Cotton-Eyed Joe

"Cotton-Eyed Joe" (also known as "Cotton-Eye Joe") (Roud 942) is a traditional American country folk song popular at various times throughout the United States and Canada. It has historical associations with slavery in the American South. The song is also an instrumental banjo and bluegrass fiddle standard.

"Cotton-Eyed Joe" has inspired more than one country-western partner dance and line dance. The 1980 film Urban Cowboy included a version of the song. In 1985, the Moody Brothers' version of the song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance. The Irish group the Chieftains received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration for their version of the song with lead vocals by Ricky Skaggs on their 1992 album Another Country. In 1994, a version recorded by the Swedish Eurodance group Rednex as "Cotton Eye Joe" became popular worldwide.