Cajun and Zydeco Mardi Gras Songs

La Danse de Mardi Gras, as recorded by legends of Cajun music the Balfa Brothers, is a traditional Mardi Gras song, one sung by the Cajun Mardi Gras participants as they ride or run from house to house in their rural communities, "begging" for chickens and other ingredients for a gumbo. Learn more about the roots of this traditional Mardi Gras song.

The Pine Leaf Boys, who have multiple Grammy nominations and who've been featured on HBO's Treme, recorded this classic Mardi Gras song, which has been performed for generations as part of the Black Creole Mardi Gras celebrations. Creole fiddler Cedric Watson, who has since left the band, takes the lead on this track, and it sounds great.

"Mardi Gras Jig" is another old Mardi Gras song from the Cajun repertoire, and it's performed wonderfully here by the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, made up of husband-and-wife team Marc Savoy (who owns the famous Savoy Music Center in Eunice, LA) and Ann Savoy (a Cajun music scholar and writer who has recorded with luminaries like Linda Ronstadt), and fiddle player Michael Doucet, who is best-known as the leader of the band Beausoleil.

Accordion star Jo-El Sonnier has taken this classic Professor Longhair tune and Cajun-ified it, to great success. It's snappy and danceable and all sorts of fun.

This snappy dance number from King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier is a must-have on any proper Mardi Gras playlist, especially if you're planning on dancing.

This is another peppy upbeat two-step from the Bay Area's legendary zydeco potentate, Queen Ida. Queen Ida, who won a Grammy back in 1980, is originally from Lake Charles, LA (in the Southwest corner of the state), but moved with a large Creole diaspora to the San Francisco Bay Area after WWII, and even while touring the world, continued to play small dances for the Northern California Creole community for many years. Queen Ida is (mostly) retired at this point, though will still make an appearance now and again.

This accordion-driven number from Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. (son of -- obviously -- Rockin' Dopsie) has a zydeco flavor, but the lyrics actually speak about the New Orleans celebrations, right down to the "Throw me something, mister!"

This tune takes its theme from the classic "Creole Mardi Gras Song," but is turned into a bluesy new two-step by the legend Beau Jocque, who ruled the zydeco scene for many years. Beau Jocque's songs are always a favorite among the dance crowd, and this one is no exception.

This is another reworking of a New Orleans classic, this time done in zydeco style by Buckwheat Zydeco, who's been a favorite on both the Southwest Louisiana zydeco circuit for decades. Buckwheat actually recorded this song for his children's record, Choo Choo Boogaloo, but it's plenty grown-up-friendly as well, and adds a nice punch to a good Mardi Gras mix.