Into the West

This is the song heard during the credits of the film "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." It's performed by Annie Lennox. When I first heard it, I thought it was the most beautiful and most heartbreaking song I'd ever heard in my life. I'm glad it won the Oscar for Best Original Song. It was originally sang for the first time at the funeral of Cameron Duncan, a young New Zealand filmmaker who tragically died of bone cancer at age seventeen. Here are the lyrics to the song:

Lay down

Your sweet and weary head

Night is falling

You have come to journey's end

Sleep now

Dream - of the ones who came before

They are calling

From across the distant shore

Why do you weep?

What are those tears upon your face?

Soon you will see

All of your fears will pass away

Safe in my arms

You're only sleeping

What can you see

On the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea

A pale moon rises

The ships have come

To carry you home

And all will turn

To silver glass

A light on the water

All souls pass

Hope fades

Into the world of night

Through shadows falling

Out of memory and time

Don't say

We have come now to the end

White shores are calling

You and I will meet again

And you'll be here in my arms

Just sleeping

What can you see

On the horixon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea

A pale moon rises

The ships have come

To carry you home

And all will turn

To silver glass

A light on the water

Grey ships pass

Into the West