Game of Thrones
Peter Hollens Lyrics

Now there once was a time when the northerners sang
In the past, the people of the North used to celebrate and rejoice

of a king they had crowned: more a boy than a man
They had chosen a young and inexperienced king to lead them

More a pup than a wolf, with the cold of the realm in his eyes
He seemed weak and vulnerable, but there was a hint of determination in his gaze

He’d broken a vow to the lords of the Twins
He had betrayed his promise to the lords of the Twins

Wed a stranger, a beauty, but a promise there’d been
He had married someone unfamiliar, someone beautiful, but there had been an agreement

So the Lord Frey demanded a bridegroom as compromise
Lord Frey decided that the king should compensate by giving him a bridegroom

And the timbers groaned
The structures around them seemed to strain and creak

River wind softly moaned
The gentle breeze by the river whispered with sadness

“Oh, the King in the North doesn’t know How a red wedding goes”
They remarked that the King in the North was unaware of the horrors of a red wedding

Well, the feasting was plenty and the singing in tune
The celebration was filled with abundant food and melodious singing

And the Stark wolves, they howled ‘neath their northern moon
The wolves of House Stark cried out under the moonlit sky

So loud were their cries that the closing of doors was drowned out
Their howls were so intense that they masked the sound of doors being closed

Lady Catelyn alone had the river’s sharp ear
Lady Catelyn Stark was the only one who keenly listened to the river's secrets

Heard dancing reels turn to the Rains of Castamere
She noticed the transition from joyful dancing music to the haunting song 'The Rains of Castamere'

In her skin and bones growled a creature of doubt
She felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and fear

And the timbers groaned
The structures continued to creak and strain

River wind softly moaned
The river wind whispered mournfully

“Oh, the King in the North soon will know How a red wedding goes”
They predicted that the King in the North would soon experience the horrors of a red wedding

There were arrows and daggers, and the touch of them burned
The attackers used arrows and daggers, and their mere touch caused excruciating pain

From players to slayers in an instant were turned
Within seconds, those who seemed harmless turned into ruthless killers

And the foreigner Queen was the first to fall under the knife
The queen who was not from their land was the first to be brutally murdered

With two arrows in him, the King crawled to her side
Despite being wounded by two arrows, the king crawled towards his fallen queen

While his mother, she pleaded for the Lord to subside
His mother desperately begged the Lord to stop the bloodshed

But he’d taken their word, and to break it meant no right to life
However, the Lord had made a pact and breaking it meant facing death

And the timbers groaned
The structures continued to strain

River wind softly moaned
The river wind whispered mournfully

“Oh, the King in the North, now he knows How a red wedding goes”
They acknowledged that the King in the North had finally experienced the horrors of a red wedding

Lord Bolton approached; with a thrust to Robb’s heart
Lord Bolton walked towards Robb and fatally stabbed him in the heart

He gave him the Lannister Lions’ regards
Lord Bolton delivered the message of the Lannister family's vengeance

And the king’s mother wept, for his last word had called her to him
The king's mother cried as his final words beckoned her to be by his side

There was nothing she felt cutting Lady Frey’s throat
She felt no remorse as she slit Lady Frey's throat

And she felt nothing more when they slashed her own
She remained emotionless as they inflicted the same fate upon her

The North will remember, she thought, and they’ll have all your skins
She believed that the North would not forget this massacre and seek vengeance against the perpetrators

And the timbers groaned
The structures continued to strain and creak

Now the wolves lie below
The wolves, symbolic of House Stark, now lay in death

Oh, the King in the North, if he’d known How a red wedding goes
They reflected on how the King in the North would have acted differently if he had known the horrors of a red wedding

And the timbers groan
The structures continue to groan and strain

But the North waits; they know
However, the people of the North are patiently waiting, aware of what has occurred

That one day the blood they are owed Will run ‘neath their soles
They believe that one day, the blood that is owed for this tragedy will be avenged and flow beneath their feet