“Cotton-Eyed Joe”

Description

"If it hadn't been for Cotton-eyed Joe, I'd have been married a long time ago." "Where did you come from, where did you go...." Stanzas describe country life, fiddle playing, and attempts to outshine Cotton-eyed Joe

Notes

Primarily a fiddle tune, with the sort of chaotic words one would expect of such a piece. I assume "Cotton-Eyed Joe" stands for something, but I've never heard an explanation. - RBW

It's been suggested that Cotton-Eyed Joe was a local character who was blind due to cataracts or another eye disease such as trachoma. - PJS

Recordings

• Arthur "Brother-in-Law" Armstrong, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (AFS 3979 B2, 1940)
• Granville Bowlen, "Cotton Eyed Joe" [instrumental] (on MMOK, MMOKCD)
• Fiddlin' John Carson, "Cotton Eyed Joe" (OKeh 45122, 1927)
• Carter Brothers and Son, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (Vocalion 5349, 1929; on GoingDown)
• Dyke's Magic City Trio, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (Brunswick 120, 1927)
• Spud Gravely & Glen Smith, "Cotton Eye Joe" (on HalfCen1)
• New Lost City Ramblers, "Cotton-Eye Joe" (on NLCR10)
• Elmo Newcomer, "Cotton Eyed Joe" (CroMart 101, n.d. but prob. late 1940s - early 1950s)
• Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (Victor 21469, 1928)
• Bookmiller Shannon, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (on LomaxCD1707)
• Gid Tanner & his Skillet Lickers, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (Columbia 15283-D, 1928)
• Art Thieme, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (on Thieme03)
• Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (Columbia 37212, c. 1947)

References

1. BrownIII 104, "Page's Train Run So Fast" (1 text)
2. Scarborough-NegroFS, pp. 69-70, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 262-263, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Silber-FSWB, p. 35, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (1 text)
5. DT, COTTNEYE*
6. Roud #942
7. BI, LxA262