Songs and Tales: A Literary Guide to Middle Earth

Come in, come in, what’re you having? A whiskey? A pint? A very silly episode? Well, we can get you one of those things. Your loopy co-hosts follow along as our intrepid hobbit heroes venture out into the wide world of Big People and quickly learn that dancing on tables in bars almost always gets you in trouble. Especially when the barman is an agent of the Dark Lord (just kidding … or are they?)....

Things are getting spooky scary this week. Turn on a light and clutch your teddy bears as your hosts delve into a discussion of the Barrow Downs and their frightening residents, The Barrow Wights. What are these spooky things? Where did they come from? What are they up to? Clara and Aaron try to (and mostly succeed in) answering some of these questions. Plus, the Hobbits enjoy a naked lunch.  Emai...

Hey dol! Merry dol! Ring a dong dillo it's time to figure out this chap Tom Bombadil[o]. This week Clara and Aaron tackle one of the most enduring enigmas of the Tolkienverse. So hop along our little friends up the Withywindle, follow along on your Kindles, and join us as we try to solve this riddle of Old Tom Bombadil[o] and the River-daughter. Sources: Who Is Tom Bombadil by Rangerfromthenorth h...

The Hobbits’ travels begin to take them further afield this week and Clara and Aaron’s discussion goes rambling right along with them (at least we’ll blame it on that). They chat about everything from why the Black Riders are so dang awkward (and creepy!) to the science behind how trees communicate (it’s got to be telepathy, right?), with a lot in between. Plus, Aaron makes some lewd comments abou...

Comb the hairs on the tops of your feet and pack your pipe to the brim with Longbottom Leaf, because we've finally made it to the Shire! This week we are concerned about Hobbits and their habits: How did they "forget" their original language? Is there a rigid class system in the Shire? (The Pod's Resident Red says "yes.") And how is it that Golum is so much creepier than we remembered? Clara and A...

Make yourself a mai tai, tuck into a bowl of poi, and settle into island time; we’re taking a trip to Numenor. Aaron and Clara have finally reached the legendary isle of tall men where things are really great, until they really aren’t. They both wish they could’ve spent more time with this chapter - which had shades of Paradise Lost and a possible criticism of Capitalism -  but unfortunately...

Well, folks, much like what's left of the elves and men in Middle Earth by the end of this book, we endured. In this last chapter of The Silmarillion, we fly into the sky with Earendil, our favorite star boy and Clara asks a lot of questions that have really obvious answers. Plus, Meadhros and Maglor get free legal advice. Email us! songsandtalespod@gmail.com Twitter: @songsntalespod Instagram: @s...

Clara’s mom always said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it at all,” but *she's* never read The Fall of Gondolin . Let’s just say, this book didn’t do much for Aaron or Clara – other than bore them to death and make them a little angry. On the bright side, Tolkien presents us with the traditional Christmas gift of seven swans, just in time for the holidays. Email us! songsandtalespod@gm...

Spoiler alert! A lot more people died in this chapter. Second spoiler alert! One of them is Thingol. Sorry if that ruined the entire episode for you, but Clara and Aaron do talk about way more than just that. Plus, aren’t you a little curious to know how he dies? Your hosts also do a disgustingly deep dive into the economy of Middle Earth, a subject Aaron has been dying to talk about since day one...

What better time of year to talk about a big ol’ curse than spooky season? That’s right, folks, this week Clara and Aaron are discussing how the curse Morgoth placed upon Hurin’s kids plays out in various and increasingly troubling ways. The duo chats about likely inspiration for the story, how it differs from much of the rest of the Silmarillion , and how they feel about this new hero/antihero an...

So, you find yourself in the possession of one of these big, shiny gems. Now what? This week, Aaron and Clara seek to answer that question. They also cheer on a group of very helpful dwarves, chat about what it means to see something through the eyes of Morgoth, and grumble a lot about having to read about yet another battle (but at least this one has some blood and guts). Plus, they make a big an...

How exactly did Luthien get to the Halls of Mandos and what exactly was the song she sang that moved Mandos to release Beren to her? Tolkien, ever the International Man of Mystery, doesn’t exactly tell us. But Clara and Aaron have some ideas. They also discuss how this particular tale marries myth with history and why that makes it so important within the lore of Middle Earth. Plus, Aaron offers t...

One thing everyone can agree on is that Luthien is pretty hot and a really good dancer and this week Clara and Aaron speculate about the consequences of that. (As if either of them would know.) They also muse upon whether or not the Silmarils are up to any tricks and about the possible significance of Beren and Luthien's outdoor wedding ceremony. Also, Aaron explains the nature of evil by means of...

Meow, meow, meow! Aaron and Clara are cat lovers now? Not necessarily, but the conversation does turn to felines as they begin their discussion of the tale of Beren and Luthien. If you’re not a cat person, consider listening to hear their in-depth discussion of, well, depth. Or to hear Clara go on and on about John Keats. Plus (as if all of that weren’t enticing enough), Aaron spouts another sexy...

Clara and Aaron do a little chant to kick off this very battle-heavy chapter that - in classic Tolkien fashion - lacks some of the more juicy details traditionally associated with battle scenes. And if that isn’t depressing enough, they also bear witness to the death of one of our more beloved Noldor in what truly turns out to be a victory for nobody. But, it does lead them to a riveting discussio...

We're back after a brief summer vacation with a conversation about Middle Earth's various second-class citizens. First, there's Eöl, whose problematic notions about courting women aside, actually has some good points to make about the Noldors' claiming of Teleri lands and has Aaron and Clara diving into Billy Shakes' The Tempest. And then there's the arrival of the Men, who are quite literally sec...

Clara and Aaron trek into Tolkien's chapter on astronomy and talk about his challenging, but interesting, attempt to make a unique celestial backdrop for Arda. Men also arrive in Middle Earth and the Elves are dismissive at first, but then get pretty interested in this whole "mortality" business. Aaron thinks they're voyeurs for death. Plus, Clara warns us about the dangers of "the fairy people."...

Aaron and Clara are back in Middle Earth this episode and frankly, they’re thrilled about it! They talk about the soon-to-be fraught relationship between the Dwarves and Elves and how boring it might be to live in Valinor. They also go on a journey of discovery to find out what exactly a girdle is. Plus,  Aaron somehow finds a way to work Linda Ronstadt into the pod.

Clara and Aaron got absolutely smothered by all three of the plot points in this week's chapter and frankly, they don’t know what to do with all these plot points. Still, they manage to discuss the power (or lack thereof) of the Valar, the kinslaying, and why you should never take an oath lightly. Plus, it's Friday so they let fly with a few "oaths" of their own. Sorry, Mom.

Aaron and Clara swear fealty to their glorious spider queen, Ungoliant. They also chat about the Silmarili, evil in Tolkien’s universe, and the complexity of the word “lust” (because this is Tolkien and of course, a word can’t just mean what you think it means). Plus, Clara does some Foley work for what she thinks Ungoliant sounds like. Sources: Tom Shippey. The Road To Middle Earth (1985) Humphre...

Clara and Aaron talk about the light of the trees, the way Tolkien's "history" of Arda is a chronicle of the split between imagination and reason, how the passage of time in Tolkien is a never-ending chain of catastrophe, and the way women — and particularly mothers — come to embody Tolkien's idea of the subcreator. Plus, Clara admits that she and J.R.R. share a fondness for tall, raven-haired men...

Aaron and Clara greet some adult-baby elves as they wake up from their long sleep. They also muse upon how languages are made, why they are made, and what it means to make one. Basically, they talk about language a lot. Plus, Clara brings up orc tadpoles, so good luck getting that image out of your heads. Sources: Humphrey Carpenter. The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981) Tom Shippey The R...

Clara and Aaron discuss the origins of Middle Earth, Melkor’s toddler-like destructive tendencies, and the Valar’s biggest gardening project to date. Plus, they chat about the dangers of a good nap and Aaron flaunts the fact that he owns a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary. Sources: Heidegger, Martin. "Building Dwelling Thinking" (1954). http://faculty.arch.utah.edu/miller/4270heidegger.pdf

Aaron and Clara attempt to un-puzzle “The Valaquenta” (perhaps one of the most puzzling parts of The Silmarillion) by discussing power structures, family ties, and questions of form. Plus, they chat about a spicy theory Aaron has re: Melkor’s love life. Sources: Kristine Larsen “The Power of Pity and Tears: The Evolution of Nienna in the Legendarium” from Perilous and Fair: Women in the Works and...

Clara and Aaron dive into the Silmarillion with a discussion about the creation of Tolkien’s universe and the influences that informed his origin myth. Plus, in a rather surprising twist of fate, two English nerds attempt to discuss math.