Game of Thrones: Season 1 (soundtrack)

Game of Thrones
Soundtrack album by Ramin Djawadi
Released June 14, 2011 (2011-06-14)
Genre Soundtrack
Length 66:00
Label Varèse Sarabande
Producer Ramin Djawadi
Game of Thrones music chronology
Game of Thrones: Season 1
(2011)		 Game of Thrones: Season 2
(2012)
Ramin Djawadi soundtrack chronology
Medal of Honor
(2010)		 Game of Thrones: Season 1
(2011)		 Fright Night
(2011)

Game of Thrones: Season 1 is the soundtrack album for the first season of HBO series Game of Thrones. It was released on June 14, 2011 for digital download and on CD and was composed by Ramin Djawadi.

Production and release

The soundtrack to Game of Thrones was originally to be composed by Stephen Warbeck. On February 2, 2011, only ten weeks prior to the show's premiere, it was reported that Warbeck had left the project and Ramin Djawadi had been commissioned to write the music instead.[1] The music supervisor of Game Of Thrones Evyen Klean first suggested Djawadi to Benioff and Weiss as the replacement for Warbeck, and although Djawadi was reluctant as he had other commitments at that time, they managed to persuade Djawadi to accept the project.[2]

To give the series its own distinctive musical identity, according to Djawadi, the producers asked him not to use musical elements such as flutes or solo vocals that had already been successfully used by other major fantasy productions. He mentioned that a challenge in scoring the series was its reliance on dialogue and its sprawling cast: on several occasions already-scored music had to be omitted so as not to get in the way of dialogue.[3]

Djawadi said that he was inspired to write the main title music by an early version of the series's computer-animated title sequence. The theme would be repeated all through the series, particularly at important scenes.[3] Many of the recordings were done by solo musicians, while the larger pieces are recorded with a full orchestra and a choir in Prague. The recordings were done with Djawadi communicating with the musicians in Prague over the internet.[4]

The album was made available for download on iTunes on June 14, 2011, together with a "digital booklet". It was released on CD on June 28, 2011, 41 days after the show's premiere.

Reception

Richard Buxton of Tracksounds wrote an ambivalent review, calling the album a "valiant effort" and Djawadi's "most consistently satisfying work to date".[5] The soundtrack also received a score of 4.5/5 from Heather Phares of AllMusic.[6]

Track listing

No. TitleKey scenes/Notes Length
1. "Main Title"  Used in the opening sequence 1:46
2. "North of the Wall"  "Winter Is Coming": when the three men of the Night's Watch encounter the White Walkers north of the Wall. "The Pointy End": during the burning of the wights. "Oathkeeper": one of Craster's wives tells Karl about the sacrifices Craster made to the White Walkers of his sons, and later as the White Walker takes Crasters' last boy to an altar where he is turned into a White Walker. Contains the melody later used as the White Walkers' theme (White Walkers). 3:48
3. "Goodbye Brother"  House Stark's theme. "The Kingsroad": Jon Snow says goodbye to an unconscious Bran and Ned farewells Catelyn and Bran. "Baelor": heard during the end credits after the trial of Eddard Stark outside the sept of Baelor. "High Sparrow": Arya cannot bring herself discard Needle. "Mother's Mercy": Jon Snow sinks to his knees after having been stabbed by several members of the Night's Watch including Ser Alliser Thorne, Olly approaches and deals the final blow, and Jon falls to the ground, bleeding out and seemingly dead. 3:07
4. "The Kingsroad"  "The Kingsroad": Ned farewells Jon Snow as he rides to join the Night's Watch. "Lord Snow": as Ned, Arya, Sansa and the royal court arrive to King's Landing. "Baelor": Robb and his men return with a captive Jaime Lannister. "Two Swords": a modified version appears after Arya and the Hound emerge victorious from the inn. Contains hints of the Main Theme. 2:06
5. "The King's Arrival"  House Baratheon's theme. "Winter Is Coming": Robert Baratheon and the royal court arrive to Winterfell. A shorter version is used on the main menu of Season 1's DVD/Blu-ray release. 3:34
6. "Love in the Eyes"  Daenerys Targaryen's theme. "The Kingsroad": as Doreah teaches Daenerys how to please Khal Drogo and as they have sexual intercourse. The title comes from Doreah's line "Love comes in the eyes". 4:00
7. "A Raven from King's Landing"  "Winter Is Coming": Catelyn tells Ned about Jon Arryn's death. "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things", "A Golden Crown" and "Fire and Blood": during Bran's dream of the three-eyed raven. "The Climb": Jojen Reed has a green dream. The title comes from Catelyn's line "There was a raven from King's Landing". Contains the melody later used as Petyr Baelish's theme ("Chaos Is a Ladder"). 1:16
8. "The Wall"  The Night's Watch theme. "Lord Snow": as Jon goes to the top of the Wall. "You Win or You Die": when the future men of the Night's Watch are given their assignments and Jon is sent to the stewards. "Fire and Blood": Grenn, Pyp and Sam recite the oath of the Night's Watch to bring Jon back to Castle Black. 1:59
9. "Things I Do for Love"  "Winter Is Coming": Bran sees Jaime and Cersei Lannister having sexual intercourse, so Jaime throws him from a window. The title comes from Jaime's line before he pushes Bran from the tower. 1:52
10. "A Golden Crown"  Viserys Targaryen's theme. "Winter Is Coming": the first scene of Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen at Illyrio Mopatis' house. "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things": as Viserys and Doreah talk about dragons. "A Man Without Honor": Arya and Tywin talk about Aegon Targaryen, his sisters and their invasion. 1:38
11. "Winter Is Coming"  "The Kingsroad": Ned kills Lady and Bran awakens. Contains the melody of the House Stark theme ("Goodbye Brother"). The title comes from the words of House Stark. 2:42
12. "A Bird Without Feathers"  "The Kingsroad": Cersei tells Catelyn about her first son, who died at childbirth. The title comes from Cersei's line regarding her son. Begins with a variation on the Stark theme, and transitions into melody later used as Petyr Baelish's theme ("Chaos Is a Ladder"). 2:02
13. "Await the King's Justice"  "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things": Catelyn arrests Tyrion Lannister for conspiring to murder Bran. The title comes from Catelyn's line "I call upon you to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell, to await the King's Justice". "Mockingbird": Plays during the end credits, directly after Petyr Baelish pushes Lysa Arryn out the Moon Door. Contains the melody later used as Petyr Baelish's theme ("Chaos Is a Ladder"). 2:00
14. "You'll Be Queen One Day"  "A Golden Crown": Joffrey asks for Sansa's forgiveness, gives her a necklace and they kiss. Contains the melody of the Baratheon theme. 1:36
15. "The Assassin's Dagger"  "The Kingsroad": Catelyn fights against the assassin sent for Bran. 1:19
16. "To Vaes Dothrak"  "The Kingsroad": as Khal Drogo's khalasar rides towards Vaes Dothrak. "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things": as Drogo's khalasar enter Vaes Dothrak."Mother's Mercy": an aggressive rearrangement plays when Daenerys is found and surrounded by a Dothraki horde. "The Red Woman": another rearrangement plays when Daenerys walks as a prisoner of the Dothraki through the Dothraki Sea. "Oathbreaker": a triumphant rearrangement plays when Daenerys and the Dothraki horde arrive at Vaes Dothrak. 1:29
17. "Jon's Honor"  "Fire and Blood": Jon attempts to escape the Night's Watch. Contains part of the melody of the Main Theme. 2:35
18. "Black of Hair"  "A Golden Crown": Ned deduces that Joffrey Baratheon is not Robert's son. Contains a melody associated with Catelyn Stark and later with Brienne of Tarth ("The Old Gods and the New"). Also contains the melody later used as Petyr Baelish's theme ("Chaos Is a Ladder"). 1:40
19. "You Win or You Die"  Joffrey Baratheon's theme. "You Win or You Die": Joffrey proclaims himself king. "The Pointy End": Joffrey tells Sansa that Ned must confess to treason or there will be no mercy for him. "Fire and Blood": after Ned Stark has been decapitated under orders of King Joffrey. Also as Joffrey shows Sansa the heads of Ned and the Stark bannermen. "Garden of Bones": Joffrey has Sansa beaten by Ser Meryn, and also as he has tortured the prostitutes sent by Tyrion. "Dark Wings, Dark Words": Sansa reveals to Margaery and Olenna Tyrell that Joffrey is a monster. "And Now His Watch Is Ended": Margaery and Joffrey address the multitude at King's Landing. "Second Sons": Joffrey threatens to rape Sansa after Tyrion passes out. Contains the melody of the House Baratheon theme ("The King's Arrival"). The title comes from Cersei Lannister's famous line "When you play the game of thrones you win or you die, there is no middle ground". 1:57
20. "Small Pack of Wolves"  "The Wolf and the Lion": during Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark's fight. The title comes from Jaime Lannister's line "What a small pack of wolves". Contains the melody later used as Petyr Baelish's theme ("Chaos Is a Ladder"). 1:57
21. "Game of Thrones"  A variation on the Main Theme. Used in the credits in many episodes. The title comes from Cersei Lannister's famous line "When you play the game of thrones you win or you die, there is no middle ground." 1:18
22. "Kill Them All"  "Fire and Blood": Maester Luwin receives news of Ned's death, Catelyn mourns over Ned, and she comforts Robb. "Valar Morghulis": Bran, Rickon, Osha and Hodor discover Winterfell burnt and destroyed. Contains the melody of the House Stark theme and part of the Main Theme. 2:35
23. "The Pointy End"  "Lord Snow": during Arya's first lesson with her "dancing master" Syrio Forel. The title comes from Arya's line "Stick them with the pointy end". Contains the melody of "Things I Do for Love". 3:16
24. "Victory Does Not Make Us Conquerors"  "Baelor": Robb tells his troops that the war is far from over. Contains the melody of the House Stark theme ("Goodbye Brother") and the Main Theme. The title comes from Robb's line "One victory does not make us conquerors". 1:35
25. "When the Sun Rises in the West"  "Fire and Blood": Daenerys smothers the catatonic Drogo. The title comes from Mirri Maz Duur's line "When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, when the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves". Contains the melody of the Daenerys Targaryen theme ("Love in the Eyes"). 2:40
26. "King of the North"  "Fire and Blood": Robb Stark is proclaimed King in the North by the high lords of the North. Contains the melody of the House Stark theme ("Goodbye Brother"). This track is incorrectly titled King of the North, when the actual title given to Robb Stark is King in the North. 1:28
27. "The Night's Watch"  "Fire and Blood": Lord Commander Mormont tells Jon Snow that he intends to march North of the Wall, and the subsequent marching. Contains part of the melody of the Main Theme and the melody that would later be used as the White Walkers' theme ("White Walkers"). 1:44
28. "Fire and Blood"  "Fire and Blood": the funeral pyre of Khal Drogo, Mirri Maz Duur is burnt in it and Daenerys walks into the flames. Contains the melody of the Daenerys Targaryen theme (Love in the Eyes). The title comes from the words of House Targaryen. 4:30
29. "Finale"  "Fire and Blood": Daenerys appears alive and unharmed by the flames with the three dragons which have hatched from the dragon's eggs in Drogo's pyre. "The Old Gods and the New": a variation sounds during the credits. Contains the melody of the Daenerys Targaryen theme ("Love in the Eyes") and the Main Theme. 2:31

Credits and personnel

Personnel adapted from the album liner notes.[6]

  • David Benioff – liner notes
  • Brandon Campbell – technical score advisor
  • Ramin Djawadi – composer, primary artist, producer
  • Patricia Sullivan Fourstar – mastering
  • Evyen J. Klean – music supervisor
  • Dave Klotz – music editor
  • Robin Quinn – music editor
  • Bobby Tahouri – additional music
  • Robert Townson – executive producer
  • D.B. Weiss – liner notes

Behind the scenes
Game of Thrones' main title theme
Sample of "Main Title", the series's musical theme tune, illustrating the melody played with cello and variations of the riff in strings
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Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 157
US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[8] 17

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2011 International Film Music Critics Association Best Original Score for a Television Series Nominated [9]
Online Film & Television Association Award Best Music in a Series Won [10]
Best New Theme Song in a Series Won

References

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