“It is love. Don’t worry about the words.” Zydeco Memories

Since I decided to center my A-Z entries around my life, Here is Chapter “Z” of the April A-Z Challenge.

I’m in a panic. I may not make the deadline. Here goes. Get up and dance with yourself or someone near.

And, I’ll call it Zydeco cuz I wanna 😛

Zydeco: per Wikipedia
Zydeco is a musical genre evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers which  blends blues, rhythm and blues, and music indigenous to the Louisiana Creoles and the Native people of Louisiana.

I could tell a million stories about the scenes in this video.  Family reunions down on the bayou.   Being 8 years old and dancing with my cousins.  Not sure what the foreign Creole French words meant.  Moss hanging from the cypress trees.  Just total innocence.

At the family reunions, my great uncles would play the music.  I remember asking one of my uncles what the words to some of the sad songs meant and him saying:  “It is love.  Don’t worry about the words.”

Then 20+ years of Jazz Festivals and dancing at the Zydeco stage.  It’s a music that takes hold of your emotions and your body and one must simply move along with it entranced.

OK.  Ok.  One more… I Passed By Your Door (with translation)

J’ai passé devant ta porte. (I walked past your door)
J’ai crié “bye-bye” la belle.(I cried, “goodby, my beautiful girl.”)
‘Y a personne qu’à pas répondu (And nobody even answered!)
O yaîe aîe, mon coeur fait mal! (Oh, how my heart aches!)

“Mes amis j’ai observé.” (Then I took a closer look)
“Moi j’ai vu une p’tite lumière allumée.” (And I saw devotional candles lit)
“Y’a quelque chose qui m’disait d’aller pleurer.”(And something told me I was going to cry)”
“O yaîe aîe, mon coeur fait mal!” (Oh! My heart hurts so bad!)

“Moi j’ai été cogné à la porte” (I knocked again at the door)
quand ils ont rouvert a la porte (and when they opened it)
moi j’ai vu des chandelles allumées (I saw the devotional candles lit)
tout autour de son cercueil (all around her coffin)  )

Ellespeth  ♥