Into the West (song)

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"Into the West" is part of the Return of the King Soundtrack.
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"Into the West" is part of the Return of the King Soundtrack.

"Into the West" is a song written by Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and former Eurythmics member Annie Lennox, and performed by Lennox herself during the closing credits of the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. It has also been sung by New Zealand singers Hayley Westenra and Yulia Townsend for their albums.

The song was conceived as a bittersweet Elvish lament for those who have sailed across the Sundering Sea.

In the commentaries and documentaries accompanying the extended DVD edition of the movie, director Peter Jackson explains that the song was partially inspired by the premature death from cancer of a young New Zealand filmmaker named Cameron Duncan whose work had impressed Jackson and his team. The first public performance of the song was at Duncan's funeral.

The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 76th Academy Awards, one of the movie's 11 Academy Awards.


Preceded by
2002
"Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Academy Award for Best Song
2003
Succeeded by
2004
"Al otro lado del río" from The Motorcycle Diaries

[edit] See also


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