Harmonizing History
The Musical Magic of 'Reign' and 'Scotland'
Greetings everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog where twice a week we will get to embark on a new adventure through history together.
As you know we usually tend to make articles about the history surrounding the timeline of what our lore is set in, real history of real people, people who went down in the books for doing something unforgettable even to this day. However, this time we bring to you something new, a blog about the show this site was primarily based on - 'Reign'. And those who have watched it know about it's songs too. We're here to discuss about one of them - Scotland by the Lumineers.
Scotland, through its lyrics, is a powerful, evocative track invoking both longing and resilience. The Lumineers' cinched, emotional vocal work over an insistent sort of rhythm leads to its awesome folk-rock style. The effect is urgent, full of determination within a pounding rhythm. The lyrics themselves of the song speak on infuriation themes driven with an open-hearted demand, which, in a way, goes along with the historical context of Mary, Queen of Scots. The instrumentation on it is anthemic, ideal for the song and the perfect backdrop for a story full of political intrigue and bursting with personal turmoil.
"Reign" is a historical drama TV series that spurts up about the early years of Mary, Queen of Scots. The life and political machinations of 16th-century European courts, Mary's rise to power, and her complicated relationships. The intermixture and juxtaposition of historical facts and fictionalized stories form a very intriguing and interesting plot that pleases most fans of history and drama genres. The themes of power, loyalty, and betrayal have overall emphasis, which is seen through the challenges presented to Mary, a young queen in a world of men.
The selection for "Reign" being the theme song on The Lumineers' album Scotland would be an active choice of the show's producers and music supervisors due to looking for music that would fit well in between the tone and atmosphere set by the series. Music from The Lumineers is deep with emotional depth and anthemic quality, so that it totally suits the dramatic narrative in the show. The song hints at difficulties and overcoming obstacles, something parallel to Mary, Queen of Scots' story, so the choice is quite appropriate for the situation. As a rule, the processes of song selection take place unnoticed; most of the time, they are the result of careful thought about the line of emotion of the song and its place in the show.
There have been a number of other songs that could have served as the theme song for "Reign" with each bringing a different nuance to the show's opening. Some of the most popular include songs such as "Ho Hey," which hold a similar folk-rock signature with strong emotional intensity. Other possibilities could be "Take Me to Church" by Hozier, where the vocal power with a haunting melody would work in giving an opening theme that is dramatic and highly intense, reflective of the show's darker elements. Another great possibility is "Demons" by Imagine Dragons, where they talk about inner struggles and personal demons—great themes of the show that contribute to internal and external conflict. Basically, every song has an emotional weight and intensity that would make the perfect backdrop for the historical drama of "Reign."
Lyrics:
They all need something to hold on to
They all mean well
Pay your respects to society giving me hell
You could never feel my story
It's all you know
You could never feel my story
It's all you know
May your dreams come to reality
If all else fails
Give up, we needed the company
Let's drink to your health
You could never feel my story
It's all you know
You could never feel my story
It's all you know
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, I will not fold
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, she's in control
Of everything
Of everything and everyone
Ooh-ooh, ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh
I will not fold
She's in control
I will not fold
No, never
I will not fold
She's in control
I will not fold
No, never
Fancy writing a blog of your own? The storytellers team is looking for new team members, if you are interested in writing blogs like this one please fill out an application and send it to Georgia Clearless.
