The Hold Steady Roar Back With a Game of Thrones Tune

The Hold Steady are releasing a limited-edition 7" for Record Store Day (this Saturday, April 20th!) with two unreleased tracks, The Bear and the Maiden Fair and Criminal Fingers. The Bear and the Maiden Fair was recorded to close out the most recent episode of Game of Thrones. The lyrics were written by George R.R. Martin (see below, courtesy of EW).

Do you know what exalted member of the press got the exclusive scoop on this new Hold Steady stuff? Entertainment Weekly. Anyone else find that a little weird?



The Bear and the Maiden lyrics:

“A bear there was,”
“A bear, A BEAR!
“All black and brown,”
“And covered with hair!


“Oh come they said,”
“Oh come to the fair!”
“The fair? said he,
“But I’m a bear!”
“All black and brown,”
“And covered in hair!”


“And down the road,”
“From here to there,”
“From here!To there!”
“Three boys, a goat,”
“And a dancing bear!”
“They danced and spun,”
“All the way to the fair!”


“Oh! sweet she was,”
“And pure and fair,”
“The maid with honey,”
“In her hair! Her hair,”
“The maid with honey,”
“in her hair!”


The bear smelled the scent,
“On the summer air!”
“The Bear! The Bear!”
“All black and brown,”
“And covered with hair!”
“He smelled the scent,”
“On the summer air,”
“He sniffed and roared,”
“And smelled it there!”
“Honey on the summer air!”


“Oh I’m a maid,”
“And I’m pure and fair,”
“I’ll never dance,”
“With a hairy bear,”
“A bear! A bear!”
“I’ll never dance,”
“With a hairy bear!”


“The bear,the bear!”
“Lifted her high,”
into the air!”
The bear, the bear!”


“I called for a knight!”
“But you’re a bear!”
“A bear! A bear,”
“All black and brown,”
“And cover in hair!”


“She kicked and wailed,”
“The maid so fair,”
“But he licked the honey,”
“From her hair!”
“Her hair! Her hair!”
“He licked the honey,”
“From her hair!”


“Then she sighed and squealed,”
“And kicked the air,”
“She sang: My bear so fair,”
“And off they went,”
“The bear! The bear!”
“And the maiden fair!”