How The ‘Not All Who Wander Are Lost’ Song Ties Together With ‘Lord Of The Rings’
Image Source: Gizmodo Australia
“Not all those who wander are lost” is the famous quote from the poem that Gandalf sends to Frodo to confirm Strider/Aragorn’s identity. This quote was essential to the story, as it enabled Frodo to confirm the identity of the mysterious ranger who would eventually help them save Middle Earth. A new iteration of the quote is used in a walking song Poppy Proudfellow sings to the fellow Harfoots, as they make their long and dangerous journey to distant lands.
The song, which is titled “This Wandering Day” comes from the show’s composer Bear McCreary. The Harfoots are small, and making a long journey across Middle Earth is dangerous, but the end goal will be worth it. The lyrics fit this journey the Harfoots have to take and the other stories happening around them. The people of Numenor are leaving their beautiful and protected city to face the growing evil that Galadriel warned about. Elrond and all the other elves must leave Middle Earth unless they convince the dwarves to help them. With the uncertainty we are seeing in this Second Age of Middle Earth, no one knows what awaits them. There are dark days ahead, and all that is known is if they have to answer a call in lands far away, just like the song says. In the final verse of Poppy’s walking song, “That not all who wonder or wander are lost,” we see a similar version of the quote Gandalf wrote to Frodo. Even though the song could be tied to the great migration the Hartfoots are doing, it can also be tied to Frodo’s journey to destroy the ring as well.
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Image Source: IGN SEA
Frodo is a Hobbit, who, similar to the Harfoots, is small. So when Frodo volunteers to take the One Ring to Mount Doom, everyone is shocked. He, with the help of Samwise Gamgee, travels across Middle Earth to bring the One Ring to Mordor, to cast the ring into Mount Doom to save Middle Earth. That’s a lot for a Hobbit to do. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit have their own stories and songs that tell tales about heroes, great deeds, tragedy, and heartbreak. This song honors what Tolkien originally wrote, and ties in nicely to the original stories that we all know.
One of the theories as to who the mysterious Stranger is is that it’s an early version of Gandalf. The connection helps heighten this theory, as Gandalf could’ve heard Frodo’s ancestors sing the original song. He would then go and write it to Frodo many, many years later. It’s possible that the words Gandalf wrote to Frodo didn’t come from Gandalf but Frodo’s ancestors. The same ones who showed this Stranger that small folk are important.
“The Wandering Day” is a beautiful song that incorporates everything we know about Middle Earth. It fits with stories both old and new. It honors all of Tolkien’s work and ties it all back together. The Rings of Power gave us this great new song, and I can’t wait to see how it ties into the last few episodes.
The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime with new episodes on Fridays.
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