JRR Tolkien Sings: Chip The Glasses And Crack The Plates

A recording of JRR Tokien singing Chip The Glasses And Crack The Plates from The Hobbit. It is in chapter 1: An Unexpected Party.

Lyrics:

Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates—
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!

Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Splash the wine on every door!

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you've finished if any are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!

© The Tolkien Estate

[brycevo]

You can absolutely hear the joy as he brings his world to life

[michaelkirby]

Tolkien was a genius. It is such an honor to be able to read his amazing literature.

[graph]

Because no one can listen to the epic voice of JRR Tolkien without suddenly feeling the need to re-read the entire Lord of the Rings.

Now if you'll excuse me....

*Goes to re-read the Fellowship of the Ring for the 65th time*

[Majnun]

What a great treasure! I love Tolkien's old man vibrato ))))

[laurahamilton]

I LOVE how this sounds so similar to the version in the Hobbit movies!!! You can clearly see the inspiration and this makes me so happy. Also why doesn't this have millions of views??

[horseenthusiast]

I'm so happy there are some recordings of Tolkien singing his songs! I always sing the songs to myself when I read (yes, every time, each song...if I'm around others I sing in my head), and if I'm reading aloud/for an audience I like to accompany myself on plucked psaltery. I usually make up my own tunes, but whenever I find a recording of Tolkien singing the song, I usually rework it so I sing the melody he's come up with, and I compose my own harmony on the psaltery. When I first read the books as a kid, I kept wishing he had been able to include sheet music!

[joaninha]

A dead man who wrote a piece of your childhood singing a song is somethi that can actually be so personal

[Pytterr]

omg, im so happy i can read the book and hear it when it comes to it. thanks

[misanthropicanthropologist]

This made my decade.
And my best music list.

[hobbitfan]

That is true. Tolkien hated all Disney films, the way Walt portrayed the fairy tales and classic works of literature in his own fashion. He was 45 years of age when Snow White came out and I do not blame him for not understanding Disney and I respect his opinion.

[MordredSimp]

I will give him this it is certainly a fun song to sing

[ugh_art]

i just started reading The Hobbit and finding this gem was a very pleasant surprise :)

[hobbitfan]

Fun Fact: The Hobbit and Disney's Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs were both released in 1937.

[JohnPeterPressonProtopsaltis]

Howard Shore got it pretty close to the original jig motif

[yerielurena]

He never got to see the movies that were based on his books. Rest In Peace Mr. Tolkien😔

[wesleythomas]

You know, he sounds exactly like I'd imagined he would...

[frosztfang]

Now have I *finally* experienced true enlightenment. I thank you most sincerely with ALL of my heart! I've *never* heard his melodious and BEAUTIFUL voice. I LOVE that man! And not like any smart asses might think. Any real Tolkien fans will obviously understand what I mean :) Thx again! I will sleep GOOD tonight =)

[sussanhurtado]

Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates–
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!

Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Splash the wine on every door!

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you’ve finished, if any are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!

That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!
That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!

[MrThorfan]

Tolkien sounds exactly how you expect him too!

[PainMonkey]

Can't wait^^ I wonder why none of the films or cartoons or Tolkien Ensembles ever use his arrangements.