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---
title: Game of Thrones Theme by New Orleans Swamp Donkeys
description: The New Orleans traditional jazz band The Swamp Donkeys covered the Game of Thrones theme with some bayou flair at BB King's in New York.
canonical: https://time.com/2889627/listen-this-game-of-thrones-cover-brings-winterfell-to-the-bayou/
author: Kyle Chayka
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article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2014-06-17T14:42:39.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:10:51.302Z
og:title: WATCH: Game of Thrones Cover Brings Winterfell to the Bayou
og:description: The jazzy New Orleans-style remix of the theme song you've gotta hear.
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twitter:title: WATCH: Game of Thrones Cover Brings Winterfell to the Bayou
twitter:description: The jazzy New Orleans-style remix of the theme song you've gotta hear.
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
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# LISTEN: This _Game of Thrones_ Cover Brings Winterfell to the Bayou

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by 

[Kyle Chayka](https://time.com/author/kyle-chayka/)


## Kyle Chayka


Jun 17, 2014 2:42 PM UTC

by 

[Kyle Chayka](https://time.com/author/kyle-chayka/)


## Kyle Chayka


Jun 17, 2014 2:42 PM UTC

Winter may be coming, but it doesn’t feel so cold when listening to the New Orleans traditional jazz band [The Swamp Donkeys](http://neworleansswampdonkeys.com/about/) play a cover of the _Game of Thrones_ theme at BB King’s in New York City.

The signature, dramatic opening notes are picked out on a banjo, but when the rest of the instruments kick in, it’s more boogie than bleak. It’s like _Game of Thrones_ traveled to the world and era of Boardwalk Empire, which, now that we think about it, Boardwalk Empire kind of is the _Game of Thrones_ of the 1930s?

The Swamp Donkeys’ cover should fit nicely in with the rest of the pantheon of _Game of Thrones_ covers, including this rendition of the theme played with [floppy disk drives](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgfPYetWWJw) and The Hold Steady’s rock version of “[The Bear and the Maiden Fair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgiTB2NFvAM).” Too bad we still have to wait forever until the new season.

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