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The Origins Of Cotton-Eyed Joe

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The origins of this song are unclear, although it pre-dates before the Civil War. It is most commonly associated with the southern region of the U.S. "Cotton-Eyed Joe" has inspired both a partner dance and different line dances that is often danced various venues in the U.S. and around the world.

The song became the popular version its known as today by the Swedish band Rednex in 1994. They were obsessed with American folk and bluegrass music, so they edited the song, remanded it to “Cotton-Eye Joe” and made it into the global dance hit it is today. Their song peaked in the U.S. at number 25 in March 1995.

Cotton-Eyed Joe’s lyrics may have changed over the decades as the tune passed from fiddle to fiddle, but they all stem from the same
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