Netflix's new historical drama series The Crown has a theme song worthy of a show about royals. In the opening credits of the series, which debuted Nov. 4, a haunting orchestral tune plays over a montage of artistic shots that eventually come together to create a brass crown and a chandelier. The segment, which is credited to master composer Hans Zimmer, is reminiscent of Game of Thrones in its design, despite the fact that Game of Thrones employs a much more boisterous tune to start its episodes.
Zimmer, a composer from Germany, has scored some of the most recognizable movies including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Inception, Hannibal, and A League Of Their Own — and that's just the tip of the iceberg for the composer, who has also assisted musically on numerous movies and television shows. While the soundtrack for The Crown is currently available for pre-order ahead of its Nov. 4 debut, there's also a track list and some samples up on Zimmer's website (minus the opening). Zimmer is only responsible for the theme music of The Crown, however. The rest of the original music is composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams, who is best known for his work on The Legend of Tarzan and Bee Movie.
- The Olive wreath also known as kotinos (Greek: κότινος), was the prize for the winner at the ancient Olympic Games.It was a branch of the wild olive tree Kallistefanos Elea (also referred to as Elaia Kallistephanos) that grew at Olympia, intertwined to form a circle or a horse-shoe. The branches of the sacred wild-olive tree near the temple of Zeus were cut by a pais amphithales.
- ‘Giant crowned pigeons, small wallaby kangaroos, cassowary birds, tree kangaroos, and wild boars are abundant within an hour's walk of the village.’ ‘There was a large enclosure near the parking area that contained a pair of Eclectus Parrots, a pair of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, and several crowned pigeons.’.
(en noun) One of several birds of the family Columbidae, which consists of more than 300 species. (slang) A person who is a target or victim of a confidence game.
The theme song for The Crown reminds us of the show's regal nature, as well as the high stakes that the show will employ for its players (symbolized by the sharp brass imagery and twisted, intricate details of the crown itself.) Much like Game of Thrones, it introduces us to the world of royalty and danger by using less visuals and allowing us to focus more on the music itself in terms of telling the story.
Another historical drama that The Crown shares its musical roots with, in a way, is The Tudors, which aired on Showtime from 2007-2010. Although the opening visuals are more overt, the theme that plays over the images of King Henry VIII is powerful and intense, indicating danger and royalty are to be expected.
It'll be interesting to see if The Crown keeps its opening as it continues through its seasons, or if it changes slightly, like the way Game of Thrones adds new locations to its map every time a new season starts. Either way, we look forward to hearing a lot of this theme song when The Crown started streaming on Friday.
Game Pigeon Crown Meaning Symbolism
Image: Alex Bailey/Netflix