The soundtrack for Vikings, specially on its last season, is beautiful. Written by Trevor Morris, the Canadian composer who’s worked with Michael Hirst in The Tudors, he excels on each track. However, the key crying moments of the season 6 are due to a song that isn’t his, but Norwegian musician Einar Selvik‘s, also known as Kvitraf.

Einar was part of a thrash heavy metal band in early 2000s and now plays nordic folk. He’s been working with Trevor Morris writing the songs sung in the series, either in battle or when the vikings are drunk. He had a cameo in Vikings on episode 7 of Season 3.

SPOILER ALERT

On the season finale, it’s Einar’s song that is played in both Bjorn Ironside‘s and Ivar, the boneless‘s goodbyes. The music has been creating a new buzz around the song because it is so emotional and beautiful.

As a curiosity, its use is not only clever by its melody, but most of all due to the lyrics, that connects the stranded brothers turned enemies. It’s because the song is the Ragnar Lothbrok‘s last words to his sons, in which he cries for them to avenge his own death in a snake pit.

Called Snake Pit Poetry, the song was first released in 2017. It is a challenge to avoid crying when it’s played, most of all on Bjorn’s last scenes. Here it is. (Below, the lyrics too)

I did not look to a snake to be my bane
things happen very often to one that one thinks of the least 
Soon now will my body die among the beasts 
The young pigs would squeal if they knew the state of the boar
of the injury done to me
Snakes dig in my flesh
stab at me harshly and have sucked on me
soon now will my body die among the beasts

Also

• The men we hate to love
• The genius behind Bridgestone’s clothes