The secret meaning of Ed Sheeran's Game of Thrones character - and the song he sings
Chart-topper Ed Sheeran finally made his Game of Thrones cameo in the show's season seven premiere on Sunday night after months of hints about what the singer might do in the American fantasy series.
Not unsurprisingly, he was singing. Sheeran joins lesser-known artists such as Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, Sigur Rós and Mastodon in appearing – and performing – in Westeros.
Some die-hard fans, such as those on the Game of Thrones Reddit forum, didn't even recognise Sheeran.
Others delighted in the Shape of You's presence in the show, especially in such proximity to Arya actress Maisie Williams, who inspired the show's creators, DB Weiss and Daniel Benioff, to cast him as a surprise for her some years ago. But whatever viewers made of Sheeran's new role, it's worth looking beyond the novelty of his appearance and taking note of the song he was singing.
Hands of Gold is a song that appeared in the books that inspired the Game of Thrones television adaptation. Author George RR Martin wrote down the lyrics in A Storm of Swords, the third novel in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The song was written by Symon Silver Tongue, a performer and songwriter who knew about Tyrion Lannister's illicit tryst with prostitute Shae.
Symon used Hands of Gold to blackmail Tyrion – there are lyrics that can make his secret relationship public, and potentially get him killed by his sister Cersei – although the plan backfires, and the youngest Lannister sibling has him killed.
As viewers of the show will know, things didn't end well for Shae, either: Tyrion kills her at the end of season three after finding her in bed with his father. He even contemplates Symon's refrain after strangling her with a gold chain. But the audience never met Symon on screen, and Sunday's episode was the first time they heard Hands of Gold.
Chart-topper Ed Sheeran finally made his Game of Thrones cameo in the show's season seven premiere on Sunday night after months of hints about what the singer might do in the American fantasy series.Not unsurprisingly, he was singing. Sheeran joins lesser-known artists such as Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, Sigur Rós and Mastodon in appearing – and performing – in Westeros.
Some die-hard fans, such as those on the Game of Thrones Reddit forum, didn't even recognise Sheeran.
Others delighted in the Shape of You's presence in the show, especially in such proximity to Arya actress Maisie Williams, who inspired the show's creators, DB Weiss and Daniel Benioff, to cast him as a surprise for her some years ago. But whatever viewers made of Sheeran's new role, it's worth looking beyond the novelty of his appearance and taking note of the song he was singing.
Hands of Gold is a song that appeared in the books that inspired the Game of Thrones television adaptation. Author George RR Martin wrote down the lyrics in A Storm of Swords, the third novel in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The song was written by Symon Silver Tongue, a performer and songwriter who knew about Tyrion Lannister's illicit tryst with prostitute Shae.
Symon used Hands of Gold to blackmail Tyrion – there are lyrics that can make his secret relationship public, and potentially get him killed by his sister Cersei – although the plan backfires, and the youngest Lannister sibling has him killed.
As viewers of the show will know, things didn't end well for Shae, either: Tyrion kills her at the end of season three after finding her in bed with his father. He even contemplates Symon's refrain after strangling her with a gold chain. But the audience never met Symon on screen, and Sunday's episode was the first time they heard Hands of Gold.
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