
The song "Opening Titles" by J.R.R Tolkien is a peppy and upbeat number about the excitement and wonder of new beginnings. The song talks about the joy of meeting new people and the hope that comes with the unknown. It also touches on the fear of change and the anxiety that can come with it, but ultimately declares that the new experiences and opportunities are worth taking the risk.
The song begins with the refrain "Good-bye sadness!" which sets the tone of the song as an optimistic and upbeat anthem. The lyrics then go on to describe meeting new people and the exhilaration that comes with it. Despite the concern and apprehension that can come with change, the song encourages the listener to embrace the new and exclaims "oh! Welcome happiness!"
The song's message is one of hope and excitement about new possibilities. It encourages the listener to lean into the future with a sense of wonder and enthusiasm. The lyrics, combined with the energetic music and catchy melody, create a sense of fun and enjoyment that perfectly captures the feeling of a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
Good-bye sadness!
Farewell to feelings of sorrow!
Girl meets, boy meets girl! soshite I miss you
Two people find each other, then find another, and I miss you in that moment.
Good-bye sadness!
Once again bidding farewell to sadness.
Girl meets, boy meets, girl meets super dream
A sequence of meetings that leads to chasing after a grand dream.
ikkaime magure de
In the first step of a tangled journey,
nikaime tte dou darou
I wonder what happens in the second step?
guuzen ja nai yo ne? sankai me ga au no wa
It's not by chance, is it? Meeting for the third time.
kawatta hito da to wari to minna iu kedo
Even though everyone says I've changed,
ki ni natta koto wa chigau nda soko ja nai
What I'm concerned about is not the same, it's not there.
kimi wa tabun junsui de junsui o magezu
You are probably not pure, without disguises,
dakara chiisana nichijou ni sae tachimukatte
So stand up even in the little daily life.
yume o mottekita
I have come with a dream,
kotoba ja tarinai yume no arika
But words are not enough to describe where that dream is.
kitto konna fuu ni hajimaru
Surely it starts like this,
atarashii tokimeki sekai
A new thrilling world.
oh! Welcome happiness!
Oh! Welcoming joy!
Girl meets, boy meets girl! yatto I know you
Two people find each other, then another, and finally, I know you.
Welcome happiness!
Welcoming joy again.
Girl meets, boy meets, girl needs super freedom
A sequence of meetings leading to seeking ultimate freedom.
yonkaime hen da na
The fourth step is weird, isn't it?
gokaime tte waza to da
The fifth step is a skill, right?
kakunin sae muri nara rokkai mitemireba ii?
If confirmation is impossible, is it okay to just keep watching secretly?
wakannai hito da to toozakatcha sabishii yo
If I stay away from people I don't understand, I'll be lonely.
henken wa yamete nakayoshi o fuyashite
Stop arguing and make more friends.
boku wa izen donkan de hyotto shite boku no
I used to be unfeeling, but suddenly, my
yowasa to ka de daiji na mono ga kieta no ka mo
Weakness, and other important things, may have disappeared.
iro ga nottekita
Colors have emerged.
kokoro o hirogeru iro no kiseki
Miracles of colors that open up my heart.
yagate masshiroi kimochi de
Eventually, with pure white feelings,
tsunagaru kirameki mirai
A glittering future that connects.
iro ga nottekita
Colors have emerged,
katachi wa fushigi de setsumei dekinai
Their shape is mysterious and cannot be explained.
kirameki to iro no mirai
A future of glittering colors.
kimi wa sou sa junsui de junsui o magezu
You are the same, not pretending to be pure,
dakara chiisana nichijou ni sae tachimukatte
So, stand up even in the little daily life.
tokimeki to yume no arika
The place where my heart races and my dreams reside.
Contributed by Evan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jackryan444
Yeah... I’mma need him to read the whole thing.
Chtulu Barnes
Sure did
jackryan444
I see now that he did.
Thelaretus
Such a memorable opening! Probably alongside 'There was Eru' in Tolkien's work. Mr. Serkins' delivery is astounding!
shuralmehki
I believe this is how it should be read, out loud with nuch emphasis, to truly understand it. It's as if Tolkien were having a conversation and telling a story to somebody he was sitting across from in front of his fireplace in a cozy library or study.
Darkstar
Oh my God, I can listen to this forever
Julia Wagner
Absolutely!
SJA301
I love the Rob Inglis reading of The Hobbit, but there is something so pleasant about Andy's reading. Especially once we get to Riddles in the Dark.
outboardprsnlstndup
This is the longest, and most enjoyable 2+ minutes I’ve had on youtube for quite awhile.
Max Timberlake
if you listen to old friends (extended version) from the hobbit soundtrack with this, it syncs up perfectly, especially at the end.