Pray (Matthew Bellamy song)

Matthew Bellamy Song
Name	Pray
Album/single	For The Throne (14) » Cryosleep (alternative version) (5)
Length	3:54
Alternative titles	Pray (High Valyrian)
First live performance	22nd February 2019
Latest live performance	15th October 2019
Recorded	2018/19
Writer/composer	Matthew Bellamy, David Benioff, Daniel Brett Weiss
Producer	Matthew Bellamy, Sebastien Najand, Aleks Von Korff, Ricky Reed

Matthew Bellamy Song Nav
The International - End Title	<	Pray	>	Tomorrow's World

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Information

A cinematic orchestral piece written by Bellamy for Game of Thrones. The song was released on April 26th, 2019.

The song's instrumentation contains a full orchestra, complete with a string section, choir, with piano playing the main motif, all layered with a strong bass synth, similar to the one at the end of The Void, following the piano melody. Alongside Bellamy's English singing, Pray also includes spoken word, part of Game of Thrones series' character, Melisandre's, "Jon Snow's Prayer" (performed by actress Carice van Houten), written in High Valyrian, a fictional language from the series, hence the song's longer title. The song was also compared to We Are The Universe, an intro piece used during the indoor shows of The Resistance Tour.

Additional information

According to official credits, the song was co-composed by Game of Thrones TV Series creators Dan Weiss and David Benioff. The song was co-produced, mixed and mastered by Sebastian Najand, who previously produced an alternate reality version of Algorithm for Simulation Theory, together with Aleks Von Korff. Additionally, the song was engineered by Adam Hawkins, who did engineering and mixing on Simulation Theory aswell.

(The following sentence contains spoilers) As with all the songs on the For The Throne compilation album, having easter eggs/clues to the last season of Game of Thrones, the lyrics and the addition of the spoken word are likely referencing Daenerys’s death.

Cryosleep version

Announced by Bellamy in April of 2021 a limited-edition picture disc/EP, titled Cryosleep was released later in that year, serving as a compilation of his own solo work. The EP also contains a rendition of Pray without Game of Thrones vocals, similar to the live version. The EP was released on July 16th, 2021, as part of Record Store Day, and featured a 12" disc with a music booklet.

Live

Matt thought the song'd fit well in the Simulation Theory Tour setlist, as an interlude to The Dark Side. Live performances featured its shortened version (last verse and no spoken word), with Chris and Dom playing concert bass drums alongside an orchestral track with Bellamy's pre-recorded vocals. A slightly different, more synthey version of the song was used on the Simulation Theory Film.

Pray maade its live debut on the first show of the tour, in Houston, Texas, and was performed regularily throughout that year up until the tour finished, as an intro to The Dark Side. You can see more info here.

Lyrics

Intro (Spoken word in Valyrian): Zyhys oñoso jehikagon Aeksiot epi

Chorus: We will pray Pray with me We can bring her back Pray, remember me

Verse (Spoken word): Zyhys perzys stepagon Aeksio Oño jorepi, se morghultas lys qelitsos sikagon. Hen syndrorro, oños. Hen perzys, hen ñuqir, perzys. Hen syndrorro, oños. Hen ñuqir, perzys. Hen morghot, glaeson.

Chorus: We will pray Pray with, with me We can bring her back Pray, pray Pray with me

Outro (Spoken word): Hen ñuqir, perzys. Hen syndrorro, oños. Hen morghot, glaeson. Please.

Translated from Valyrian:

Intro: We ask the Lord to shine his light

Chorus: We will pray Pray with me We can bring her back Pray, remember me

Verse: We beg the Lord to share his fire, and light a candle that has gone out. From darkness, light. From ashes, fire. From death, life.

Chorus: We will pray Pray with, with me We can bring her back Pray, pray Pray with me

Outro: From ashes, fire. From death, life. Please.