"Cotton-Eyed Joe"(also known as"Cotton-Eye Joe") (Roud942) is a traditional Americancountry folksong popular at various times throughout the United States and Canada, although today it is most commonly associated with theAmerican South.The song is mostly identified with the 1994Rednexversion,which became popular worldwide. The song is also an instrumentalbanjoandbluegrassfiddlestandard.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Published | Before 1861 |
Genre | Country folk |
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has inspired a partner dance and more than oneline dancethat is often danced at country dance venues in the United States and around the world. The 1980 filmUrban Cowboysparked a renewed interest in the dance. In 1985,the Moody Brothers' version of the song received aGrammy Awardnomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance. The Irish groupthe Chieftainsreceived a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration for their version of the song with lead vocals byRicky Skaggson their 1992 albumAnother Country.
History
edit19th century
editThe origins of this song are unclear, although it predates the 1861–1865American Civil War.[1]AmericanfolkloristDorothy Scarborough(1878–1935) noted in her 1925 bookOn the Trail of Negro Folk-songsthat several people remembered hearing the song before the war. Scarborough's account of the song came from her sister, Mrs. George Scarborough, who learned the song from "the Negroes on a plantation in Texas, and other parts from a man in Louisiana". The man in Louisiana knew the song from his earliest childhood and heard slaves singing it onplantations.[2]Both the dance and the song had many variants.[3]
The melody of the song may have originated in Ireland. Paddy Moloney ofThe Chieftainswas on tour in Texas when he heard the song and immediately identified it as an old Irish folk melody, "The Mountain Top".[4]
A number of possible meanings of the term "cotton-eyed" have been proposed. The phrase may refer to: being drunk onmoonshine,or having been blinded by drinkingwood alcohol,turning the eyes milky white; a black person with very light blue eyes; miners covered in dirt with the exception of their white eyes; someone whose eyes were milky white from bacterial infections oftrachomaorsyphilis,cataractsorglaucoma;or the contrast of dark skin tone around white eyeballs in black people.[5]
American publishing houseHarper and Brotherspublished the first printed version of the song in 1882.[6]It was heard by authorLouise Clarke Pyrnelle(born 1850) on theAlabamaplantation of her father when she was a child.[7]That 1882 version was republished as follows in 1910:[8]
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.
The lyrics of this version, in nondialectal standardAmerican Englishare:
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you serve me so,
For to take my gal away from me,
And carry her down to Tennessee?
If it hadn't been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd have been married long ago.
His eyes were crossed, and his nose was flat,
And his teeth were out, but what was that?
For he was tall, and he was slim,
And so my gal she followed him.
If it hadn't been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd have been married long ago.
No gal so handsome could be found,
Not in all this country round,
With her kinky head, and her eyes so bright,
With her lips so red and her teeth so white.
If it hadn't been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I'd have been married long ago.
And I loved that gal with all my heart,
And she swore from me she'd never part;
But then with Joe she ran away,
And left me here for to weep all day.
O Cotton-eyed Joe, O Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you serve me so?
O Joe, if it hadn't been for you,
I'd have married that gal for true.
By 1884, the fiddle-based song was referred to as "an old, familiar air".[9]In 1925, another version was recorded by folklorist Dorothy Scarborough and published.[10]
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 Joehoodooedher, 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.[10]
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 forminstrel-type jigs, and it has long been popular as a square dance hoedown and a couple dance polka.[11]
A resident ofCentral Texaswho learned the dance inWilliamson Countyin 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 extraversion on the part of the dancer.[12]
20th century
editDuring the first half of the 20th century, the song was a widely known folk song all over English-speaking North America. One discography lists 134 recorded versions released since 1950.[13]In more recent decades, the song has waned in popularity in most regions except some parts of theAmerican South,where it is still a popular folk song.[citation needed]
Bob WillsandAdolph Hofnerand his San Antonians both recorded the song, and according to music historian Bill C. Malone, Hofner's 1941 version was the one that did the most to popularize the song.[14]A 1967 instrumental version of the song by Al Dean inspired a new round dance polka for couples.[11]
The dance remained popular in Texas in the 1970s.[15]A circle dance called "Cotton-Eyed Joe" can be found in the 1975 edition ofEncyclopedia of Social Dance.The men stand on the inside of a circle facing out, and the women stand on the outside facing in; both circles follow a sequence of kick steps and struts.[16]
The spoke line version gained popularity, not only in Texas but also across the United States and overseas[clarification needed]in the 1980s.[11]A Western "craze" followed the 1980 release of the filmUrban Cowboy.[citation needed]InMerle Haggard's "Texas Fiddle Song" (1981), the final verse makes reference to the "Cotton-Eyed Joe" and features the melody of both the Bob Wills and Al Dean versions.[citation needed]"Cotton-Eyed Joe" and its continued popularity in Texas were referred to in the lyrics toAlabama's 1984 song "If You're Gonna Play in Texas".[17]
Select list of recorded versions
edit- 1927:Fiddlin' John Carson(earliest known recording)
- 1928:Gid Tanner'sSkillet Lickers,Columbia 15283D, 4/10/1928[ambiguous][18][19][20][21]
- 1928:Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers,Victor 21469-A, recorded 2/6/28,[ambiguous]Memphis, Tennessee
- 1941:Burl Iveson the album,The Wayfaring Stranger
- 1942:Adolph Hofnerand his San Antonians, with J. R. Chatwell on fiddle
- 1947:Bob Willsand the Texas Playboys[citation needed]
- 1956:Josh Whiteon the album,The Josh White Stories Vol. 1
- 1959:New Lost City Ramblerson the album,Old Timey Songs for Children
- 1959:Nina Simoneon the album,Nina Simone at Town Hall
- 1960:Walter Brennan
- 1962:Karen Daltonon the album,Cotton Eyed Joe
- 1967: Al Dean and the All Stars on the 45 record,[which?]KIKN Records
- 1968:Terry Callieron the album,The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier
- 1974:Isaac Payton Sweaton the albumCountry Masters
- 1976:Leona Williamson the album,San Quentin's First Lady
- 1980:Johnny GimblewithWillie Nelsonon the soundtrack album for the filmHoneysuckle Rose
- 1985:Asleep at the Wheelon the album,Pasture Prime
- 1985:The Moody Brotherson their self-titled album,The Moody Brothers,Grammy-nominated
- 1992:The ChieftainswithRicky Skaggson the album,Another Country,Grammy-nominated
- 1992:Michelle Shockedreleased a reworked version of the song, titled "Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe)", on the albumArkansas Traveler
- 1993The Red Clay Ramblers,on the albumThe Red Clay Ramblers Live
- 1994:Black Lace,released under the song title, "Bullshit"
- 1994:Rednexon the album,Sex & Violins
- 2002:The ChieftainswithRicky Skaggson the compilationThe Wide World Over
- 2003:Vanessa-Maeon the album,The Ultimate Vanessa-Mae
- 2004:The Ebony Hillbillieson the album,Sabrina's Holiday
- 2009:Romp n' Rollon the album,Shimmy n' Shake
- 2010:Josh Rouseon the album,El Turista
- 2010:Hot Club of Cowtown
- 2014:Lee Matthews,Country and Irishsinger, produced a version that topped the Irish Country Singles chart
- 2016:The Sweeplingson the album,Covers, Ch. 1[22]
- 2017:Daniel Radcliffe,Andy Hull, and Robert McDowell, for the filmSwiss Army Man
- 2022:Roger McGuinn.at theFolk Den
- 2023:Rufus WainwrightandChaka Khan
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Everett, Holly:"The Many Lives of 'Cotton Eyed Joe'",Canadian Society for Traditional Music Conference, 2002,Memorial University,St. John's, Newfoundland.
- ^Scarborough, Dorothy;Gulledge, Ola Lee (1925).On the Trail of Negro Folk-songs.Harvard University Press.p. 289.ISBN0-674-01262-3.RetrievedMarch 3,2011.
He said he had known it from his earliest childhood and had heard the enslaved people sing it on the plantations.
- ^Lloyd Shaw,The Round Dance Book,The Caxton Printers, Ltd, 1948, p. 314. No ISBN or catalogue number.
- ^McWhiney, Grady(1988),Cracker Culture: Celtic Ways in the Old South,Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press. p.120.ISBN0-8173-0458-4
- ^"Information at The Fiddler's Companion".Ibiblio.org.Retrieved2014-03-31.
- ^Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (8 August 2016).The Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance.Rowman & Littlefield. p. 68.ISBN978-1-4422-5749-8.
- ^Pyrnelle, Louise Clarke(1910).Diddie, shoots, and Tot: or, Plantation child-life.Harper and Brothers. p. vi.ISBN9781421967509.RetrievedMarch 3,2011.
The stories, plantation games, and Hymns are just as I heard them in my childhood
- ^Pyrnelle, Louise Clarke(1910).Diddie, Dumps, and Tot: or, Plantation child-life.Harper and Brothers. pp.135–36.RetrievedMarch 3,2011.
Cotton eyed Joe.
- ^Brotherhood of locomotive firemen and enginemen's magazine.Vol. 8.Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.1884. p. 534.RetrievedMarch 3,2011.
- ^abScarborough, Dorothy; Quiledge, Ola Lee (1925)."On The Trail of Negro Folk-Songs-online book. A collection of negro folk songs with lyrics, sheet music & commentaries".Traditionalmusic.co.uk. pp. 69–70.Retrieved2014-03-31.[dead link ]
- ^abcDance Across Texas Betty Casey,University of Texas Press, 1985, p. 17.ISBN0-292-71540-4
- ^Harris, Pittman, Waller,Dance a While. Handbook of Folk, Square, and Social Dancing.1950, 1955, 1964, 1968. Burgess Publishing Company, Fourth Edition, p. 151.
- ^"Grateful Dead Family Discography:Cotton-Eyed Joe".The Grateful Dead Family Discography.Retrieved2014-03-31.
- ^Bill C. Malone,Don't Get above Your Raisin′,University of Illinois Press, 2001, p. 313.ISBN0-252-02678-0
- ^"Honky Tonks, Hymns, & the Blues".Honkytonks.org.Retrieved2014-03-31.
- ^Albert and Josephine Bulter,Encyclopedia of Social Dance,New York: Albert Bulter Ballroom Dance Service. New York, New York, 1975.
- ^"Lyrics to If You're Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band)".Genius.com.Retrieved2024-04-28.
- ^"COLUMBIA 78rpm numerical listing discography: 15000D series".78discography.com.
- ^The Journal of American Folk-lore.American Folk-lore Society. 1965.
- ^Tudor, Dean (1983).Popular Music: An Annotated Guide to Recordings.Libraries Unlimited.ISBN978-0-87287-395-7.
- ^Wolfe, Charles K. (March 1997).The devil's box: masters of southern fiddling.Country Music Foundation Press.ISBN9780826512833.
- ^Covers, Ch. 1.2016-07-29.Retrieved2018-08-30.