Cotton-Eyed Joe
My take on Cotton-Eyed Joe
COTTON-EYED JOE Lyrics
Way back yonder a long time ago
Daddy had a man called cotton-eyed joe
Blew into town on a travelin’ show
Nobody danced like the Cotton eyed Joe.
CHORUS:
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe
where did you come from?
Where did you go?
Where did you come from?
Where did you go?
Where did you come from cotton-eyed Joe?
——————————————–
Mama’s at the window
Mama’s at the door
She can’t see nothin’ but the Cotton-eyed Joe
Daddy held the fiddle,
I held the bow
We beat the hell out of Cotton-eyed Joe
(CHORUS)
Made himself a fiddle,
Made himself a bow
Made a little tune called the Cotton-Eyed Joe
Hadn’t oughta been
for the Cotton-eyed Joe
I’da been married some forty years ago.
(CHORUS)
Whenever there’s dance
All the women want to go
And they all want to dance with the Cotton-Eyed Joe
Daddy won’t say
But I think he knows
Whatever happened to the Cotton-eyed JOe !
(CHORUS)
Cotton-eyed JOe, Cotton-eyed Joe
Where did you come from, where did you go……
A version recorded by folklorist Dorothy Scarborough and published in 1925.
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.”
A third Version:
Don’t you remember, don’t you know,
Daddy worked a man they called Cotton-eyed Joe,
Daddy worked a man the called Cotton-eyed Joe.
Had not a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I’d a-been married a long time ago,
I’d a-been married a long time ago.
Down in the cotton patch down below,
Everybody’s singing “the cotton-eyed joe,”
Everybody’s singing “the cotton-eyed joe,”
Had not a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I’d a-been married a long time ago,
I’d a-been married a long time ago.
I know a gal lives down below,
I used to go to see her, but I don’t no more,
I used to go to see her, but I don’t no more.
Had not a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I’d a-been married a long time ago,
I’d a-been married a long time ago.
Tune my fiddle and rosin my bow,
Gonna play music wherever I go,
Gonna play a tune called Cotton-eyed Joe.
Had not a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe,
I’d a-been married a long time ago,
I’d a-been married a long time ago.
ABC:
X: 1
T: Cotton-eyed Joe
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K:Gmaj
|d|:(B2d2) d3 (B|g2 B2) c3 (A|B)AGB A(GFD)|
(G2D2) c3 (A| B)AGB A(GDF)| (G2E2) D4:|
M:4/4
|:BGAG EGDG|BGAB c2dc|BGAG EGDG|BGAB G2GA:|
|:Bded g4|gdeg d4|gdeg dBGA|BGAB G4:|
M: 2/4
K:Amaj
|e|:(c2e2) e3 (c|a2 c2) d3 (B|c)BAc B(AGE)|
(A2E2) d3 (B| c)BAc B(AEG)| (A2F2) E4:|
M:4/4
|:cABA FAEA|cABc d2ed|cABA FAEA|cABc A2AB:|
|:cefe a4|aefa e4|aefa ecAB|cABc A4:|
Cotton-eyed Joe Sheet Music (PDF)
