| "Jenny of Oldstones" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byFlorence and the Machine | ||||
| from the albumGame of Thrones: Season 8 | ||||
| Released | 22 April 2019 (2019-04-22) | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Length | 3:09 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers | ||||
| Florence and the Machine singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Lyric video | ||||
| "Jenny of Oldstones" onYouTube | ||||
"Jenny of Oldstones", alternatively titled "My Jenny's Song", is asong appearing in theHBOepic fantasytelevision seriesGame of Thrones. It was included in two separate parts in the second episode of the series'eighth season, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms". In the first instance of the song, it was performed during the episode by characterPodrick Payne, portrayed by Scottish actorDaniel Portman. The song then played during the episode's end credits, performed by Englishindie rock bandFlorence and the Machine.[1][2] Florence and the Machine released the song as a single the day after the episode aired, on 22 April 2019.[3] The song was released by HBO and record labelUniversal Music Group.
"Jenny of Oldstones" is an adaptation of a fictionalfolk song mentioned inGeorge R. R. Martin's fantasy novel seriesA Song of Ice and Fire, on whichGame of Thrones is based. In the third novel in the series,A Storm of Swords, a mysterious elderlywoods witch nicknamed "the Ghost of High Heart" asks the singer Tom of Sevenstreams to perform "my Jenny's song" as payment for her prophecies. Only one line of the song, "High in the halls of the kings who are gone, Jenny would dance with her ghosts", is quoted in the novel series, appearing in theepilogue chapter ofA Storm of Swords.
In the fictional history ofA Song of Ice and Fire, the titular Jenny of Oldstones was a peasant girl whom the prince Duncan Targaryen gave up hisinheritance to marry.[4]
The television version of the song is afolkballad with influences ofCeltic music. The song was written by Iranian-German composerRamin Djawadi, who composed all themusic forGame of Thrones; and screenwritersD. B. Weiss andDavid Benioff, who added morelyrics to the fragment written by Martin inA Storm of Swords. Florence and the Machine's recording of it was produced by American musicianDoveman and Florence and the Machine frontwomanFlorence Welch. Weiss and Benioff reportedly approached Welch in 2012 to record the song "The Rains of Castamere", although she had turned down their request. Following the release of "Jenny of Oldstones", Welch stated in an interview withThe New York Times that this was during her "wild years", when she was "less focused".[5][1]
In the episode "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", thestudio version of the song by Welch was played over theclosing credits. The song was however first heard from the characterPodrick Payne (played byDaniel Portman), who sang a verse in a sequence reminiscent of the scene inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King whenPippin sang "The Edge of Night" before the battle ofMinas Tirith.[6][7] The version sung by Portman is simplified in its harmonies, while the version by Welch is close to how Djawadi originally wrote it with more chord changes.[8]
"Jenny of Oldstones" debuted at number 75 in the UK and 64 in Ireland.[9][10] It was the seventh best-selling digital song the week it was released in the United States.[11] In Belgium, the song did not enter theUltratop 50 or Ultratip 50, but did appear on the Flemish extra tips chart.[12]
Credits adapted fromYouTube, provided byUniversal Music Group.[13]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
