The Seduction of the Ring

A Theme for the One Ring

 

THE SEDUCTION OF THE RING, a theme for The One Ring, "represents the One Ring's overwhelming allure." (Doug Adams, CR-FOTR liner notes, page 8)

The theme often uses boy’s voices singing lyrics from The Seduction of the Ring or humming the melody.

My original name for this music was simply the Seduction theme and I've not made any effort to change that throughout the site.

 

HS COMMENT (FOTR appendices' comments)
HS COMMENT (HS interview comments)
 

Places this theme is heard in FOTR:

  • When Gandalf, on his horse, is giving Sam and Frodo advice on their way out of the Shire. The boy’s choir seem to be humming here (no words).

  • When Boromir picks up the Ring Frodo dropped in the snow. The choir sings the Seduction lyrics. HS COMMENT

  • When Frodo offers the Ring to Aragorn on Amon Hen, the Ring calls to him. The choir sings words here, also.

The place this theme is used in TTT:

Places this theme is heard in ROTK:

  • When Déagol gets his first look at the Ring he just found under the water. Sméagol comes up behind him and both are captivated by the Ring. "Give us the Ring, Déagol my love."

  • On the ROTK Soundtrack CD, Track 1 - A Storm is Coming, an unused cue toward the end of the track (~2:00 - end), there is a mix of a speeded up variant of the Seduction Theme, Sauron's Theme, and the Descending Third motif.  This was section was originally intended for the fight between Sméagol and Déagol (which doesn't contain any music in the movie).

  • When Sam tries to hand the Ring over to Frodo in Cirith Ungol but faces some internal reluctance, we hear the pulse of the Ring, the whine of the Ring, and short snippets of choral notes... but not the Seduction Theme. Interesting.

  • There was music written for the moment at Mount Doom when Frodo is faced with finally destroying the Ring. He is standing at the brink and holding the Ring over the lava but he looks tormented. Sam pleads with him. "What are you waiting for? Just let it go? At that moment, the music drops out in the movie but what was scored for it was a final combination of the History of the Ring, the Seduction of the Ring, and the Evil of the Ring (Sauron's Theme). Frodo eyes fix on the Ring and his demeanor turns from tormented to focused... intent... rapt... determined.  As the twisted, slippery music comes to a quiet end, Frodo calmly turns back to Sam.. his mind decided. The music can be heard on the CR-ROTK, Disc 5, Track 1, Mount Doom, 0:51 - 1:25.