“Rains of Castamere” is the most well-known piece of music in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” universe. The song recalls the account of how House Lannister decimated rival House Reyne of Castamere when they dared to rebel. In the years afterward, “Rains of Castamere” has been used to both praise House Lannister and strike fear into the hearts of their rivals.
Given the song’s rich history, its onscreen debut in “Game of Thrones” was highly anticipated by fans of the book series. But there was a catch: no one knew what the song’s actual melody would sound like.
Enter Ramin Djawadi, the “Game of Thrones” composer who expanded on Martin’s original “Rains of Castamere” masterwork.
During an interview with INSIDER, Djawadi discussed the song’s production and how showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss informed him of the upcoming challenge.
“They said ‘For season two we want you to start thinking about a new theme that will be very important down the line,'” Djawadi recalls. “Which of course was [‘Rains of Castamere’ in] the Red Wedding.”
Why is The Rains of Castamere song played at the Red Wedding?
The song was notably played at the opening of the Red Wedding, signaling the Freys’ allegiance with the Lannisters and signaling the start of the massacre.
