Earlier this season on Game of Thrones, Arya Stark came across a group of Lannister soldiers and she spared their lives. At least we think she spared them after hearing Ed Sheeran‘s soldier perform a song that she had never heard before: “Hands of Gold.” However, that song already existed within the world of George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, although the context was completely different. Now, musician Peter Hollens is sharing his extended cover of “Hands of Gold,” complete with GoT cosplay!
Even in the novels, the full lyrics of “Hands of Gold” aren’t known because Tyrion Lannister took some drastic actions. There are spoilers ahead for a subplot that never made it into the TV series. You’ve been warned!
“Hands of Gold” was written by Symon Silver Tongue, a singer who used the lyrics as creative way to blackmail Tyrion about his relationship with Shae. Even Tyrion later admitted that Symon was a talented songwriter and he even came to like the song. But Tyrion eventually had the man killed to end his constant attempts to extort more and more from him. In the end, Tyrion recited the lyrics he knew while killed Shae in his father’s bed, and afterwards, he was haunted by the song whenever he thought of Shae.
Without that context on the show, the natural inclination is to think that the “Hands of Gold” refers to Jaime Lannister, a man who infamously has a golden hand. If the lyrics are foreshadowing the future, it may give credence to the theory that Jaime will be the one who finally murders his sister, the mad queen Cersei.
Hollens has covered many Game of Thrones songs before, as well as other fan favorite movie, TV, and video game themes on his popular YouTube channel. Hopefully the series will give him more opportunities to cover music before it reaches the end of the seventh season on HBO.
What did you think about Hollens’ cover of “Hands of Gold”? Let us know in the comment section below!
Image: Peter Hollens
