Cotton-Eyed Joe
Encyclopedia
"Cotton-Eyed 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 Eyed Joe" (also known as "Cotton Eye Joe") has inspired both a partner dance and more than one line dance
that is often danced at country dance venues in the US and around the world. The 1980 film Urban Cowboy
sparked a renewed interest in the dance. In 1985, The Moody Brothers
' version of the song received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Instrumental Performance." Irish group The Chieftains received a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Vocal Collaboration" for their version of the song on their 1992 album "Another Country." And, in 1994, a version of the song recorded by the Swedish
band Rednex
as "Cotton Eye Joe" became popular worldwide.
. American
folklorist Dorothy Scarborough
(1878–1935) noted in her 1925 book, On the trail of Negro folk-songs, that several people remember hearing the song before the war and her sister, Mrs. George Scarborough, learned the song from a man who had known the song during his earliest childhood from slaves singing it on plantations in Louisiana
. Both the dance and the song had as many variants as the old old folk song that it is. American publishing house Harper and Brothers published a version in 1882, heard by author Louise Clarke Pyrnelle
(born 1850) on the Alabama
plantation of her father when she was a child, that was later republished in 1910:
By 1884, the same year Mark Twain
's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
was published, the fiddle based song was referred to as "an old, familiar air." In 1925, another version was recorded by folklorist Dorothy Scarborough and published.
Scarborough noted that the song seemed to be well known in the South prior to the Civil War, and parts of it had been sent in by various persons.
Over the years, many different versions of the song have been performed and/or recorded with many different versions of the lyrics (and many without lyrics).
Cotton-Eyed Joe, on occasion referred to as "The South Texas National Anthem", was played for minstrel-type jigs, and it has long been popular as a square dance hoedown and a couple dance polka.
A resident of Austin, Texas who learned the dance in Williamson County in the early 1880s described it as nothing but a heel and toe "poker", with fringes added. These fringes added to the heel and toe polka were clog steps which required skill and extroversion on the part of the dancer.
During the first half of the twentieth century the song was a widely known folk song all over English-speaking North America.
One discography lists 134 recorded versions released since 1950. 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.
Bob Wills and Adolph Hofner
and His San Antonians both recorded the song, and Hofner's version (Columbia 37658), issued in 1941, apparently being the one that did the most to popularize the song.
A 1967 instrumental version of the song (KIKR k202) by Al Dean, who recalled the song called "The Gingerbread Man" in South Texas, inspired a new round dance polka for couples. This dance was adapted into a simplified version as a nonpartner waist-hold, spoke line routine. Heel and toe polka steps were replaced with a cross-lift followed by a kick with two-steps. The lift and kick are sometimes accompanied by shouts of "whoops, whoops," or the barn yard term "bull shit", mimicking the act of kicking off barnyard muck. The practice continues to this day.
The "Kickin'" LP included "Cotton Eyed Joe" by Dean. (KIK-R: 10012)
One version of a dance called "Cotton Eyed Joe" can be found in the 1975 edition of "Encyclopedia of Social Dance". This version has the men on the inside of a circle facing out, and the women on the outside facing in. The dance consists of eight kick steps, side, close left together, right together, and a series of struts.
The spoke line version gained popularity not only in Texas, but across the US and overseas in the 1980s.
Ray Benson
of the Western Swing
band Asleep at the Wheel
talks about playing the Bob Wills
version of "Cotton Eyed Joe" in Texas in the 1970s, when the dance was very much alive.
A Western "Craze" followed the 1980 release of Urban Cowboy
.
The Bob Wills version of the song is still popular with dancers.
"Cotton-Eyed 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"!"
In Merle Haggard's "Texas Fiddle Song", the final verse makes reference to the Cotton Eyed Joe and features the melody of both the Bob Wills and Al Dean versions.
eurodance
band Rednex
covered the song as "Cotton Eye Joe" for their album Sex & Violins
, combining their style with traditional American instruments, such as synthesized
(or in some cases, sampled
) banjo
s, fiddle
s, and harmonica
s. In 2002, "Cotton Eye Joe" was remixed in a country-dance version, and was released from Rednex's greatest hits album, The Best of the West
.
in January 1995
, and staying in the number one slot in Norway
for 15 weeks, Switzerland
for 13 weeks, Germany
for ten weeks, Sweden
for eight weeks, and Austria
for seven weeks. In the United States
, it peaked at #25 in March 1995, while in Australia
topped out at #8 in April 1995.
Blender
magazine ranked the song at #38 on the list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever". Most recently, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
listed the song at #86 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, calling it "[t]he worst song the New York Yankees
could have picked for their seventh-inning stretch music. No wonder they're nicknamed the 'evil empire.'"
CD - 2002 version
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' version of "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used in an opening "redneck wedding" dream sequence scene on the nationally broadcast Warner Brothers show One Tree Hill (TV series)
on the CW Network.
In April 2008 "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used as the music for a Country Western group dance on the nationally broadcast show "Dancing with the Stars".
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has been a standard during the seventh-inning stretch
at Texas Rangers
baseball
games since the team moved to Texas
in 1972. The Rednex version has been played at Yankee Stadium since the mid-90s during the seventh-inning stretch. Since late 2001, the song has been moved to the eighth inning to accommodate the playing and/or singing of God Bless America
. During the song, a video on the Diamond Vision screen claiming to be "live from the control room" shows an individual identified as "Cotton Eye Joey" in a straw hat dancing along.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has become a fan favorite following the seventh inning stretch at the University of Texas' UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
During the Green Bay Packers
games at Lambeau Field
, "Cotton-eye Joe" by the Rednex is often played during timeouts. The song's traditional dance can be seen throughout the stadium
The Rednex version of the song is played frequently at football and basketball games of the University of Wyoming
Cowboys
, as a reflection of the country roots of the state.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used for an act on America's Got Talent
.
Various times during Pittsburgh Penguins
hockey games, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" is played and fans are encouraged to dance, sometimes being shown on the jumbotron.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, although today it is most commonly associated with the American South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. In the Roud index of folksongs
Roud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
it is number 942.
"Cotton Eyed Joe" (also known as "Cotton Eye Joe") has inspired both a partner dance and more than one line dance
Line dance
A line dance is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of people dance in one or more lines or rows without regard for the gender of the individuals, all facing the same direction, and executing the steps at the same time. Line dancers are not in physical contact...
that is often danced at country dance venues in the US and around the world. The 1980 film Urban Cowboy
Urban Cowboy
Released as a 2× vinyl record album, re-released on CD in 1995.Side A:#Hello Texas – Jimmy Buffett #All Night Long – Joe Walsh #Times Like These – Dan Fogelberg #Nine Tonight – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band...
sparked a renewed interest in the dance. In 1985, The Moody Brothers
The Moody Brothers
The Moody Brothers are an Americana country music trio who gained prominence in 1985 when they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their instrumental performance of the classic fiddle tune "Cotton Eyed Joe"...
' version of the song received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Instrumental Performance." Irish group The Chieftains received a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Vocal Collaboration" for their version of the song on their 1992 album "Another Country." And, in 1994, a version of the song recorded by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
band Rednex
Rednex
Rednex is a Swedish techno/folk/bluegrass band. They had an international novelty hit with the song "Cotton Eye Joe" in 1994. Although extremely popular in Germany, where the band holds the record of most total weeks at No.1 on the German singles chart over the past 30 years—scoring such hits as...
as "Cotton Eye Joe" became popular worldwide.
History
The origins of this song are unclear, although it pre-dates the 1861–1865 American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folklorist Dorothy Scarborough
Dorothy Scarborough
Dorothy Scarborough was an American writer who wrote about Texas, folk culture, cotton farming, ghost stories and a woman's life in the Southwest.-Early life:...
(1878–1935) noted in her 1925 book, On the trail of Negro folk-songs, that several people remember hearing the song before the war and her sister, Mrs. George Scarborough, learned the song from a man who had known the song during his earliest childhood from slaves singing it on plantations in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Both the dance and the song had as many variants as the old old folk song that it is. American publishing house Harper and Brothers published a version in 1882, heard by author Louise Clarke Pyrnelle
Louise Clarke Pyrnelle
Louise Clarke Pyrnelle was an Alabama writer.-External links:*...
(born 1850) on the Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
plantation of her father when she was a child, that was later republished in 1910:
"Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you sarve me so,
Fur ter take my gal erway fum me,
An' cyar her plum ter Tennessee?
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd er been married long ergo.
"His eyes wuz crossed, an' his nose wuz flat,
An' his teef wuz out, but wat uv dat?
Fur he wuz tall, an' he wuz slim,
An' so my gal she follered him.
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd er been married long ergo.
"No gal so hansum could be foun',
Not in all dis country roun',
Wid her kinky head, an' her eyes so bright,
Wid her lips so red an' her teef so white.
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd been married long ergo.
"An* I loved dat gal wid all my heart,
An' she swo' fum me she'd never part;
But den wid Joe she runned away,
An' lef' me hyear fur ter weep all day.
O Cotton-eyed Joe, O Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you sarve me so?
O Joe, ef it hadn't er ben fur you,
I'd er married dat gal fur true."
By 1884, the same year Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in England in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written in the vernacular, characterized by...
was published, the fiddle based song was referred to as "an old, familiar air." In 1925, another version was recorded by folklorist Dorothy Scarborough and published.
Don't you remember, don't you know,
Don't you remember Cotton-eyed Joe?
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you treat me so?
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
He was de nig dat sarved me so, ?
Tuck my gal away fum me,
Carried her off to Tennessee.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
If it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe.
Hi's teeth was out an' his nose was flat,
His eyes was crossed, ? but she did n't mind dat.
Kase he was tall, and berry slim,
An' so my gal she follered him.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe.
She was de prettiest gal to be found
Anywhar in de country round;
Her lips was red an' her eyes was bright,
Her skin was black but her teeth was white.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe.
Dat gal, she sho' had all my love,
An swore fum ne she'd never move,
But Joe hoodooed her, don't you see,
An' she run off wid him to Tennessee,
I'd 'a' been married forty years ago,
Ef it hadn't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe."
Scarborough noted that the song seemed to be well known in the South prior to the Civil War, and parts of it had been sent in by various persons.
Over the years, many different versions of the song have been performed and/or recorded with many different versions of the lyrics (and many without lyrics).
Cotton-Eyed Joe, on occasion referred to as "The South Texas National Anthem", was played for minstrel-type jigs, and it has long been popular as a square dance hoedown and a couple dance polka.
A resident of Austin, Texas who learned the dance in Williamson County in the early 1880s described it as nothing but a heel and toe "poker", with fringes added. These fringes added to the heel and toe polka were clog steps which required skill and extroversion on the part of the dancer.
During the first half of the twentieth century the song was a widely known folk song all over English-speaking North America.
One discography lists 134 recorded versions released since 1950. In more recent decades, the song has waned in popularity in most regions except some parts of the American South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
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
Trachoma
Trachoma is an infectious disease causing a characteristic roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. Also called granular conjunctivitis and Egyptian ophthalmia, it is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world...
or syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
, cataracts or glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
; and the contrast of dark skin tone around white eyeballs in black people.
Bob Wills and Adolph Hofner
Adolph Hofner
-Biography:Hofner was born in Lavaca County, Texas near Moulton into a family of Czech-German origin. He grew up listening to Czech- and Hawaiian music. When he was ten years old his family moved to San Antonio. He and his younger brother Emil, together with Simon Garcia, formed the "Hawaiian...
and His San Antonians both recorded the song, and Hofner's version (Columbia 37658), issued in 1941, apparently being the one that did the most to popularize the song.
A 1967 instrumental version of the song (KIKR k202) by Al Dean, who recalled the song called "The Gingerbread Man" in South Texas, inspired a new round dance polka for couples. This dance was adapted into a simplified version as a nonpartner waist-hold, spoke line routine. Heel and toe polka steps were replaced with a cross-lift followed by a kick with two-steps. The lift and kick are sometimes accompanied by shouts of "whoops, whoops," or the barn yard term "bull shit", mimicking the act of kicking off barnyard muck. The practice continues to this day.
The "Kickin'" LP included "Cotton Eyed Joe" by Dean. (KIK-R: 10012)
One version of a dance called "Cotton Eyed Joe" can be found in the 1975 edition of "Encyclopedia of Social Dance". This version has the men on the inside of a circle facing out, and the women on the outside facing in. The dance consists of eight kick steps, side, close left together, right together, and a series of struts.
The spoke line version gained popularity not only in Texas, but across the US and overseas in the 1980s.
Ray Benson
Ray Benson
Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has...
of the Western Swing
Western swing
Western swing music is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the West and South among the region's Western string bands...
band Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel is a American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty...
talks about playing the Bob Wills
Bob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
version of "Cotton Eyed Joe" in Texas in the 1970s, when the dance was very much alive.
A Western "Craze" followed the 1980 release of Urban Cowboy
Urban Cowboy
Released as a 2× vinyl record album, re-released on CD in 1995.Side A:#Hello Texas – Jimmy Buffett #All Night Long – Joe Walsh #Times Like These – Dan Fogelberg #Nine Tonight – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band...
.
The Bob Wills version of the song is still popular with dancers.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe", and its continued popularity in Texas, was referred to in the lyrics to Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
's song "If You're Gonna Play in Texas
If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)
"If You're Gonna Play in Texas " is a song written by Murray Kellum and Dan Mitchell, and recorded by American country music band Alabama...
." "I remember down in Houston we were puttin' on a show when a cowboy in the back stood up and yelled, "Cotton-Eyed Joe"!"
In Merle Haggard's "Texas Fiddle Song", the final verse makes reference to the Cotton Eyed Joe and features the melody of both the Bob Wills and Al Dean versions.
Selective list of recorded versions
- Bob WillsBob WillsJames Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
- Burl IvesBurl IvesBurl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
, on the album The Wayfaring StrangerThe Wayfaring StrangerThe Wayfaring Stranger may refer to:* "The Wayfaring Stranger" , also called "Poor Wayfaring Stranger," a folk song* Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger, an album by Burl Ives that was released in 1941, 1944 and 1950...
(1941, 1955) - Al Dean & the All-Stars (1967)
- Karen DaltonKaren DaltonKaren J. Dalton was an American folk blues singer and banjo player associated with the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, particularly with Fred Neil and the Holy Modal Rounders as well as Bob Dylan.-Biography:Dalton, whose heritage was Cherokee, was born Karen J. Cariker in Enid,...
, on the album Cotton Eyed Joe (recorded 1962, released 2007) - The ChieftainsThe ChieftainsThe Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
, on the album Another CountryAnother Country (Chieftains album)Another Country is a 1992 album by The Chieftains. It is a collaboration between the Irish band and many top country music musicians including Ricky Skaggs, Don Williams, Colin James, Emmylou Harris, members from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins and Sam Bush...
(1992), Grammy Award nominee - RednexRednexRednex is a Swedish techno/folk/bluegrass band. They had an international novelty hit with the song "Cotton Eye Joe" in 1994. Although extremely popular in Germany, where the band holds the record of most total weeks at No.1 on the German singles chart over the past 30 years—scoring such hits as...
, see below (1994) - Violinist Vanessa-MaeVanessa-MaeVanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson , known professionally as Vanessa-Mae , is an internationally known British violinist. Her music style is self-described as "violin techno-acoustic fusion", as several of her albums prominently feature the techno style...
, on the album The Ultimate Vanessa-MaeThe Ultimate Vanessa-MaeThe Ultimate Vanessa-Mae is a compilation album by Vanessa-Mae, released on EMI in 2003 .-Track listing:# "Classical Gas" – 3:48# "I Feel Love" – 4:26...
. - Michelle ShockedMichelle ShockedMichelle Shocked is the stage name of Michelle Karen Johnston, an American singer-songwriter.-History:Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes .Her first U.S...
used the song as a foundation for her own "Prodigal Daughter" adding her own lyrics. - Asleep at the WheelAsleep at the WheelAsleep at the Wheel is a American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty...
- Bass and Infinity made an a capella parody version of the song in 2011, taking a different tack to most other covers.
- Isaac Payton Sweat
- Red Clay RamblersRed Clay RamblersThe Red Clay Ramblers are a North Carolina-based band founded in Durham, North Carolina, performing continuously since their formation in 1972. The original members include Tommy Thompson , Bill Hicks and Jim Watson...
- The Moody BrothersThe Moody BrothersThe Moody Brothers are an Americana country music trio who gained prominence in 1985 when they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their instrumental performance of the classic fiddle tune "Cotton Eyed Joe"...
(1985), Grammy Award nominee - Nina SimoneNina SimoneEunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
, on the album Nina Simone at Town HallNina Simone At Town HallNina Simone at Town Hall is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone . It was recorded live at The Town Hall on 15 September 1959 and released as her second album for Colpix Records that same year... - Josh RouseJosh RouseJosh Rouse is an American folk/roots pop singer-songwriter.-Biography:Born in the small town of Paxton, Nebraska, he moved to various places in the Midwest during his childhood due to his father's military career...
, on the album "El TuristaEl TuristaEl Turista is the eighth studio album by singer/songwriter Josh Rouse. It was self released by Rouse in 2010 on his Bedroom Classics label.-Track listing:All songs written by Josh Rouse unless otherwise noted# "Bienvenido"...
" (2010) - Hot Club of Cowtown released a download single version in 2010
- It was used as a recurring theme song in the 1984 movie Places in the HeartPlaces in the HeartPlaces in the Heart is a 1984 drama film that tells the story of a Texas widow who tries to keep her farm together with the help of a blind white man and an African-American man during the Great Depression...
Rednex version
In August 1994, SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
band Rednex
Rednex
Rednex is a Swedish techno/folk/bluegrass band. They had an international novelty hit with the song "Cotton Eye Joe" in 1994. Although extremely popular in Germany, where the band holds the record of most total weeks at No.1 on the German singles chart over the past 30 years—scoring such hits as...
covered the song as "Cotton Eye Joe" for their album Sex & Violins
Sex & Violins
Sex & Violins is the name of the debut album by techno-country novelty group, Rednex released on Battery Records. The album was a commercial success, including the hit dance single "Cotton-Eye Joe." The album was re-titled Cotton Eye Joe for the U.S...
, combining their style with traditional American instruments, such as synthesized
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
(or in some cases, sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
) banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
s, fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
s, and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
s. In 2002, "Cotton Eye Joe" was remixed in a country-dance version, and was released from Rednex's greatest hits album, The Best of the West
The Best of the West
The Best of the West is the name of the Best Of album released by techno-country eurodance group Rednex.-Track listings:# "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" - 3:33# "Spirit Of The Hawk The Best of the West is the name of the Best Of album released by techno-country eurodance group Rednex.-Track listings:#...
.
Chart performances
The Rednex version of the song (using "Eye" instead of "Eyed"), along with a dance mix version, was very successful in Europe, reaching number 1 in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in January 1995
1995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
, and staying in the number one slot in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for 15 weeks, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for 13 weeks, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for ten weeks, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
for eight weeks, and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
for seven weeks. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it peaked at #25 in March 1995, while in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
topped out at #8 in April 1995.
Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine ranked the song at #38 on the list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever". Most recently, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
listed the song at #86 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, calling it "[t]he worst song the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
could have picked for their seventh-inning stretch music. No wonder they're nicknamed the 'evil empire.'"
Track listings
CD- "Cotton Eye Joe" (Original Single Version) — 3:20
- "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Mix) — 4:46
- "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Instrumental) — 4:46
- "Cotton Eye Joe" (Overworked Mix) — 6:20
- "Cotton Eye Joe" (Original Instrumental) — 3:08
CD - 2002 version
- "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" - 3:33
- "Cotton Eye Joe 2002 (Dance Nation Remix)" - 7:32
- "Cotton Eye Joe 2002 (Aquagen Remix)" - 7:45
- "Ride the Hurricane's Eye (Winnetoons Version)" - 3:02
- "Cotton Eye Joe 2002 (Extended Version)" - 5:56
Peak positions
| Chart (1994/95) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
8 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
10 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 10 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| 25 | |
| 5 | |
| 30 | |
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 32 |
|valign="top"|
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 9 |
| End of year chart (1995) | Position |
| Australian Singles Chart | 34 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 10 |
| French Singles Chart | 50 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 93 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Platinum | 1994-12-12 | 30,000 |
| Germany | 2 x Platinum | 1995 | 1,000,000 |
| Netherlands | Gold | 1994 | 40,000 |
| Norway | 2 x Platinum | 1995 | 80,000 |
| Sweden | Platinum | 1994-10-10 | 20,000 |
| Switzerland | Platinum | 1995 | 50,000 |
| UK | Platinum | 1995-02 | 600,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | 1995-09-05 | 500,000 |
|}
Chart successions
|- style="text-align: center;"|-
|-
Contemporary Cotton Eyed Joe
In November 2010, The Moody BrothersThe Moody Brothers
The Moody Brothers are an Americana country music trio who gained prominence in 1985 when they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their instrumental performance of the classic fiddle tune "Cotton Eyed Joe"...
' version of "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used in an opening "redneck wedding" dream sequence scene on the nationally broadcast Warner Brothers show One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
on the CW Network.
In April 2008 "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used as the music for a Country Western group dance on the nationally broadcast show "Dancing with the Stars".
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has been a standard during the seventh-inning stretch
Seventh-inning stretch
The seventh-inning stretch is a tradition in baseball that takes place between the halves of the seventh inning of any game – in the middle of the seventh inning. Fans generally stand up and stretch out their arms and legs and sometimes walk around. It is a popular time to get a late-game snack as...
at Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games since the team moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1972. The Rednex version has been played at Yankee Stadium since the mid-90s during the seventh-inning stretch. Since late 2001, the song has been moved to the eighth inning to accommodate the playing and/or singing of God Bless America
God Bless America
"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. The later version has notably been recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature song ....
. During the song, a video on the Diamond Vision screen claiming to be "live from the control room" shows an individual identified as "Cotton Eye Joey" in a straw hat dancing along.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has become a fan favorite following the seventh inning stretch at the University of Texas' UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
During the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
games at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
, "Cotton-eye Joe" by the Rednex is often played during timeouts. The song's traditional dance can be seen throughout the stadium
The Rednex version of the song is played frequently at football and basketball games of the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
Cowboys
Wyoming Cowboys
Wyoming Cowboys is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Wyoming. The women's teams use the name Cowgirls. The University is a member of the Mountain West Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 17 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Wrestling is the only varsity sport that is...
, as a reflection of the country roots of the state.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" was used for an act on America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
.
Various times during Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
hockey games, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" is played and fans are encouraged to dance, sometimes being shown on the jumbotron.