[Verse 1]
Why you
Goin' to the bayou
She don't wanna be by you
If you gonna waste the day
Give her
The Mississippi River
The Mississippi River
And the voodoo in the Vieux Carré

[Verse 2]
She'll fret
Walkin' on the banquette
Oh, walkin' on the banquette
Is too refined for her
Her feet
Need to meet Canal Street
And only on Canal Street
Will she wanna dance

[Bridge]
She's always been partial
To a great grand marshall
She'll sing a cappella
To dance with the man with that fine umbrella
[Verse 3]
She's bored
Sittin' in the Third Ward
Sittin' in the Third Ward
Is much too slow
Meet her
In a club on St. Peter
And she'll be a little sweeter
Just go ahead and treat her
You'll be so in awe
Take her to the Mardi Gras

[Piano Solo]

[Verse 4]
Fancy
Dinner plans will make her antsy
Anyone who knows her can see
That's not her thing
She'll eat
Okra, turkey necks and pig's feet
Okra, turkey necks and pig's feet
And a spicy chicken wing

[Verse 5]
You'll say
When you see a lady who'll say
Come on laissez bon temps rouler
She's quite a catch
Step right up
You don't have to put a fight up
All you need to do is light up
You've met your match
[Bridge]
She'll be in her garters
When she walks down Chartres
Nothing could elate her
Greater than a waiter carrying a plate of alligator down Decatur

[Verse 6]
Her brand
Of a good time is a brass band
Which is very middle class and
Not there for show
They say
You can see them in the Treme
And if she could just seem them play
It would be the very best day that she ever saw
Take her to the Mardi
Take her to the Mardi
Take her to the Mardi Gras