Scene: The Seduction of Frodo +

CR-ROTK Track: Mount Doom; 4-1

Source Text: The Destruction of the Ring

[0:50] Mi (over two quick notes)  

[0:51] naurath

[0:52] O(rod)-

[0:54] ru- (over two quick notes)

[0:54] in

[0:57] Boe he (two quick notes)

[0:58] di i

[0:59] Vin.

[1:01] Sin e-

[1:05] ri- (two quick notes)

[1:05] ol na

[1:06] tha

[1:08] tûr (two quick notes)

[1:09] în

[1:11] ú

[1:12] gar (two quick notes)

[1:13] nen

These lyrics are provided by the ROTK Live Symphony choir lyrics. The rhythm of the singing follows the low strings heard in this track.

Our first instinct was to declare that this singing is not on the CR-ROTK. But, Doug Adams writes in the AS-ROTK (emphasis mine):

Sam enters the chamber to find Frodo standing over the fire. The orchestra spins dizzily, a nauseous mix of harmonies swarming about its many ranges, as overwhelming as the broiling fires themselves. Frodo holds the Ring out over the flaming pits. Here, returned to its fiery womb, the multifaceted Ring is refocused, its history, its seductiveness and its great evil melded into a singular existence. Horribly, uncontrollably, the orchestra’s high strings and winds begin the History/Evil of the Ring hybrid in a canon at the octave, while below low strings and voices sing the Seduction of the Ring. The overlapping motifs and tonalities create a sonic blur, a hallucinatory slice of disjointed time. Frodo turns.

“The Ring is mine.”

UNUSED CONCEPT: The meta-Ring theme, which combines the History, Evil and Seduction themes into a single contrapuntal device, was not used in the final film.

I was not able to hear voices in this section. But fellow soundtrack fan, Tom, wrote me saying he can: "I can definitely hear faint voices at 0:52-0:54 and 1:06-1:08. I'm sure they are also singing between them, but it is difficult to hear the singers."

Frodo's Seduction - The Ring Sings?

It is worth noting that this is the solo instance of the Seduction of the Ring theme music being paired with lyrics from a source text other than the Seduction of the Ring. 

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Scene: Frodo claims the Ring +

CR-ROTK Track: Mount Doom; 4-1

Source Text: The Destruction of the Ring

The singing is longer on the CR than on the OST. Syllables in bold are not on the OST.

 

[1:26] Sin [1:29] e [1:30] ri [1:32] ol [1:34] na [1:37] tha [1:37] túr [1:41] in [1:44] úgar [1:47] nen [1:49] Mi [1:52] naurath [1:56] O [1:56] roin Boe [1:58] hedi i [2:00] Vín [2:03] Han i van- [2:05] gad i moe [2:07] ben

[2:09] bango [2:10] sin [2:11] eriol [2:13] na- [2:15] tha [2:17] túr in ú- [2:19] garnen Sin [2:21] e [2:24] ri [2:27] ol [2:28] ûm [2:32] beleg ú- [2:34] gannen [2:35] Ú [2:36] ci- [2:38] lith [2:39] war [2:43] Ú men [2:47] 'war Boe min [2:49] mebi Boe [2:51] min [2:53] ban [2:55] go

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Scene: Gollum claims the Ring +

CR-ROTK Track: Mount Doom; 4-1

Source Text: The Destruction of the Ring

 

	Solo	Choir
[2:58]	Sin
[3:01]	e
[3:04]	ri
[3:06]	ol	ol
[3:07]		na
[3:09]	úm	úm
[3:11]	be
[3:13]	leg	leg
[3:16]	ú
[3:17]	gan	gan
[3:19]	nen
[3:21]	Ú	Ú
[3:22]	ci
[3:22]	lith
[3:23]	'war
[3:24]	Boe
[3:25]	min	min
[3:26]	me
[3:27]	bi
[3:28]	Boe
[3:28]	min	min
[3:29]	ban
[3:32]	go	go

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Scene: Frodo fights Gollum for the Ring +

CR-ROTK Track: Mount Doom; 4-1

Source Text: The Destruction of the Ring

[3:39] Boe
[3:41] he
[3:41] di
[3:43] i
[3:45] Vín.
[3:47] Sin
[3:48] e
[3:49] ri
[3:51] ol
[3:53] úm
[3:55] be
[3:56] leg
[3:57] ú
[3:59] gan
[4:00] nen

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Scene: Sam reaches for Frodo +

CR-ROTK Track: The Crack of Doom; 4-2

Source Text: The Argument

Just after Sam says, "Take my hand", the choir starts slow, slightly subdued singing as Frodo reaches up for it. Frodo can't do it but Sam won't let him give up. He keeps calling to him.

[0:21] nen,
[0:23] Go
[0:26] hon
[0:28] be
[0:30] di
[0:35] thon
[0:40] na
[0:45] meth.

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Scene: The Destruction of the Ring +

CR-ROTK Track: The Crack of Doom; 4-2

Source Text: The Destruction of the Ring (0:49 - 1:09) & The Argument (1:12-1:31) 

0:49-1:31

 

[0:49] mi [0:50] in [0:51] nau [0:54] rath [0:55] O [0:56] ro [0:59] dru [1:01] in [1:04] Boe [1:05] he [1:06] di [1:08] i [1:09] Vin. [1:12] en

Sam yells, "Reach", and as Frodo tries once more, the choir gets a little more aggressive, singing syllables in clusters of three. The Ring does give up and melts.   The syllables from 0:55-1:01 are not sung in the movie. By shortening the length of this first section (0:49-1:12), the music stops as soon as the Eye reacts to the Ring's destruction. If this music is played full length, it covers the Eye's reaction and the troll running away.

[1:14] di [1:18] thon [1:23] na [1:28] meth

An ungodly noise (in the movie) alerts those on the field that something is up. Members of the Fellowship look up from the battle to the tower.

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Scene: The Destruction of the Barad-dûr +

CR-ROTK Track: The Crack of Doom; 4-2

Source Text: Don't Let Go

1:31 - 1:57

The camera cuts to Barad-dûr and the choir in the movie resumes, re-syncing up with the CR at that same spot. Barad-dûr begins to crumbles and after a moment, the choir comes to a climax and stops.

[1:31] Vee
[1:33] hoo
[1:35] heh
[1:37] nee aw
[1:38] neen
[1:39] gwah
[1:40] naw

[1:42] vee
[1:44] ah
[1:46] ee
[1:47] har dha
[1:48] bha
[1:50] lah
[1:54] kha

(The phonetical ROTK Live Symphony choir lyrics don't show consistent clear matches to source text. I'm pretty sure at least part of these lyrics are from Don't Let Go but I can't be sure all of them are.)

The singing stops in the movie and on the CR as those on the field watch the tower continue to crumble and then explode sending a shock wave out and destroying the land. Merry cheers for Frodo and Gimli laughs with joy.

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Scene: The Destruction of the Black Gates -

CR-ROTK Track: The Crack of Doom; 4-2

Source Text: Mountain of Fire

2:21 - 2:55

(The CR is different from the movie. This music in the movie repeats the section below in bold twice - then ends with the same as the CR)

The choir resumes as the ground begins to crumble and the Army of Mordor flees. The Black Gates fall into the chasm.

The choir reaches another climax as Mount Doom's top half explodes cataclysmically.

 

	Choir 1	Choir 2
[2:22]	nu	nu
[2:23]	da
[2:25]	lav	lav (til 2:29)
[2:27]	ú-rui
[2:29]	tui
[2:33]		annen
[2:35]		na
[2:36]		ru-
[2:37]		ith
[2:38]		lei-
[2:41]		thi-
[2:42]		a awr
[2:44]		O-
[2:45]	ro-	ro-
[2:46]	druin
[2:48]	oe in	oe in
[2:50]	phan

The section after this, where Mt. Doom fully explodes, the Fellowship reacts, and Frodo & Sam escape, uses closed mouth humming.

These lyrics were confirmed by some sheet music contained in the liner notes of the CR-ROTK.

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Scene: The Eagles come for Sam and Frodo +

CR-ROTK Track: The Eagles; 4-3

Source Text: The Eagles

 

	Solo	Choir
[1:24]	Or	Or
[1:27]	than
[1:28]	nen
[1:31]	im
[1:32]	vi	vi
[1:32]	ôl
[1:34]	Coll
[1:35]	e
[1:36]	dú
[1:39]	Or	Or
[1:42]	hi
[1:43]	ri
[1:44]	ath
[1:45]	naur
[1:45]	Na
[1:46]	ro
[1:47]	vail	vail
[1:49]	mae
[1:51]	su
[1:52]	i
[1:54]	Man	Ma(n)
[1:56]	pre
[1:58]	stant
[2:00]	i
[2:01]	ar
[2:01]	dhon
[2:02]	Ce	Ce
[2:03]	ri
[2:05]	thar
[2:06]	aen	aen
[2:10]	dim	dim
[2:11]	ú	ú
[2:13]	the
[2:14]	nin	nin

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Scene: King Elessar sings Elendil's Oath -

CR-ROTK Track: The Fellowship Reunited; 4-4

Source Text: Elessar's Oath

[3:45] Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.
[3:59] Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar
[4:10] tenn’ Ambar-metta!

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Scene: Arwen at the Coronation +

CR-ROTK Track: The Fellowship Reunited; 4-4

Source Text: Song of Lúthien

There are three fluid beats to the bar. Below is how the choir corresponds with the soloist. The choir starts every syllable on the first beat of a bar but the soloist sometimes starts on a pickup note just before the first beat of a bar. The timestamps below are for the first beat. Periods also indicate the note is sustained : three periods when sustained throughout the bar and two periods when sustained for two counts and a new syllable coming sometime during the third count. The last bar has 5 counts. It sounds like the soloist is singing more syllables during this bar but that is not indicated as such on the MusicNotes' sheet music.

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Scene: Closing Credits

CR-ROTK Track: The Days of the Ring; 4-7

Source Text: Into the West

0:52 - 5:05

Lay down your sweet and weary head

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Scene: Closing Credits

CR-ROTK Track: The Days of the Ring; 4-7

Source Text: The Evening Star

For more info on what we know (or don't) about these lyrics, go HERE.

What you see below are the phonetic lyrics set to time stamps. When you see a dash, it's an indication that that syllable was sung over two notes and might sound like two syllables when you listen.

 

	Female Soloist	Boys
[7:30]	noo e-l kree oo ah my	neel nee el nel
[7:46]	oo  e-l me-h  See lee my	doo glee lee my
[8:02]	nee fee lee nah lo meh le  ne meh nel ah do	neel fee el meh
[8:18]	ee ah doo ree foo een e vah my	ee doo foo nye my

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Scene: ROTK EE DVD Fan Credits

CR-ROTK Track: Bilbo's Song; 4-8

Source Text: Bilbo's Song

Thanks to Gwen Lloyd, who originally ferreted out these lyrics.

Both Gwen and I have listened pretty closely. We can fairly easily identify the phrases sung for a huge chunk of the song and, for the most part, the lyrics seem to follow the source text as written without skipped or jumbled up syllables. There were two spots that were a little problematic, however.

 

[0:01] Im [0:03] nau [0:03] thon [0:04] nan [0:05] naur [0:07] nu [0:08] ngil [0:09] ith [0:12] O [0:12] naid [0:14] i [0:15] gen [0:16] nin [0:17] im [0:19] O [0:20] lyth . . . [0:25] e- [0:26] barth [0:28] (a) gwil 1 [0:29] wil [0:31] ith [0:32] Ne [0:33] laer [0:34] i [0:36] vanner [0:37] lim [0:38] lais [0:40] gwennin	[0:44] Im [0:46] he [0:48] vin [0:49] nan [0:50] na [0:51] ur [0:52] a [0:56] nau [0:57] thon [1:00] O [1:02] gwaith [1:04] ne [1:08] din lu 2 [1:12] i [1:12] aur [1:16] A [1:16] gwaith 3 [1:17] i [1:20] cen	[1:24] i [1:26] tha [1:28] ar [1:32] dhon [1:33] ir [1:34] is [1:35] ta [1:36] thon [1:38] u [1:40] aur [1:44] Dan [1:46] iar [1:48] im nan [1:49] naur [1:52] pe [1:54] li [1:56] el [2:00] Oh [2:02] au [2:04] rath	[2:04] i [2:05] oer [2:07] nau [2:08] thon [2:12] Las [2:13] ton [2:15] a [2:16] tha [2:18] il [2:20] im [2:21] u- [2:22] gen [2:23] i [2:24] thon [2:28] 'ah' 4 [2:30] e [2:30] the [2:31] li [2:32] el [2:33] A [2:34] lem [2:35] maid [2:36] nan [2:40] an . . . . [2:45] non . . . . . .
1 Gwen does not hear 'a' which is in the source text at this point 2 Gwen hears an 'ah' here, even though it is not in the source text 3 Gwen is not sure if this is sung, she can hear the 'i' at 1:15 for sure. 4 Gwen hears this 'ah' even though it is not in the source text

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These time stamps work with the Complete Recordings of the ROTK. If the song is on the regular or special edition CDs, you could find those timestamps on that track's cue by cue. To determine which track any song is on, you could consult the Master Lyrics List for the ROTK.

Numbers after the scene indicate Disc and Track.

Sources for these lyrics as sung and their timestamps were developed over time, from many resources, and by many people.

The most current source we have are the phonetic lyrics given to the choir for the ROTK Live to Projection Symphony. The work of figuring how to match source material with the phonetic lyrics and how to set them with timestamps has been done primarily by Sabsi with proofing and additional contributions by me.

Not all singing that's heard in the movies or on CDs is included in the ROTK Live Symphony. Some are from extended scenes (and the Live to Projection series involves the theatrical editions of the movies) or from Fan Club scrolls. Or maybe they're an alternate version of score found on one of the CDs. For those pieces, we are left utilizing a variety of resources---all limited in their own way. These include:

• The ROTK Annotated Score : This provides only the sketchiest of information about the lyrics. We are only told in which track each source song is used first. Successive uses aren't indicated and neither are we told which lines are sung.

• Musical notation : These sources include primarily MusicNotes sheet music and notation found in the CR Liner notes.

• Our own ears : This is the resource we started with that we relied upon greatly. Sometimes is served us well. Sometimes not. I once said, "Although we all are exacting in our labors, our ears are human, not Elven. We are making our best guesses sometimes. One of us hears 'ah' and the other hears 'nah'. I also am beginning to suspect that there's quite a bit of counterpoint singing going one, either between a choir and a soloist, or between different sections of the choir. We may never know what some of these lyrics are for sure."

  For those songs that are not in the ROTK Live Symphony, we may-in fact-never know what's sung for sure. There has never been any eagerness to provide this information in any official way. Whether the lyrics as sung followed the source text in a comprehensible way or not, Shore's intention was: "It’s more about sound than about meaning." (comment by Doug Adams) So, if it's not supposed to 'make sense' (the thinking goes), there's no reason for us to know what is being sung. My point is, I don't care if it makes sense either. I just want to sing along. So far, my point hasn't been proven persuasive.

Thanks: as I said before, all of the most recent work involving the ROTK Live Symphony has been done by Sabsi with some help from Danijel and myself. Whether that information confirmed what we had before or completely replaced what we thought before or filled in what we had no clue before... lots of people contributed to what we 'had before'. Those people include:

Ainu Laire Angela "Aty" Ferreira Danijel Legin (Bârîn_Katharâd) Elvenscribe07

Gwen Lloyd Imladir Incanus (Mikko Ojala) Kurt Milano (Ridan)

Lisa Graves MinasMorgul Sabsi Fronek TheTennisBallKid

Turesse Tyrhael Zigur and the ones who started it all: Ryszard Derdzinski and the folks at Gwaith-I-Phethdain