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Cotton Eyed Joe
Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, widely known, but may have originally been a Texas tune.
ARTIST: Thomas & Leeder CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: Late 1800’s
OTHER NAMES: Miss Brown; Cotten-Eyed Joe Going to London; Red Dog; Sugar in My Coffee-O; Ever See a Devil Uncle Joe; Joe; RELATED TO: Did You Ever See the Devil Uncle Joe?; Tom Doucet's Cotton Eyed Joe; Citaco.
EARLY RECORDING INFO: Dykes Magic City Trio got in ahead of Fiddlin' John Carson by 6 days. The Dykes Magic City recording, but it was reissued on Old Homestead LP 191. The other four above are fiddle dominated dance tunes. The Fiddlin' John rendition is basically a series of dance calls. In his notes to County 544 (Georgia Fiddle Bands Vol 2) Gene Wiggins writes that John's 'Cotton-eyed Joe' with its 'mixolydian cast' is said 'by old-timers to be older than other tunes with the same name'. The other renditions are mostly lengthy instrumental breaks interspersed with the usual couplets - 'had it not been for ...' 'went to the window, went to the door ...' etc - the Skillet Lickers' has the most lyrics but even these are repeated. The early recording artists focused on using it for dance purposes. The Carter Brothers and Son recording is great - wild, exuberant twin fiddling:
Virginian stringband - Dykes Magic City Trio 9 March 1927 in New York; Old Homestead OHCS191, "Dykes Magic City Trio" (Eastern Tenn.) {originally recorded in 1927 on a Brunswick 78}.
Georgian stringband - Fiddlin' John Carson and Virginia Reelers 17 March 1927 in Atlanta; County 544, Fiddlin' John Carson- "Georgia Fiddle Bands, Vol. 2."
Arkansas stringband - Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers 6 February 1928; County 518, Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers- "Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 1."
Georgian stringband - Skillet Lickers 10 April 1928 in Atlanta; Skillet Lickers, Vol. 1, County 506, LP (196?), cut# 12.
Mississippi stringband - Carter Brothers and Son 22 November 1928 in Memphis; County 520, Carter Brothers and Son- "Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 3." County 528, Carter Bros. & Son - "Mississippi Breakdown, Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, Vol. 1."
RECORDING INFO: Agents of Terra. Fresh Oldtime String Band Music, Rounder 0262, LP (1988), cut# 8. Alden, Ray. Old Time Friends, Marimac 9009, Cas (1987), cut# 2. Bowlin, Granville. Mountain Music of Kentucky, Folkways FA 2317, LP (1960), cut# 12 . Bowlin, Granville. Mountain Music of Kentucky, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40077, CD (1996), cut#2.41 . Brand, Oscar. Laughing America, Tradition TLP 1014, LP (195?), cut#B.05. Camp Creek Boys. Camp Creek Boys, County 709, LP (1967), cut# 12. Carson, Fiddlin' John. Georgia Fiddle Bands, Vol. 2, County 544, LP (197?), cut# 3. Carson, Fiddlin' John. Fiddlin' John Carson. Vol 4, Document DOCD 8017, CD (1997), cut#10. Carter Brothers & Son. Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 3, County 520, LP (1970), cut# 14. Carter Brothers & Son. Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, Vol. 1, County 528, LP (1975), cut# 6. Carter Brothers & Son. Going Down The Valley; Vocal & Instrumental Music from the South, New1 World1 NW 236, LP (1977), cut# 6. Collins, Earl. That's Earl, Briar BR-4204, LP (1975), cut# 3. Dalglish, Malcolm; and Grey Larsen. First of Autumn, June Appal JA 0026, LP (1978), cut# 17. Douglas, Wilson. Right Hand Fork of Rush Creek, Rounder 0047, LP (1975), cut# 1. Douglas, Wilson. Back Porch Symphony, Douglas C-7625, LP (1995), cut#A.08. Flippen, Benton. Appalachia, The Old Traditions, Vol. 2, Home Made Music LP-002, LP (1982), cut# 24. Forrester, Howdy. Devil's Box, Devil's Box DB, Ser (196?), 22/4, p50b. Freedom Singers. We Shall Overcome, Mercury MG 20879, LP (1963?), cut#B.03. Freight Hoppers. Where'd You Come From, Where'd You Go?, Rounder 0403, CD (1996), cut# 2 . Gellert, Dan; and Shoofly. Forked Deer, Marimac 9000, Cas (1986), cut#A.01. Hall, Kenny; and the Sweets Mill String Band. Kenny Hall and the Sweets Mill String Band, Bay TPH-727, LP (1973), cut#B.02 . Hancock, Elliot. Rackensack. Volume 2, Driftwood LP 279, LP (1972), cut#A.02. Hawkins, Steve. Singin' Gatherin', Silver Burdette, Bk (1939), p45. Highwoods String Band. No. 3 Special, Rounder 0074, LP (1978), cut# 1. Hobbs, Smiley. American Banjo, Folkways FA 2314, LP (1966), cut# 18. Hofner, Adolph; and his San Antonians. Roots N' Blues - The Retrospective (1925-50), Columbia Legacy 47911/47912-15, Cas (1992), cut#4.08. Holt, David. It Just Suits Me, June Appal JA 0038, LP (1981), cut# 7. Holt, David. It Just Suits Me, June Appal JA 0038, LP (1981), cut# 11. Holt, David. Music of North Carolina, Heritage (Galax) 024 (XXIV), LP (1979), cut#B.05. Hooven, Greg. Tribute to Fred Cockerham, Heritage (Galax) 079C, Cas (1993), cut#B.01. Hornbostel, Lois. Vive le Dulcimer!, Kicking Mule KM 215, LP (1983), cut#B.06b. Hoswell, "Hos" (Jim). Blue Dog Cellar Project No. 1, Kimberly RINC 1245, LP (196?), cut#B.02. Hunter, Ernie. All About Fiddling, Stoneway STY-143, LP (197?), cut#A.01. Hutchins, Esker. Old Time Fiddling at Union Grove. The 38th Annual Old-Time Fi..., Prestige 14039, LP (1964), cut#B.01. Ives, Burl. Wayfaring Stranger, Columbia CS 9041, LP (196?), cut#A.01b. Jackson, Tommy. 30 Fiddlers Greatest Hits, Gusto GT-104, LP (1978), cut# 16. Jackson, Tommy. 30 Fiddlers Greatest Hits, Gusto GT-104, LP (1978), cut# 18 (Fiddlin' Joe). Jackson, Tommy. Country Express, Nashvile NLP 2006, LP (196?), cut# 13 (Fiddlin' Joe). Jarrell, Tommy. Sail Away Ladies, County 756, LP (197?), cut# 13 . Keith, Leslie. Black Mountain Blues, Briar BF-4210, LP (1974), cut# 1. Koken, Walt. Banjonique, Rounder 0337, CD (1994), cut# 9. Macon, Uncle Dave. At Home, His Last Recordings, 1950., Bear Family LC 15214, LP (1987), cut# 12. McCurdy, Ed. Folk Singer, Dawn DLP 1127, LP (1956c), B.02. Michael, Walt; & Company. Step Stone, Flying Fish FF-480, Cas (1988), cut# 8b. Miller, Rodney. Airplang, Rounder 0193, LP (1985), cut# 10. Molsky, Bruce. Warring Cats, Yodel-Ay-Hee 011, Cas (1993), cut# 2 (Inch(ing) Along). Mountain Ramblers. Sounds of the South, Atlantic 7-82496-2, CD( (1993), cut#1.17 . Plank Road String Band. Plank Road String Band, Carryon, LP (1976), cut#B.02. Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers. Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 1, County 518, LP (1977), cut# 10. Rector, Red; and Fred Smith. Songs from the Heart of the Country, County 721, LP (1969), cut#A.05. Red Clay Ramblers. Rambler, Sugar Hill SH-C-3798, Cas (1992), cut# 1. Red River Dave and His Texas Tophands. Songs of the Golden West, Remington, LP (1957), cut# 3. Reno & Smiley. Glory Years, Collectors Classics CCLP 22, LP (197?), cut#A.04. Roan Mountain Hilltoppers. Down Home, Roan Mountain, CD (2000/1983), cut#16. Robertson, Lonnie; and the Caney Mountain Boys. Square Dance Fiddlin', Caney Mountain CEP 213, SP (196?), cut# 2c. Rutherford, Ernest; and the Gold Hill Band. Old Cap'n Rabbit, Heritage (Galax) 080, Cas (1989), cut# 4. Schwarz, Tracy. Dancing Bow and Singing Strings, Folkways FTS-6524, LP (1979), cut#B.03. Shannon, Bookmiller. Southern Journey. Vol. 7: Ozark Frontier, Rounder 1707, CD (1997), cut#21. Shannon, Carlos. Folk Songs from the Ozarks, Prestige International INT 25006, LP (196?), cut# 9. Skillet Lickers. Skillet Lickers, Vol. 1, County 506, LP (196?), cut# 12. Sutherland, Pete. Poor Man's Dream, Flying Fish FF-336, LP (1984), cut# 7 (Inch(ing) Along). Texas Dance Hall Band. Cotton Eyed Joe, Roysales RSC 114, Cas (1981), cut# 2. Thomason, Ron. Mandolin and Other Stuff, Kanawha RT-3, LP (198?), cut#A.01c. Watson, Doc and Merle. Down South, Sugar Hill SH-3742, LP (1984), cut# 10. White, Josh. Josh White Stories, Vol. 1, ABC Paramount ABC 124, LP (1956/196?), cut# 8 (Cottoneye Joe). White, Josh; Jr.. I'm on My Own Way, Mercury MG 21022, LP (1965?), cut#A.03. Wills, Bob; and the Texas Playboys. Country Music, South and West, New1 World1 NW 287, LP (1977), cut# 18; County 518, Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers- "Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 1." County 520, Carter Brothers and Son- "Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 3." County 528, Carter Bros. & Son - "Mississippi Breakdown, Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, Vol. 1." County 544, Fiddlin' John Carson- "Georgia Fiddle Bands, Vol. 2." County 756, Tommy Jarrell- "Sail Away Ladies" (1976. Learned after 1925 from a friend, Charlie Lowe, a clawhammer banjoist who heard the tune broadcast on Nashville radio). Fretless 201, Gerry Robichaud--"Maritime Dance Party." Gusto 104, Tommy Jackson- "30 Fiddler's Greatest Hits." Heritage XXIV, Dave Holt - "Music of North Carolina" (Brandywine, 1978). Heritage XXXIII, Zenith String Band (Conn.) - "Visits" (1981. Learned from the Carter Brothers via Vermont/Ohio fiddler Pete Sutherland). June Appal JA 028, Wry Straw - "From Earth to Heaven" (1978. Version learned from Creed Power {Dungannon, VA} and Byard Ray {Shelton Laurel, N.C.}). Mercury SRW 16261, Tommy Jackson- "Instrumentals Country Style." Marimac 9000, Dan Gellert & Shoofly - "Forked Deer" (1986. Version learned from Carter Bros. & Son recording). Marimac 9009, Doris Kimble & Dave Spilkia - "Old Time Friends" (1987). Old Homestead OHCS191, "Dykes Magic City Trio" (Eastern Tenn.) {originally recorded in 1927 on a Brunswick 78}. Rounder 0074, Highwoods String Band- "No. 3 Special" (1977). Rounder 0047, Wilson Douglas- "The Right Hand Fork of Rush's Creek" (1975). Rounder 0193, Rodney Miller - "Airplang" (1985). Rounder CD0262, Mike Seeger - "Fresh Oldtime String Band Music" (1988. With the Ithica, N.Y., group Agents of Terra). Stoneway 143, Ernie Hunter- "All About Fiddling." Tennvale 004, Bruce Molsky- "An Anthology."
SOURCES: American Ballads and Folk Songs, MacMillan, Bk (1934), p.262 Highwoods String Band (New York) [Brody]; John Hendricks (Bates, Arkansas) [Thede]; Tommy Magness [Phillips/1994]; Steve Hawkins (Rowan County, Kentucky, 1911) [Thomas & Leeder]; Louise Arsenault (b. 1956, Wellington, East Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 74. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 1), 1973; pg. 20. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 60. Frets Magazine, "Byron Berline: The Fiddle," September 1981; pg. 64. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pg. 50. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 86. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 12. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pgs. 56 & 57 (two versions). Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 26-27. Thomas & Leeder (The Singin' Gatherin'), 1939; pg. 60. Bay 209, "The Gypsy Gyppo String Band" (1977. Learned from Paul Ermine of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan). Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1940/1965), p 60b; Collins, Earl. Beginning Old-time Fiddle, Oak, sof (1977), p50. Hendricks, John. Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p 27; Bay 727, "Kenny Hall and the Sweets Mill String Band." Briar 0798, Earl Collins- "That's Earl." Caney Mountain Records CEP 213 (privately issued extended play LP), Lonnie Robertson (Mo.), c. 1965-66. Cassette C-7625, Wilson Douglas - "Back Porch Symphony." County 506, The Skillet Lickers- "Old Time Tunes, 1927-1931." Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc;
NOTES: See " A Major (most versions): G Major (Ford, Kaufman): D Major (Zenith String Band). Standard, AEAE, ADAE, GDAD (Thede, John Dykes). AABB (Perlman): AABBA: AA'BB' (Kaufman). Charles Wolfe has called this tune "a Texas dance-hall anthem" but it has had such widespread currency in the United States that the tune is really a pastiche of melodies using interchangable phrases, the most recognizable of which usually is associated with the verses:
Where did you come from, where will you go?
Where did you come from Cotten-Eyed Joe.
(Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
Marion Thede believes 'cotten-eyed' may refer to a person with very light blue eyes, while Alan Lomax suggests it was used to describe a man whose eyes were milky white from Trachoma. In Georgia, people with large whites to the eyes are called cotton-eyed. This usage is fairly common, as pointed out in the quote from a dictionary of slang (Gargoyle). Charles Wolfe (1991) writes that African-American collector Thomas Talley, in his manuscript of stories, Negro Traditions, related a story entitled "Cotton-Eyed Joe, or the Origin of the Weeping Willow." The story includes a stanza from the song, "but more importantly details a bizarre tale of a well-known pre-Civil War plantation musician, Cotton Eyed Joe, who plays a fiddle made from the coffin of his dead son." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
"Boswell's Folk Songs of Middle Tennessee, which references Talley, The Negro Traditions has this to say: "According to black folk traditions of late-nineteenth-century Bedford County, Cotton-Eyed Joe was a well-known pre-Civil War slave musician whose tragic life caused his hair to turn white; eventually he played a fiddle made from the coffin of his dead son." Boswell collected seven versions." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
The tune was a favorite of John Dykes (Magic City Trio {Eastern Tenn.}) and it was in the repertoire of Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner (in the key of G Major) who said a fellow fiddler named Youngblood brought it to the territory from Mississippi around 1890. It was one of the tunes played at the turn of the century by Etowah County, Alabama, fiddler George Cole, according to Mattie Cole Stanfield in her book Sourwood Tonic and Sassafras Tea (1963), and was mentioned in accounts of the DelKalb County Annual (Fiddlers) Convention, 1926-31. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Some verisons are similar to Lowe Stokes (N.Ga.) popular "Citaco." Ken Perlman (1996), who collected the tune on Prince Edward Island, believes Canadian versions probably derived from the playing of radio and TV Maritime fiddler Don Messer (the 'B' part is played with a strong Acadian flavor). See also Bayard's (1981) note to a related tune "The Horse Called Rover" (No. 10, pgs. 20-21). The original tune for "Cotton-Eyed Joe" may have been originally a Scottish piece called "General Burgoyne's March." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
LYRICS:
COTTON-EYED JOE
I'll make me a fiddle and make me a bow,
And I'll learn to play like Cotten-eyed Joe.
I tun'd up my fiddle, I went to a dance,
I tried to make some music, but I couldn't get a chance.
You hold my fiddle and you hold my bow,
Till I whip old Satan out of Cotten-eyed Joe.
I've make lot of fiddles and made lot of bows,
But I never learned to fiddle like Cotten-eyed Joe.
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