Lyrics:

1. Tout partout auras du bayou,
[La] mousse-lá balance aux gros chênes verts
Cocodries dormir en cyprière
Fifollet danser en cimitière.
Vent plein de cris des loups-garous,
Pieds apé tapé rythme-là fou.
Moune-là connaît y’olé Zydeco,
Milattes apé grouiller aux os.

REFRAIN: Zydeco chaud apé vini plus chaud,
Gens de coleour olé plis LA GRAND EAU,
Plie ben frette qu’apé mouilli
Pas capab’ froidir sang qu’apé BOUILLI.
Beaux et belles fait ses projets,
Maman fait le grand GRIS GRIS,
Loin, loin [dans le] cyprière noir,
Tout que’q’un créole crie: [pour] ZYDECO!

1A. (My translation for singing verse 1)
Everywhere around the bayou,
Moss hangs in the large green oaks.
Crocodiles asleep among cypress trees
Will o' the wisp* dancing in the cemetery *fire on floating/surface oil
Wind full of the cries of werewolves,
Feet a-tappin' rhythm like a fool.
People there know the Zydeco,
Milattes begin to move to and fro.

1A. REFRAIN: Zydeco's hot, and it's getting hotter,
Creole folks shouting about THE HIGH WATER,
Bend on over, get soaking wet,
You can't cool the you boiling blood, NOT YET!
Boys and girls doing their thing,
Mama cast a spell: GRIS GRIS! [Voodoo magic]
Way back where the black cypress grow,
All the Creoles shout for the ZYDECO!

2. Tout partout auras du bayou, [everywhere around the bayou]
Créoles yé tout apé chanter. [creoles are all singing]
Grande Mamou and Petit Cadou,
Moune yé attend musique à jourir. [listen to the dancing-music]
Vent plein de cris des loups-garous, [wind full of werewolf cries]
[La] mousse-lá balance aux gros chênes verts [moss on the green oaks]
Cocodries dormir en cyprière [crocodiles sleeping among cypress]
Fifollet danser en cimitière. [flames dancing in the cemetery]

REFRAIN: Zydeco chaud apé vini plus chaud,
Gens de coleour olé plis LA GRAND EAU,
Plie ben frette qu’apé mouilli
Pas capab’ froidir sang qu’apé BOUILLI.
Beaux et belles fait ses projets,
Maman fait le grand GRIS GRIS,
Loin, loin [dans le] cyprière noir,
Tout que’q’un créole crie: [pour] ZYDECO!

3*. *English verse sung by Beausoleil

All along the bayou for a thousand miles,
The Zydeco sound is all around,
You drop what you’re doing and come on along,
You dance to the music while I sing you my song.

The bayou’s hot and known for its heat,
The rattling bones to the Creole beat,
The word is out, cher, you got to go
Move your body to the Zydeco.