Introduction | Fellowship of the Ring | Two Towers | Return of the King | Notes and Links

The Return of the King

1.) A Storm is Coming

Such an innocent-seeming flashback, in such a dark story. The pleasant music dissolves into the RING HISTORY theme at 00:32, over the LOTR logo, before, at 00:49, we hear something vaguely reminiscent of the Hobbit and Shire music, but that isn't actually either. Of course, this makes sense for Smeagol and Deagol, who aren't quite hobbits.

01:39 brings the RING HISTORY theme again, in that echoing string line (chronologically speaking, this is the first time the Ring's showed up since Isildur was killed). At 02:15, the MORDOR music sneaks in there, although not played bombastically by the low brass as we've come to expect, but by woodwinds, underneath other heavy lines.

2.) Hope and Memory

The music keeps threatening to break out into the Rohan theme, but doesn't (00:10 especially, through 00:17). 00:22 starts out trying to remind you of the HOBBIT theme, and then slips into reminding you of the FELLOWSHIP theme, without really being a direct statement of either (the reasons are simple: the actual hobbit theme is associated with the journey of Frodo and Sam, but in this instance we're instead facing the split of Merry and Pippin, which not only breaks up the hobbits but makes the Fellowship yet another degree smaller). 00:50 is wonderfully dramatic, and then at 01:07 it becomes a proper statement of the FELLOWSHIP theme, with a kind of bridge on the end that we've not heard before.

3.) Minas Tirith

00:01 -- A dismal echo of the GONDOR theme, and at 00:29 it picks up the bass line associated with the NAZGUL. 00:54 is the GONDOR theme, in the horn, though still not quite stated in full. At 01:38 we hear another bit of horn music that is almost sort of a Gondor, part 2. It's associated with Minas Tirith, at any rate.

01:54 is an echo of ROHAN, and at 02:03 we pick up a boy soprano singing that GANDALF THE WHITE precursor music again, as in TTT track #16. 02:23 develops a melody *very* reminiscent of LOTHLORIEN, and I don't know why, before at 02:36 we really break out into the stunning GONDOR theme part 2, with the whole stunning statement of GONDOR bursting out at 02:55 (this is one of my favorite cues as well, and you may recognize it from the ROTK trailer).

4.) The White Tree

00:04 -- this is a sad statement, believe it or not, of the music that will represent THE WEST (as in, "Into the west," at the end). It fits perfectly with the last lingering remnant of Númenor. Minas Tirith is positively swimming in history and tradition (and the Numenorians knew all about Eru and the Lords of the West, but that's another story). At the moment nobosy seems to know what the choir starts singing at 00:35, but keep your eye on this website for updates on that.

After 1:30, the music is the lighting of the beacon fires as they zip up the mountains west-northwest towards Rohan. 02:02 begins a melodic build that touches on both Rohan and Gondor before erupting at 02:35 into a spectacular, amazing statement of the GONDOR theme, in what is one of the finest scenes in the entire trilogy.

5.) The Steward of Gondor

That gorgeous flute isn't so much a motive as it is another example of a theme unto itself, fitting this particular time and place. The text, however, will break your heart, if the family of the Stewards have not already done so without help. (Yes, I'm biased towards my favorite storyline. Deal. ;) ) At 01:22 the GONDOR theme kicks in, in a haunting B minor.

And then, of course, Pippin's song, sung by the amazing Billy Boyd. Here are the CORRECT lyrics:

Home is behind, the world ahead
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadow, to the edge of night
Until the stars are all alight
Mist and shadow, cloud and shade
All shall fade, all shall fade.

03:37 brings in a variant of the Gondor theme, to round out the track. *sniff*

6.) Minas Morgul

00:00 -- MORDOR music, with NAZGUL bass (they're very connected themes, which makes sense what with the Nazgul being the chief servants of the Enemy and all). 01:06 brings in music very similar to the Uruk-Hai music, which I admit I don't quite understand but it is over the image of a very large army, so that's something. If ever there was music for evil times...

7.) The Ride of the Rohirrim

00:01 -- a wonderfully fragmented variation on the ROHAN theme, hardanger and all, chased at 00:46 by the way you expect to hear it. (Merry gets turned down by Theoden at 00:52, in case you were wondering.) At 01:34 we hear EOWYN'S music, which I'd mentioned before as sort of a sub-Rohan theme. Well now she's on a horse and heading off and scooping up Merry in the process, so she gets bombastic music just like everyone else. At 01:52 there's another bit of ROHAN, as they ride off.

8.) Twilight and Shadow

This is different than what has come before, but that solo beginning at 00:16 has a distinct, unmistakeable relationship to "Evenstar," with a very RIVENDELL-like line flowing underneath. At 02:19 it becomes the RIVENDELL music proper, and at 02:36 ARWEN's "choice" music, "Evenstar," is quoted.

This piece is what accompanies Arwen as she starts to ride away, has a vision of her son, and challenges Elrond to tell her what she has seen. The text is here, and it makes the music even sadder.

9.) Cirith Ungol

This track opens with a tiny bit of RING HISTORY music, mingled with some Gollumy stuff, which then fades into creepy yuck. 00:51 has HOBBIT music, and this twisted echo of the FELLOWSHIP theme at 1:12, brief and fleeting as the Fellowship that was suffers its most mortal wound yet: "Go home, Sam." MORDOR shows up at 01:34.

10.) Andúril

The first 23 or so seconds should remind you of tracks 8 and 9 in FOTR, all of which relate to Elrond, before at 00:30 it finally breaks out into RIVENDELL music. 01:15 brings a statement of THE WEST in it, which then gets its variations as Aragorn gets his gorgeous, gorgeous sword.

11.) Shelob's Lair

This author/commentator would like to take a moment out to announce that she HATES BUGS. LOTS. That said, this music is perfect for a giant one. ::shudder:: Shelob's a perfect incarnation of every horror-movie bone in Jackson's directorial body, and Shore backs him up excellently, and I'm running away. Anyway, you don't need me here; Shelob's lair is yet another one-shot location.

12.) Ash and Smoke

This is a track that I expect to change sequence, or to be reordered somehow, in the extended version of the film, vs. the theatrical version, because of the missing conftonration between Gandalf and the Witch-King. However, that's not important right now.

For a while we've got the music to accompany the now stark-raving mad Denethor. 00:54 brings back the idea of the NAZGUL for a short time, and it pops back for a second at 02:20, and then at 02:36 (at 02:36 it bears a passing resemblance to the oft-heard medieval "Dies Irae," and I think that's probably intentional). GANDALF THE WHITE enters at 02:58, taking charge of the mess that is now Minas Tirith.

13.) The Fields of the Pelennor

This track starts qith extremely quiet percussion; crank your volume or you might miss it (though tuirn your volume down again after, because otherwise you'll be deaf by the end of the track). At 00:11, we get a quiet ROHAN cue. 00:50 brings another statement of that which I have only been able to call "Nature's Revenge," that we heard for the moth in FOTR and for the Ents in TTT.

Enter big, bad, evil orcses at 01:21, followed at 01:47 by the NAZGUL, specifically, I'm guessing, the Witch-King of Angmar, since he's in charge of the siege. Oddly enough, the text after 02:33 seems to be Sam's internal conflict (reference), which I wouldn't have expected to show up that way.

14.) Hope Fails

I think out of all 50-some odd tracks on these CDs, this one is the hardest for me to take apart. There are lots of little familiar strains, but except for a hint of GONDOR at 01:05, I can't really place most of them. Nor can I place this music in the context of the film. If you figure it out, do let me know.

15.) The Black Gate Opens

The Captains of the West ride to the Black Gate. ("A diversion!") At 00:09 we get music for the men of the West, a little bit of a mix of Gondor and Rohan, until at 00:32 it breaks into the FELLOWSHIP theme (in 4/4, as opposed to the 3/4 we have always heard before). 01:00 is a memory of the Shire, and it's playing for our two little hobbits in Mordor. 02:29 is a variation on the HOBBIT music (it starts out the same, but instead of reminding you of "In Dreams," it reminds you a little more of "Into the West," to put it simply). 03:31 is the music of THE WEST, very clearly.

I can't carry It for you, but I can carry you, and It as well!

16.) The End of All Things

This is music for Mount Doom. Seriously, just look. 01:43 the RING HISTORY music puts in another appearance, and then at 01:53 Mount Doom is right back at it, as in the beginning of the track. This part is all about the destruction of the Ring, about Mordor and anger and death and power, most of all power.

03:37 is a cue I like, but it's out of sequence in the soundtrack, I'm almost entirely sure. Anyway, I would like to mention here something I remember in the ROTK music from the movie, only a tiny fragment of which actually made it onto the CD. As Frodo and Sam are carrying up the slopes of Mount Doom, a big, loud, triumphant choir sings the Fellowship theme, in an almost bombastic way. It's the one and only time a lyric has been attached to that particular piece of music, and I'm practically dying of curiosity to know what they're saying, though I'm tempted to guess that it might be part of this. On the soundtrack, it's at 03:37 that they start singing the FELLOWSHIP theme.

At 04:09, the Eagles have come. The lyrics are Sindarin, from Sam's point of view. "Is everything sad going to come untrue?"

17.) The Return of the King

00:25 is music very much related to that of the Shire, but it's diffrent now than it was in FOTR. It's kind of sideways related to ROTK track 2 "Hope and Memory," as well. 01:20 brings us the FELLOWSHIP theme, with a slightly different harmony than we're used to, but very coherently put (after all, 8 of 9 are now together again, which is really a startlingly good survival statistic). 01:48 is HOBBIT music, for that amazing silent scene as Sam enters the room, and there simply are no words.

02:44 is a horn solo statement of the GONDOR theme, and at 03:46 the King himself sings in Quenya:

Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!

"Out of the Great Sea to Middle-Earth I am come! In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world."

[These were the words of Elendil, from whom Aragorn is descended, upon coming to Middle-Earth from the destruction of Númenor.]

04:25, right after his "hymn," brings a statement of the FELLOWSHIP theme, and at 04:41 we hear the voice that we associate with ARWEN, singing -- surprise -- the same text Aragorn sings in the FOTR: EE from the Lay of Leithan, and the same thing that we hear when Frodo sees her in a vision en route to Rivendell. Aragorn's king *and* he gets the girl, look at that!

06:15 is a big, bold statement of the HOBBIT music over, "my friends, you bow to no-one." 06:45 brings a chord that's threatening to lead into the theme of The West, but then doesn't. 07:22 -- the HOBBIT theme, more simply again, back in a solo flute with very little accompaniment. It's still different than in FOTR, though, perhaps (I imagine) tinged with a sense of loss and of longing. The SHIRE music comes in around 8:25, again very different than you're used to hearing it (I think it's edged with sorrow, but then, I really dig the whole "bittersweet ending" thing). It's back in bounce somewhere around 09:20, though. Life in the Shire goes on much as it has this past Age.

18.) The Grey Havens

There's a lot of flute in this film. 00:32 brings a bit of HOBBIT theme into the mix, and at 00:51 we've got the FELLOWSHIP theme (for the last time on Middle-Earth, ever). 02:20 brings in hints of the theme that was in track 17 on FOTR and track 18 on TTT; yet again, at the end of the movie it really all comes down to Frodo and Sam.

03:24 signals a definite change. Even though at 03:34 we're hearing the music of the HOBBITS, the underlying structure belongs to THE WEST. There at 04:08 is the direct passage from the last non-song tracks of the last two films as well -- the Sam moment. 04:41 leads right into THE WEST.

19.) Into the West

At this point in the film, I'm generally sobbing, no matter how hard I try not to. Obviously, the chorus in this song is the theme for THE WEST, and all that entails. The text from this song is, in great part, out of the book, and for the record, I don't mind how the chorus is louder. I think it needs to be. I imagine a hobbit singing it that way to keep from crying, or having it symbolize the hobbit-power inherent in Frodo and Sam... blah. Whatever you imagine, I imagine it fits.

And that chord ("Into the West" is in good old-fashioned C major, btw, but I think there may be a modulation from the end of the song into the syrupy violin stuff) at 05:31, a sweet and simple triad, is the end, kiddies. The end of the whole huge thing.