The Rains of Castamere (Game of Thrones) - Dedicated to King Joffrey...

From Game of Thrones, the fantasy book series and the television series. This song is sung by the Lannisters, one of the pre-eminent royal houses of this fictional kingdom. In it, they are rich, arrogant and ruthless.

Interestingly, there are parallels with the real house of Lancaster who fought the War of the Roses in 15th century England. In that, the Lancasters fought the Yorks. In this fictional world, the Yorks resemble the Starks.

This song is a cautionary tale, sung from the point of view of Lord Reyne: the "proud lord". His hall was called Castamere. The Lannisters were the leige lords to the Reynes. In it, Lord Reyne taunts the Lannister's lord and says he will no longer pay homage to him, thinking him weak.

The coat of arms of both houses is a lion rampant and sinister. By which I mean up on their back paws and looking to the left. But the difference is the Lannister lion is gold and the Reyne one red. So Lord Reyne says that his cat's claws are just as sharp, and one cat is as good as another.

Big mistake. The Lannisters wiped out the Reynes. So now it rains over their hall, but all the Reynes are gone. A pun of course. But with a sinister message. Don't cross the Lannisters.

In the books and television series, the song is sung at crucial moments. It is played just before a large number of the Stark clan are murdered at a wedding. The lord of that hall Lord Frey was bribed to turn on the Starks.

By killing them after they had eaten in his hall was a serious taboo. The Guest Right is very important. I feel it will not auger well for the Freys or the Lannisters.

The Sigur Rós version is interesting...


Dm

And who are you, the proud lord said,
C
that I must bow so low?
F
Only a cat of a different coat,
       Gm A7
that's all the truth I know.
Dm
In a coat of gold or a coat of red,
C
a lion still has claws,
F
And mine are long and sharp, my lord,
    Gm Dm
as long and sharp as yours
      Dm                  Am
And so he spoke, and so he spoke,
      Dm             Am
that lord of Castamere,
       Bb Gm
But now the rains weep o'er his hall,
       Bb       A7     Dm
with no one there to hear.
       Bb Gm
Yes now the rains weep o'er his hall,
      Bb     A7      Dm
and not a soul to hear.

Sing twice, slow then fast. Or the other way around if that takes your fancy.