What type of song is the Cotton Eye Joe?
“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 Eye Joe” is also a popular spoke line dance 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 Swedish band Rednex in 1994 as “Cotton Eye Joe” has become popular. Music and lyrics 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
“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 Eye Joe” is also a popular spoke line dance 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 Swedish band Rednex in 1994 as “Cotton Eye Joe” has become popular. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.
