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Dave Bowman

(5,483 posts) Mon Jun 30, 2025, 07:05 PM Jun 30

Cotton Eye Joe, what's your opinion about that song? [View all]

While browsing on YT I stumbled across this song, the 1994 cover, and wanted to know more about it (not familiar with it at all until watching the vid). There are many interpretations of the meaning of the song and it's a very old one first sang by African Americans since at least the 19th century. One theory is that Cotton Eye Jo had cataracts, so white cloudy eyes, like cotton. It doesn't seem likely though. What you do you think?

Here's the vid I watched:

35 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Cotton Eye Joe, what's your opinion about that song? [View all] Dave Bowman Jun 30 OP

It's about a drunk guy. Gore1FL Jun 30 #1

That's one interpretation, the guy wasn't only drunk but was blinded by bad moonshine. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #3

I always assume Cotton-eyed Joe was the singer of the song when the singer was drunk. Gore1FL Jun 30 #15

It definitely has something to do with booze. 🙂 Dave Bowman Jun 30 #17

Not much. It's from slave days and proves the love-filled ignorant can still be betrayed and sing their pain. ancianita Jun 30 #2

Its about cataracts maxsolomon Jun 30 #4

I believe that it's one of the most likely explanation. Joe had cataracts. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #6

Actually, markodochartaigh Jun 30 #13

I wasn't familiar with it till I started watching plank dance workouts Marthe48 Jun 30 #5

Plank dance workouts? maxsolomon Jun 30 #8

Reels comes up randomly Marthe48 Jun 30 #10

It grates on me. GladysKravitz Jun 30 #7

Lol, yeah it's not my favorite song either. But I have to admit that it can be an earworm that's hard to get rid of. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #16

You got that right. GladysKravitz Jun 30 #20

I grew up in South Texas and this was the first "line dance" hamsterjill Jun 30 #9

Awful Cirsium Jun 30 #11

I see the remake/cover as some type of cultural appropriation. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #18

I always thought that it was an markodochartaigh Jun 30 #12

Yeah, I can see it could have been an Irish song. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #14

Fun little 90's cheese song Polybius Jun 30 #19

It's up there JustAnotherGen Jun 30 #27

And Rico Suave Polybius Jul 1 #31

I LOVED JustAnotherGen Jul 1 #35

"I'm Too Sexist for my Job..." Dave Bowman Jul 1 #32

Played Old Time music with the fiddler in our Irish band. Fun, but some song titles...... Noodleboy13 Jun 30 #21

Always thought it was about a moon-shiner. haele Jun 30 #22

My grandfather died at the age of 101 going on 102. He was the cement that held ou family together. He worked incredibly Dave Bowman Jun 30 #25

There was a town called Hogeye in Texas murpheeslaw Jun 30 #28

All I know is that it's hell to dance to. I gave up. My wife (80) isn't bad at it. Wonder Why Jun 30 #23

I don't think there's a negative strong enough to describe my feelings for this musical atrocity. BlueTsunami2018 Jun 30 #24

Yeah, catchy song but I find it disturbing. Dave Bowman Jun 30 #26

I hate it. LudwigPastorius Jun 30 #29

The "Rednex" version is electronically jazzed up over the original. lees1975 Jun 30 #30

The "original" go back to the 19th century and is far better, I agree Dave Bowman Jul 1 #33

It FUCKING SUCKS. GaYellowDawg Jul 1 #34