Finally! A tune to Rains of Castamere

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

So, if you've watched episode 9, we now have an actual musical (sanctioned) rendition of Rains of Castamere.

Here is the one from the credits:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc_07tbSXBI

What did you think? Did you like it? Hate it?

[juleska]

I don't hate it....it's just not what I pictured. I always imagined this tune a bit jaunty, sort of upbeat and causing the listener to get sucked into the playful tune without paying attention to the lyrics. Maybe I'm totally off base....

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

Originally Posted by juleska

I don't hate it....it's just not what I pictured. I always imagined this tune a bit jaunty, sort of upbeat and causing the listener to get sucked into the playful tune without paying attention to the lyrics. Maybe I'm totally off base....

You should like the Bear and Maiden Fair, then

I, for one, love it. I mean, it should be a song that conveys the feeling of "Aw hell, now the excrement has hit the air conditioning unit"

[Boaz]

Bronn was featured prominently.

The theme of the evening was grim.... and remember, this was the only episode in Season Two that GRRM wrote... so I wonder if he purposely toned the song down or if it was Benioff and crew.

Edit: Wait. I thought the song in the credits was the bard's song... "the hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's touch is warm".... or however it goes. It was hard to hear because everyone immediately started talking and voicing their opinions of the episode. I watch the show with a regular group. Lots of fun, but loud.

[Clansman]

I'm with Boaz, that it is indeed to be a solemn tune, about the folly of Castamere's pride in the face of Lannister determination. I don't think it should be jaunty, but it could be.

A tune can be solemn, and played more quickly to make the meaning more intense, and the feeling slightly less gravid (think of Ring Around the Rosie: "Ashes, ashes, we all fall down" (read: died)). Another much more recent example: take the difference between Billy Jean as sung by Michael Jackson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y) and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden/Audioslave fame (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0uWF-37DAM). The first is a dance song, with tragic lyrics that you can't quite grasp, and the second is a soulful, deep tragedy, similar to way that the Rains of Castamere is sung in the link in the first post of this thread. I posted this example because the song is fairly well known to anyone alive for the last 35 years, or even less, and the two renditions are very, very different.

I think that Cornell sang it the way it should have been sung. Michael Jackson never had the gravity (or life experience?) to really pull the full emotions out of those lyrics. Cornell brings the full measure of pain and anguish into his voice, and you really FEEL it. Never felt it with MJ, except that I knew the song was sort of serious.

Rains of Castamere is great the way it was done.

[Tywin]

I loved it, and I loved that they sung it as a drinking song first. Really brought it home with the singing again during the credits after Tywin entered the throne room.

It did bother me a little though that there wasn't enough of a build up for a casual reader/watcher to understand what that song is or what it represents. When my wife watches on DVR I'll have to explain what the hell is going on.

[juleska]

Okay if they sang it as a drinking song first, that's the version I want to hear. I always pictured this song performed in a kind of playful, "he sure got his" sort of way. But as I said before, it may be that I am just off the mark.

[ArstenWhitebeard]

I'm a bit inclined to agree with Juleska that, when reading the books, I always pictured it as a kind of jaunty, playful song (despite it's subject matter) that kind of made fun of not only the Reins, but the lannisters as well. I seem to remember Tywin hating it, but he hated everything. So I was really happy when it made its first appearence as a drinking song.

But then I was even happier when it was playing during the ending credits. I think both versions do it justice. I think Clansman is on the money with his interpretation. In any case, it was Awesome!

[Clansman]

Youtube took the video down.

Bummer.

[Clansman]

Here is a new link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn2l2_v6Ur8

There is this one that pre-dates the series, and is not bad, if a little dated in style. Apparently it was approved by GRRM himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0xu7P-zzsk

[C Of K]

Originally Posted by Tywin

It did bother me a little though that there wasn't enough of a build up for a casual reader/watcher to understand what that song is or what it represents. When my wife watches on DVR I'll have to explain what the hell is going on.

Seconded. I'm glad they put the song in an episode, but the meaning and any significance of it is lost on those who haven't read the books. Watched it with my brother, but I didn't bother to explain. He'll have to read and find out.

[Peeves]

Well the one that pre-dates the series is definitely the better version.

[juleska]

Originally Posted by ArstenWhitebeard

I'm a bit inclined to agree with Juleska that, when reading the books, I always pictured it as a kind of jaunty, playful song (despite it's subject matter) that kind of made fun of not only the Reins, but the lannisters as well. I seem to remember Tywin hating it, but he hated everything. So I was really happy when it made its first appearence as a drinking song.

But then I was even happier when it was playing during the ending credits. I think both versions do it justice. I think Clansman is on the money with his interpretation. In any case, it was Awesome!

It seems you and I often agree. Likewise I also recall Tywin hating it, and although I didn't make that connection before it would then make sense why I imagined it as a jaunty tune. If it was a somber tune about the Lannisters prevailing over another lord and crushing his enemy, then Tywin would have every reason to love it.

[zmorgas]

Hmmm... I really can't believe that You imagined this as a jaunty tune. If my memory serves me correctly, the song was introduced at the Red Wedding. Personally, reading those couple of pages took me forever and the song really made it extraordinary. It was perfect for the event, I would have actually preferred that the song was made particularly for Robb because it just fit into the situation perfectly.

When I was writing this, #InappropriateWeddingSongs was trending on twitter... Rains of Castamere should have really been suggested

[Boaz]

I don't know if Lord Tywin would give a fig about the tune itself. He'd care about the message that the tune and words create. "A Lannister always pays his debts" is about creating fear among everyone who does business with Lord Tywin and his descendents.