The songs of Eru and Melkor
I honestly thought it would be really fun if I did Tolkien inspired versions of pop hit songs. The challenge with this was that it had to connect back to the characters in the instrumental still while also still giving the lore twist I was looking for. I knew that for Melkor I had to find something that really expressed how he was just trying to spread evil and how he was able to get a lot of people on his side. So I decided to go with “Applause” by Lady Gaga. Truth be told, I was inspired to do the song specifically because it played when I started working on the song for Eru. I was sitting there and felt like it would be perfect because the whole idea of the song is that she is creating music for her fans and her connection with them. While I do feel that Melkor would probably care for the fame a little more than his connection to his peers or subjects, he probably does feel a connection to how they're all spreading evil. For Eru I decided to go with the song “1999” by Troye Sivan and Charli xcx. This song is all about reminiscing on the past and that huge nostalgia factor we feel from the time we either grew up in or were before us and we were never able to experience. For Eru, with everything going on with Melkor I am sure there is probably a huge part that wishes he could go back to before all of the trouble and just be where there was peace.
The song of Melkor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTKQlwqj6VY starting at 30 seconds. Inspiration taken from Lady Gaga "Applause"
This ever ongoing battle you wont let rest
To get rid of our only enemies, “asking is it wrong?”
Could I handle us reaching our goals?
You keep setting us back
But I live for the fight, the fight, the fight
I live for the fight I know what is right- right , I live for the
Way that we keep it going on
Its the fight its, whats right
Give me all the evil energy (I’ll even do it)
Raise your swords, that clash of metal real (make it spark)
Give me all the evil energy (I’ll even do it)
Raise your swords, that clash of metal real (make it spark)
Make it spark
All for me and our enemies gone
The fight! Make them regret it
Raise your swords, this fight its our, its ours
The song of Eru https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsAhbuy9ht0 Inspiration taken from Troye Sivan and Charli xcx "1999"
I just wanna be there, back to the beginning days
When we all sung the same song
I just wanna be there
Singing without any discord
Wanna be there, wanna go
Yeah, just thinking about
Two lamps, all with
No war, just jealousy
Walking around seeing plants grow (oh)
Never a doubt (oh)
The beginning days we were better then (oh)
Before we had lots to do
No people of which to rule
Life was better then
I love the way you went with this! You chose great songs for both Eru and Melkor. I love how you chose the songs and then changed them a bit to fit the characters. Very creative!
ReplyDeleteI really like how you connected modern pop songs to Tolkien’s legendarium — it makes the contrast between Eru and Melkor feel so much clearer. The idea that Melkor’s song could be tied to “Applause” works really well, since it emphasizes his hunger for recognition and his ability to rally others around his corrupted vision. On the other hand, I thought your choice of “1999” for Eru was really creative, because nostalgia for a more harmonious past fits perfectly with his themes of creation and order. It made me think about how Tolkien often uses music in The Silmarillion not just to build the world, but to show the deep desires of the characters. Your songs highlighted that in a way that was both fun and really insightful. I love it!
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