This is an old British war march, used as the theme song for the TV series
Sharpe, starring Sean Bean. Traditional lyrics at
The Richard Sharpe Fansite. Some history of the song at
MilitaryMusic.com.
Over the Hills and Far Away
Chorus:
The Road goes ever on and on,
Upon it all my Friends have gone,
And where it leads no one can say,
Over the Hills and far away.
The troubling Dreams have come once more
To both true Sons of Denethor.
The Wise may know of what they say,
They’re o’er the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Over the Hills and o’er the Plain,
Ever seeking Isildur’s Bane.
The Stew’rd commands, and we’ll obey,
Over the Hills and far away.
Chorus
To serve a Stew’rd of hardened Mind,
One Soldier must go seek and find
Far Imladris, the Dream does say;
It’s o’er the Hills and far away;
Chorus
My Father can spare but one Son,
And cannot eas’ly choose which one.
Then let me volunteer I say,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
In Rivendell’s the Broken Sword;
To find it there - I give my Word -
And hear what Elrond has to say,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
The Sword’s still sharpe; I felt the thing.
But Gondor doesn’t need a King -
In the Wilds let this Ranger stray,
Over the Hills and far away;
This verse was, of course, the whole point of the exercise!
Chorus
Gondor’s been a stalwart Tower
Count’ring Sauron’s growing Power.
Our Citadel shall win the Day,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
The Council spoke; I disagree -
To use the Ring is Vict’ry’s key;
To put Sauron beneath our Sway,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
~
Galadriel—she searched my Mind—
My secret Desires there to find.
What she proffered I pushed away,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Upon the Lawn of Parth Galen,
Beneath the Feet of Amon Hen,
Poor Frodo must decide his Way,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
I came upon Frodo alone
I asked him for the Ring on loan;
I’d like to try it if I may,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
He argued with me; he refused.
He disappeared—the Ring he used.
To Sauron he would us betray,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Hark! Gondor’s Horn sounds once again;
In need is Boromir, my Friend.
I must go join him in the Fray,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Where’s that Fool of a Took, Pippin?
And young Merry, his dearest Friend?
The Orcs have taken them away,
Over the Hills and far away.
Chorus
Go save the People of Gondor!
I have failed; I can do no more.
Forgive me Strider; I now pay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
He was alone and forc'd to fight,
And thus he earned true Honour by't;
He many Uruk-hai did slay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
There is no Time for us to mourn;
Down Anduin he has been borne.
The Boat has vanished in the Spray,
Over the Falls and far away;
Chorus
Where have Sam and Frodo gone?
We must ensure the Quest goes on.
Sam’s Pans are gone—they’ve rowed away,
Soon o’er the Hills and far away;
Chorus
~
To please the Stew’rd I have a Chance;
The Ring-bearer’s within my Hands,
Trapped here beneath the Curtain Grey,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Over the Hills and o’er the Plain,
Ever seeking Isildur’s Bane.
The Stew’rd commands, and we’ll obey
Over the Hills and far away.
Chorus
I vowed I would not take this Thing
Before I knew it was the Ring—
Not if it lay by the Highway,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
O’er Anduin and o'er the Field,
Ithilien we will not yield.
Our Captain leads; with him we’ll stay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
I hope that I have not done Ill?
Have you Courage for your lord’s Will?
Don’t rashly throw your Life away
Over the Hills and far away!
Chorus
O’er Anduin and o'er the Field,
Osgiliath we will not yield.
Our Captain leads; with him we’ll stay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
The Sky is dark; I can’t see clear.
Oh where, oh where is Faramir?
He leads his Men from the Causeway,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
He suffers from a Southron Dart,
Fatigue, Black Breath and grieving Heart.
A Fever burns his Life away,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
~
Over the Hills and o'er the Plain,
That’s the Life of the Dúnedain* -
Lord Estel rules, and we'll obey,
Over the Hills and far away.
*
Yes, I know it doesn’t rhyme.
Chorus
The Way was shut—the Time is now
For the Dead to fulfill their Vow.
To Gondor’s Aid we can’t delay
Under the Hills and far away;
Chorus
~
Through Drúadan and o'er the Field,
The Pelennor we will not yield.
Théoden leads; with him we’ll stay,
Over the Hills and far away.
Chorus
He is the King of the Ringwraiths;
From living Man he fears not Death.
Hinder me not; thee I will slay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
The Mark’s Esquire he did ignore—
So stabbed by Blade of Númenor,
He stumbled forward and did sway,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Dernhelm the young faced greater harm;
His Mace had broken her Shield-arm.
Pierced by her Sword he fades away,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
~
Here rules a Stew’rd that’s lost his Mind;
The Palantír has made him blind.
As heathen Kings—he burns away—
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
When Shadows grow and all Lights pass
Life to the Dying—Athelas!
Upon their Brows the King’s Hands lay,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
For Love Men follow his Command;
A Sword and Healing in his Hand—
That’s how we’ll know the King, they say,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
The Ring has fallen in Mount Doom,
Ever banishing Sauron’s Gloom.
Praise the Ring-bearers! Hooray!
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
My Brother was a precious Jewel.
Sad he won’t see the King’s Renew’l.
As best of Brothers we did play,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus
Over the Hills and o'er the Plain,
Through Gondor, Arnor and Rohan,
King Elfstone rules, and we'll obey,
Over the Hills and far away;
Chorus