Cotton-Eyed Joe

"Cotton-Eye Joe" is a popular American folk song known at various times throughout the United States and Canada, although today it is most commonly associated with the American South. In the Roud index of folksongs it is number 942.

"Cotton Eye Joe" is also a popular spoke line dance [1] that can be seen and danced at country western dance venues. The 1980 film Urban Cowboy sparked a renewed interest in the dance, and most recently a version of the song recorded by the band Rednex in 1994 as "Cotton Eye Joe" has become popular.

History

The precise origins of this song are unclear, although it predates the American Civil War. Over the years, many different versions of the song have been recorded with many different versions of the lyrics (and many without lyrics). During the first half of the twentieth century the song was a widely known folk song all over English-speaking North America. In more recent decades, the song has waned in popularity in most regions except some parts of the American South where it is still a popular folk song.

A list of the possible meanings of the term "cotton eyed" that have been proposed includes: to be drunk on moonshine, or to have been blinded by drinking wood alcohol, turning the eyes milky white; a black person with very light blue eyes; someone whose eyes were milky white from bacterial infections of Trachoma or syphilis, cataracts or glaucoma; and the contrast of dark skin tone around white eyeballs in black people. [2]

Bob Wills and Adolph Hofner and His San Antonians both recorded the song, and Hofner's version (Columbia 37658) apparently being the one that did the most to popularize the song.

Ray Benson of the Western Swing band Asleep at the Wheel talks about playing the Bob Wills version of "Cotton Eye Joe" in Texas in the 1970s, when the dance was very much alive. [3]

A Western "Craze" followed the 1980 release of Urban Cowboy. Dancers nationwide even dressed the part in cowboy boots, hats, and jeans. To accommodate the singles in attendance, creative Texans resurrected old nonpartner, spoke-line dances (such as "Cotton-eyed Joe") and invented new ones. They changed some of the formations from couple to spoke-lines and altered the steps to fit, so that lines made up of single dancers could link arms around each other's waists and prance or glide around the hall. [4]

The Bob Wills version of the song is still popular with dancers. [5]

"Cotton Eye Joe", and its continued popularity in Texas, was referred to in the lyrics to Alabama's song "If You're Gonna Play in Texas." "I remember down in Houston we were puttin' on a show when a cowboy in the back stood up and yelled, "Cotton-Eyed Joe"!" [6]

In April of 2008 "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used as the music for a Country Western group dance on the nationally broadcast show "Dancing with the Stars".

Selective list of recorded versions

• Bob Wills
• Al Dean & the All-Stars (1967)
• Karen Dalton, on the album Cotton Eyed Joe (album) (recorded 1962, released 2007)
• Rednex (1994)
• Violinist Vanessa-Mae, on the album The Ultimate Vanessa-Mae.
• The Chieftains, on the album The Wide World Over (2002)
• Michelle Shocked used the song as a foundation for her own "Prodigal Daughter" adding her own lyrics.[7]
• Asleep at the Wheel

Rednex version

"Cotton-Eyed Joe"
Song

Music and lyrics

In 1994, Swedish eurodance band Rednex covered the song as "Cotton Eye Joe", combining their style with traditional American instruments, such as banjos, fiddles, and harmonicas. The version released by Rednex is often played in the US. Dancers will do the "spoke-line" dance Cotton Eye Joe around the outside of the dance floor. There may also be line dancers doing dances such as "Crazy Legs" in the center of the floor.

Chart performances

The Rednex version of the song, along with a dance mix version, was very successful in Europe, reaching number 1 in the United Kingdom in January 1995, and also in the United States (where it peaked at #25 in March 1995) and Australia (where it peaked at #8 in April 1995). The song was also remixed in 2002. Blender magazine also ranked the song at #38 on the list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".

Track listing

1. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Original Single Version) (3:20)
2. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Mix) (4:46)
3. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Instrumental) (4:46)
4. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Overworked Mix) (6:20)
5. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Original Instrumental) (3:08)

Charts

Chart (1995) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 25 U.S. Billboard Hot Canadian Digital Singles 10 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 5 U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 30 Australian ARIA Singles Chart 8 Austrian Singles Chart 1 Dutch Singles Chart 1 French Singles Chart 10 German Singles Chart 1 Irish Singles Chart 2 Israeli Singles Chart 2 Latvian Airplay Top 1 New Zealand Singles Chart 1 Norwegian Singles Chart 1 Swedish Singles Chart 1 Swiss Singles Chart 1 UK Singles Chart 1 Media This song was mentioned on an episode of Beavis and Butthead in which Beavis reminisces about "scoring" in kindergarten. When Butthead told him "you didn't score, she just spanked you and told you to shut up," Beavis replied, "yeah that's what I mean, Butthead, hehe, I scored!" References External links Cotton-Eyed Joe in The Mudcat Cafe's Digital Tradition Folk Music Database