“Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold”

Full lyrics to the dwarves’ song from chapter 1 of The Hobbit.

Misty Mountains Cold lyrics

Source: Tolkien, J.R.R.  The Hobbit.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.


Here is the scene from the film where the dwarves sing the “Misty Mountains” song at Bag End.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack can be ordered from Amazon.

The Soundtrack features original score by Academy Award winner Howard Shore recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally it includes an original song, Song of the Lonely Mountain, written and performed by Neil Finn (Crowded House).

It is available in Standard format on Amazon.com:  and can be ordered here in the UK.

The Special Edition includes additional songs and materials.  Complete track list on Amazon.com:

It can also be ordered here on Amazon.co.uk.

The Special Edition of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey contains the full score from the film with seven extended score cues, six exclusive bonus tracks, and deluxe liner notes packaged in a 2 CD hardcover digibook.

Here is a link to the lyrics from the Song of the Lonely Mountain by Neil Finn.


Here is a recording of Tolkien’s original lyrics by Rob Inglis on YouTube.  Thanks to Lassesb.

~

87 thoughts on ““Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold””

  1. thank you for posting the lyrics to this song they helped me very much on a school project. God bless you!

  2. That’s the most impressive song i’ve heard througout the whole LotR Story… Thank you for that !!! Love it :)

  3. Thanks for posting! I had it stuck in my head from the movie promo, but my sister is currently borrowing my copy of The Hobbit, so I couldn’t just look it up in the book myself haha. I’ve always loved the lyrics to all of the songs in The Hobbit, so I sincerely hope they put more of them in the movies along with this one. I’m also relieved to finally have a tune so that when I read the lyrics I’m not thinking in limerick rhythm for such a somber song :)

  4. I really really hope that they will include all verse in the extended. It will be long but who cares. Magic =)

  5. I saw the movie!! I love Gandalf! I love this song! thank your for sharing!

  6. Macy Smith said:

    Wow! The actors are great. I like Gandalf, Thorin Oakenshield, Kimli, Gimli, And of course, Bilbo. :]

    • If your refering to the characters in the Hobbit.. Gimlis not in the movie.. maybe your refering to Fíli, the brother of Kíli (Kimli???)

  7. are there any versions of the song that contain all the verse, sung by, or similar to, the Dwarves out there?

  8. Mariane wehbe said:

    lord of the rings was the best trilogy ever but I think the hobbit will do better and better,
    end of the line: peter Jackson and J.r.r tolkien are the best

  9. can someone post a link to download mp3 of this track ( as sung by dawfs) as whats on the net is not the one in the same as the movie.

  10. This scene was amazing, and the music given to Tolkien’s words were perfect. I really hope that the full version of the song was recorded, it would make a wonderful addition to the extended version.

  11. There was an old audio dramatization of The Hobbit by Mind’s Eye production that was played on NPR. The voice actors actually sang the full version of this song, and in very dwarven-like fashion in my opinion. This is by far my favorite version if this song, and I like to think Peter Jackson and Howard Shore took inspiration from it.

    Here is a link, not my video, but very grateful to the poster: http://YouTube.com/watch?v=SpG0Lh17RCA

    • Well, close to the original in its text, but they really sounded like a bunch of country bumpkins. Dwarves were meant to have beautiful voices, and minstrelsy was a highly regarded art amongst them. In this new rendition, despite its length, I really felt that deep abiding desire of dwarves for gold – something that the Tookish side of Bilbo found contagious; and the melancholy as they recalled the tragedy of the loss of their home. Brilliantly done.

      • After working so close to the furnaces and forges and inhaling all the rock dust and ash and soot all day, they’d still have beautiful voices? I believe they had a gift and love for instruments, but their voices would not be the primary. The last line even mentions harps and gold, showing quite well they value instruments, so I agree there, just not with their voices. They may have sounded lovely to other dwarves, but not necessarily to the rest of middle earth. But that would not have made good cinema, so liberties were taken. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the new version, I just do not believe it is an accurate representation.

        • Not necessarily all the dwarves lived/worked next to the mines or ovens you think the king or any noble goes anywhere near the places where ash and soot run rampant?
          I think it’s a beautiful rendition of the song

          • Well said! I do agree with the concept of Dwarves being masters at singing. They are masters at everything they try for, that’s what makes them so awesome. I like the new version a lot. The Dwarves should tend to have deeper voices, they are squat and wide so it should transfer to all aspects of them. Also, I love the very somber mood of it. You can hear the ringing of the forges in their hearts as they sing this.

        • Really???kili is hot, o my god!!!

        • *Clears throat*
          I happen to be a smith, and with proper ventilation, a forge is no big deal on the voice. Besides, what do you know of dwarven anatomy, sir? The ladies have beards! Perhaps their vocal chords are impervious to smoke.

      • swordwhale said:

        I think this is rather like those moments in the film where I went !?!?!?! nobody would survive that!!! Then I realized… they’re not mere mortals, they’re Dwarves. They are of the earth, the rock, geology, they would not suffer the issues mere humans have with dust and smoke, I think. It is actually mentioned in Tolkien’s writings that they are hardier and less affected by heat and cold. I like the deep voices as yin to the yang of the lighter Elf voices.

  12. I have known a number of blacksmiths with good voices, and the miners of Wales produce some of the finest male voice choirs in the world. I’m afraid that to say such activities would give dwarves poor singing voices is untenable. Indeed they sing of songs sung in the depths of Erebor that had never been heard by men or elves, indicating that singing, and singing well, was a dwarvish cultural expression of the most important order, as it was amongst the peoples Tolkien studied. As for accuracy, The Hobbit is a children’s story, drawn from the epic narrative of Middle Earth already formulating in Tolkien’s mind. In The Hobbit, the dwarves are mostly funny, absurd creatures suitable to a children’s story, the true depth of their nature only alluded to, and only brought out fully in Tolkien’s later works. The humorous party with the dwarves bringing out increasingly absurd items for someone to carry on an adventure (I remember reading it for the first time and expecting someone to pull a grand piano out of their pack) is suitable to a children’s story, the rendition given in the movie is appropriate for someone that came, artistically, to The Hobbit through LOTR, and I would say this is a more accurate vision of Tolkien’s dwarves as he truly imagined them, in the full context of Middle Earth.

  13. Bobby Hudson said:

    I saw the film over the weekend and fell in love with it. The song is magnificent,inspiring.I want to return for a second viewing. The return to Middle Earth is welcomed for the holidays and I’m looking forward to the next films and Blu-ray issues. Thank you,all for such a great film.soundtrack.

  14. This song is so beautifully sung.. wonderfully enchanting. I am a singer of old and forgotten songs and I love the simplicity and strength of the voices in this piece.. Thank you for an amazing movie and soundtrack. My whole family is inspired!!!

  15. Is there a place I can find the song where they sing all the lyrics, which are shown above?

  16. Love this song. It really touches my heart and makes me sypathize for Thorin….

  17. Sadly, I dont think they recorded the full version. The soundtracks that I have seen for sale all list the song as about 1:42…no more time there than for the two verses sung here.

    This gave me goosebumps when I heard it. It is amazing. I have purchased the soundtrack and am waiting for it to arrive…but this is the only song I really wanted on it. I just wish it was the full version.

    • I would have to say that if Jackson did not record the full version for use some day, I will be very disappointed! I’ve seen an interview of him talking about pieces for the extended version, and he mostly talked about more Barry Humphries (suffering from the usual antipodian delusion that Barry Humphries is funny – they can’t help it, they brought up with this state of mind). The full version of this song is what *I* want to see in the extended version!

  18. i have to sat i do love this book and i do love this song in the movie it got stuck in my head instantly. thank you for the lyrics :)

  19. swordwhale said:

    Wonderful to see this! A lovely young Elven lass has posted a really really long (all 27 verses from The Hobbit) version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME5urFBf0kk It would be nice to hear her high voice with the deep voices of the Dwarves. The verses are found throughout the Hobbit, though I can’t find the last couple she sings.

  20. Wow I have been obsessed with this song since I saw the movie!!! I really appreciate this post and if possible could you find and post a full version with all the lyrics?!?!?! PLEASE!?!? I’m so desperate… :)

  21. Aragorn son of arathorn king of godore said:

    Awesome I now know the whole song by heart is it recorded somewhere

  22. Aragorn son of arathorn king of godore said:

    This is the most awesome song I’ve herd in a movie in my whole life

  23. the last time i read Tolkien is ages ago (it actually was the last century i think) so i don’t remember Tolkiens stereotype of a dwarf that well, but other autors (particularly Markus Heitz, who actually wrote a whole saga about dwarfs, inspired by Tolkien) depicts dwarfs singing while forging….someone who sings that often must at some point get a good voice! (at last it won’t be as bad as that of an untrained man)

    by the way, in Markus Heitz stories every dwarf (EVERY, that includes kings, academics and (yes, of course!) female dwarfs) knows how to forge and regularly practices it, otherwise he would be no dwarf! (at least thats how the dwarfs see it)

    there is a version by the str8voices, with some additional verses:

    one post above mentions there are 27 verses, the version shared above (thanks btw:)) seems to be about half of it, so is there more?

    • This version has all the verses which are strung out over several chapters in the Hobbit (the dwarves revisit the song during the journey), and even the additional bit in Fellowship of the Ring (as written by Merry and Pippin in the same vein as the dwarf song which Bilbo must have sung to them all previously).

      I’ve copied the lyrics which ShadowCa7 has listed under the video, and changed a couple of typos, but the punctuation is slightly different from the book I have:

      Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
      To dungeons deep and caverns old,
      We must away, ere break of day,
      To seek our pale enchanted gold.

      The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
      While hammers fell like ringing bells,
      In places deep, where dark things sleep,
      In hollow halls beneath the fells.

      For ancient king and elvish lord
      There many a gleaming golden hoard
      They shaped and wrought, and light they caught,
      To hide in gems on hilt of sword.

      On silver necklaces they strung
      The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
      The dragon-fire, on twisted wire
      They meshed the light of moon and sun.

      Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
      To dungeons deep and caverns old,
      We must away, ere break of day,
      To claim our long-forgotten gold.

      Goblets they carved there for themselves,
      And harps of gold, where no man delves
      There lay they long, and many a song
      Was sung unheard by men or elves.

      The pines were roaring on the heights,
      The wind was moaning in the night,
      The fire was red, it flaming spread,
      The trees like torches blazed with light.

      The bells were ringing in the dale,
      And men looked up with faces pale.
      The dragon’s ire, more fierce than fire,
      Laid low their towers and houses frail.

      The mountain smoked beneath the moon.
      The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
      They fled the hall to dying fall
      Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

      Far over the Misty Mountains grim,
      To dungeons deep and caverns dim,
      We must away, ere break of day,
      To win our harps and gold from him!

      The wind was on the withered heath,
      But in the forest stirred no leaf:
      There shadows lay by night and day,
      And dark things silent crept beneath.

      The wind came down from mountains cold,
      And like a tide it roared and rolled.
      The branches groaned, the forest moaned,
      And leaves were laid upon the mould.

      The wind went on from West to East;
      All movement in the forest ceased.
      But shrill and harsh across the marsh,
      Its whistling voices were released.

      The grasses hissed, their tassels bent,
      The reeds were rattling–on it went.
      O’er shaken pool under heavens cool,
      Where racing clouds were torn and rent.

      It passed the Lonely Mountain bare,
      And swept above the dragon’s lair:
      There black and dark lay boulders stark,
      And flying smoke was in the air.

      It left the world and took its flight
      Over the wide seas of the night.
      The moon set sale upon the gale,
      And stars were fanned to leaping light.

      Under the Mountain dark and tall,
      The King has come unto his hall!
      His foe is dead, the Worm of Dread,
      And ever so his foes shall fall!

      The sword is sharp, the spear is long,
      The arrow swift, the Gate is strong.
      The heart is bold that looks on gold;
      The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong.

      The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
      While hammers fell like ringing bells
      In places deep, where dark things sleep,
      In hollow halls beneath the fells.

      On silver necklaces they strung
      The light of stars, on crowns they hung
      The dragon-fire, from twisted wire
      The melody of harps they wrung.

      The mountain throne once more is freed!
      O! Wandering folk, the summons heed!
      Come haste! Come haste! Across the waste!
      The king of friend and kin has need.

      Now call we over the mountains cold,
      ‘Come back unto the caverns old!’
      Here at the gates the king awaits,
      His hands are rich with gems and gold.

      The king has come unto his hall
      Under the Mountain dark and tall.
      The Wyrm of Dread is slain and dead,
      And ever so our foes shall fall!

      [Following verses written by Merry and Pippin in FOTR]

      Farewell we call to hearth and hall!
      Though wind may blow and rain may fall,
      We must away, ere break of day
      Far over the wood and mountain tall.

      To Rivendell, where Elves yet dwell
      In glades beneath the misty fell.
      Through moor and waste we ride in haste,
      And whither then we cannot tell.

      With foes ahead, behind us dread,
      Beneath the sky shall be our bed,
      Until at last our toil be passed,
      Our journey done, our errand sped.

      We must away! We must away!
      We ride before the break of day!

      • I really love the hobbit movies and the book, they really picked the right people to play the parts for example Thorin had to be majestic and quite hard (hardened by life that is and beautiful ), FILI and kili had to be young and funny ( beautiful as well) and all the other Dwarves had to be funny and awesome. Btw I really like Thorin, fili and kili ( Richard, dean and Aidan) they are so amazing and funny. 😊

  24. This song gives me chills. ‘Nuff said.

  25. Thanks for posting the lyrics, I do have the book but I lent it to someone else. SO annoying,and just when I want to read it as well :(

  26. I think that every LotR song should be made into a sound track, by far this is my favorite though.

  27. While not the full song, This is an excellent cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylfb3FRvuVU

  28. oh okay! thank you! :)

  29. hello every one and thank u so so much for this web site.
    Would u please send for me the full text of hobbit film song ‘misty mountain cold’?
    Thank u again.

  30. Amber Kiki MarLuna said:

    OMG THIS IS NOW 1 OF MY MOST FAV SONGS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DJ YOUR ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OF COURSE MY REAL NAME ISN’T AMBER KIKI MARLUNA BUT I MADE IT UP FOR MYSELF,MY REAL NAME IS KATELYNN NICOLE HARRIS. HOW OLD ARE YOU DJ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? ONE OF YOU PEOPLE COMMENTED (I THINK IT WAS YOU ARAGORN) THAT POSTED THE DAY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY, OK YA IT WAS YOU ARAGORN. MY BIRTHDAY IS MARCH 6th AND I LOVE THIS WEBSITE AND ALL HE PEOPLE ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE SHOULD ALL GET TOGETHER SOMETIME!!!!!

  31. Amber Kiki MarLuna said:

    I LOVE THORIN II OAKENSHIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  32. Anonimous1 said:

    This song is just amazing when i hear or sing it out loud i have the exact same feeling that Bilbo described:like if i was having an flashback of stuff that i have never seen.

  33. Laureline said:

    ALors j’ai une question : a la ligne 4 tu dis et elle dit que les paroles c’est ” to seek the pal…” alors qu’on entend quand même clairement un ” to find ….. golden …” je cherche désespérément a comprendre ce qu’ils disent mais tout le monde met les même paroles…

  34. I love this song so much

  35. Sulterna Achai said:

    Best theme song ever… Listening to the words and their voices OMG…im in love with it….
    Cant wait for the next part of it to come out…. <3

  36. I have to share something cute that happened with my elementary music students! In my recording studio, I arranged and recorded my music club singing “Misty Mountains Cold”, and then the school district videographer came down and we made a music video! It’s so cute!!!!! The kids dressed up as dwarves, and we spent an entire afternoon shooting the video just before Christmas! The videographer finished it last week and it’s now on You Tube! It’s really making waves, and was recently noticed by the National Association for Music Education!!! If you have a moment, please check it out! I’m so proud of these kids!

  37. Katheryn said:

    I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED SEEING THE EXTENDED VERSION OF THE MISTY MOUNTAINS COLD SONG. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL

  38. The audiobook version narrated by Rob Inglis has a great version of it and it’s sung as close to the original way Tolkien wanted it to sound.

  39. rajouter les deux premières phrases à la fin et, sur youtube, au nom de “The Hobbit-Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold (Extended Cover) ” vous l’avez en entier.
    Merci pour les paroles, Thanks for the lyrics !

  40. Thank you!
    This helped me finish a report!!

  41. Hithaerdes Elf said:

    I love this song. It is beautiful, melodic, soothing and sweet. Just penetrates the soul…Richard Armitage has a fantastic singing voice.

  42. I like a Hobbit!!! It’s a good movie, but Lord of the rings is better… Thorin Oakenshield is my hero!

  43. Finrod Felagund said:

    That song is amazing. I love it so much. Who exactly sing this song? I know Richard Armitage sing it, but who alse?

  44. Nishant Sethi said:

    I have just watched the last part of Hobbit nd was waiting this sing at the end. Thanks dj. The best dialogue ” not less than 100 of goblins”.

  45. I wish the third movie had not ended the way it did it’s very sad and I can’t get my head around why Tolkien did it. 😔
    But I do love the movies very much the Dwarves are very funny but I love fili, kili and Thorin not just because they are Beautiful in every way😊 but because their back stories are inspiring and they are funny and very very AMAZING! I don’t want to sound like I am absolutely obsessed about the hobbit but I love the movies and book. 😄😃😃

  46. I know it sounds silly but Thorin, fili and kili are my heroes. 😄😃😀😊☺️😄😃😀😊☺️ Xxx

  47. Thank goodness you have these. It is the only lullaby my son will fall asleep too!

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