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Stylistic origins Creole music, Cajun music, African American blues and jazz
Cultural origins Early 20th century Creoles in Louisiana
Typical instruments Accordion, fiddle, vest frottoir, drums, guitar, bass guitar, washboard
Fusion genres
Swamp pop

Zydeco is a musical genre evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers[1] which blends Cajun music, blues and rhythm and blues.

Origin of term[edit]

Though disputed, it is commonly suggested that "zydeco" derives from the French phrase Les haricots ne sont pas salés, which, when spoken in the Louisiana Creole French, sounds as "leh-zy-dee-co nay sohn pah salay". This literally translates as "the snap beans aren't salty" but idiomatically as "I have no spicy news for you." Alternatively the term has been given the meaning "I'm so poor, I can't afford any salt meat for the beans." The earliest recorded use of the term may have been the country and western musical group called Zydeco Skillet Lickers who recorded the song It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo in 1929.[2]

Initially, several different spellings of the word existed, including "zarico" and "zodico". In 1960, musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick wrote liner notes for a compilation album, A Treasury of Field Recordings, and used the spelling "zydeco". The word was used in reviews, and McCormick began publicizing it around Houston as a standard spelling. Its use was also accepted by Clifton Chenier - who had previously recorded "Zodico Stomp" in 1955 - in his recording "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés", after which Chenier himself claimed credit for devising the word.[3]

In an alternative theory the term derives from the Atakapa people, whose forcibly enslaved women were well known for forming marital unions with male African slaves in the early 1700s.[citation needed] The Atakapa word for "dance" is "shi" (rhymes with "sky") and their word for "the youths" is "ishol." In 1528 Spanish people, the first Europeans to contact the Atakapa, translated "shi ishol" as "zy ikol." Four hundred years later, the mixed-blood descendants of Atakapas and Africans would still sway in synchrony to their raucous music, but with a slightly evolved name: zydeco.

Another possible root word for zydeco is as a West African term for Musicking. "However recent studies based on early Louisiana recordings made by Alan and John Lomax suggests that the term, as well as the tradition, may have African origins. The languages of West African tribes affected by the slave trade provide some clues as to the origins of zydeco. In at least a dozen languages from this culture-area of Africa, the phonemes "za," "re," and "go" are frequently associated with dancing and/or playing music".[4][5]

Musical style[edit]



Early history[edit]

Early Creole musicians playing an accordion and a washboard in front of a store, near New Iberia, Louisiana (1938). Zydeco music originated from Creole music — today's rubboard or frottoir ("rubbing the washboard") is a stylized version of the early washboard.





During World War II with the Great Migration, many French-speaking Créoles and African Americans from the area around Marksville and Opelousas, Louisiana left a poor and prejudiced state for better economic opportunities in Texas. Even more southern blacks migrated to California, where buildup of defense industries provided good jobs without the restrictions of the segregated South. In California blacks from Louisiana could vote and began to participate in political life. Today, there are many cajun and zydeco festivals throughout the US.

Post-war history[edit]

"In fact, the first Zydeco-ish recording was Clarence Garlow's hit 'Bon Ton Roula,' issued in 1949 on the Macys label."[7][who?] However, this was not the first zydeco song: in 1954, Boozoo Chavis, another popular zydeco artist, had recorded "Paper in My Shoe". This is considered to be the first modern zydeco recording. Zydeco music pioneer Clifton Chenier, "The King of Zydeco," made zydeco popular on regional radio stations with his bluesy style and keyboard accordion.





Hundreds of zydeco bands continue the music traditions across the U.S. and in Europe, Japan, the UK and Australia. A precocious 9-year-old zydeco accordionist, Guyland Leday, was featured in an HBO documentary about music and young people.


More recent zydeco artists include Lil’ Nate, Leon Chavis, Mo' Mojo and Kenne’ Wayne. Wayne has fused zydeco with up tempo southern soul and smooth ballads to create a sound which he calls "zydesoul". While torchbearer Andre Thierry has kept the tradition alive on the West Coast.




Other instruments common in zydeco include the old world accordion which is found in folk and roots music globally, guitar, bass guitar, drums, Cajun fiddle, and occasionally horns and keyboards.

In popular culture[edit]

Zydeco music is featured in the video game The Sims: Unleashed[10] when traveling to Old Town on the Shuttle Bus (while the game loads Old Town), during building mode in Old Town, as well as other scenarios. The songs are in Simlish, but certain Zydeco tracks such as "Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés" are clearly recognizable. The theme of the game, with its new lots and music, is considered cajun or zydeco. One could compare it to New Orleans' French Quarter with voodoo shops and jazz musicians appearing on commercial lots. This theme returns in The Sims 2: Apartment Life and The Sims Castaway Stories. It can also be heard in The Sims 3 on one of the cooking television shows.

Country music performer George Strait's 2009 album Twang includes a song called "Hot Grease and Zydeco".

Zydeco music is also a central theme in the German award-winning 2003 film Schultze Gets the Blues. The film is about a retired polka-playing miner living in rural eastern Germany, who hears zydeco music on the radio and, without knowing a word of English, embarks on a tragi-comical odyssey to Louisiana.[11]

Zydeco music is featured in the pop song "Cupid Shuffle".[citation needed]

Paul Simon's 1987 album Graceland features a track called "That Was Your Mother" that references zydeco and Clifton Chenier, the "King of the Bayou".

"Zydeco" is the title of a song by Lil Boosie on his 2010 mixtape, 225/504. It features a contemporary zydeco rhythm and beat throughout.

Weird Al Yankovic made a style parody of this genre with his song "My Baby's in Love with Eddie Vedder".

American band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies wrote a song in zydeco style called "Tchoupitoulas Congregation" for their 2013 album White Teeth, Black Thoughts, featuring an appearance by Buckwheat Zydeco on accordion.

In the TV show Gilmore Girls Lorelai auditions a zydeco band for her wedding to Luke in the episode "A Vineyard Valentine".

In the 2000 movie Mission to Mars a zydeco track by Buckwheat Zydeco called "Ma 'Tit Fille" was used in the beginning of the film.


  2. ^ "Zydeco Skillet Lickers - It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo' (1929)". Internet Archive. 10 March 2001. 
  4. ^ Ancelet, Barry (1991). "Cajun and Zydeco Music Traditions". In Bulger, Peggy A.. Musical Roots of the South. Southern Arts Federation. 
  5. ^ Ancelet, Barry Jean (1988). "Zydeco/Zarico: Beans, Blues and Beyond". In Columbia College Chicago Center for Black Music Research. Black Music Research Journal (University of Illinois Press) 8 (1): 33–49. JSTOR 779502. 
  6. ^ Hebert, Tim (1997-2009). "History of the Cajuns - Cajuns in the 18th Century". Acadian-Cajun Genealogy & History. ACADIAN-CAJUN Genealogy & History. Retrieved 4 June 2012. 
  7. ^ Hayman, Gary (2 March 2012). "WHAT IS ZYDECO MUSIC". Cajun - Zydeco Music & Dance. Retrieved 4 June 2012. 
  8. ^ "Kanye West Leads 50th GRAMMY Nominees". News. GRAMMY.com, The Official Site of the Grammy Awards. December 6, 2007. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. 
  9. ^ "Frottoir History". Key of Z Rubboards. 2002-2008. Retrieved March 20, 2014. 
  10. ^ "About the Band". Zydeco Flames. Retrieved March 20, 2014. "Other: Five Flames songs are featured in the computer reality game, "The Sims Unleashed"" 
  11. ^ Schultze Gets the Blues (2003) Plot Summary at the Internet Movie Database

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]