Geralt of Rivia may be the central star of Netflix’s hugely successful Witcher adaptation, but the monster hunter’s newfound popularity certainly hasn’t been a solo effort. In fact, fans and critics alike are in unanimous agreement that supporting characters such as Yennefer and Ciri have ultimately been just as integral to the show’s success as Geralt himself, with one of the white-haired warrior’s companions being responsible for a particularly memorable highlight.
Carefree and lovable bard Jaskier’s (played by Joey Batey) has fast become a favourite of many, not least for a certain ballad he’s often heard performing whenever screen time affords. As all catchy tunes do, “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” has found itself a permanent home in the minds of all who hear it, placing listeners under its inescapable spell. In fact, we’re willing to bet that just reading the song’s title has prompted you to break out in spontaneous singing, just as it did for the composers.
“We’ve had that song stuck in our heads since November 2018,” composer Giona Ostinelli admits in a recent interview with GamesRadar, adding that she and fellow composer Sonya Belousova were confident from the get-go that the tune would mesh well with the show. “We were confident it was going to be a really fun song,” she says, before admitting that neither one foresaw the track’s eventual viral success.
Delving further into the pair’s work preceding The Witcher‘s release, Ostinelli explains how several versions of Jaskier’s contagious chant spanning multiple music genres were recorded. “There was a certain point when there was a version of ‘Toss a Coin to Your Witcher’ in rap format,” she reveals, a version that, understandably, was considered unsuitable for The Witcher‘s medieval-inspired fantasy setting.
With that said, however, there’s still a chance that fans may one day be lucky enough to hear the unreleased rap, as Belousova says the pair “might consider releasing it as a bonus track at some point.” Fingers crossed for that eventuality, then, but in the meantime, you can find no shortage of unofficial covers currently doing the rounds online. Just don’t forget to toss a coin as a tip.