Clifton Hicks - Cotton Eyed Joe

Banjo Heritage 👉   / cliftonhicks  
According to Dorothy Scarborough, author of the the book, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs (1925), enslaved Americans were singing about "Cotton-Eyed Joe" as early as the 1850s. However, the first printed version did not appear until 1882.

I learned these words to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" from Jerron Paxton. He sang it unaccompanied following the usual melody, so I composed this original banjo arrangement in ~ f♯DGAD.

I want to go a'courting but I couldn't go
Had to stay home with Cotton-Eyed Joe,
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eyed Joe
I'd a'been married a long time ago

Where did you come from where did you go
Where did you come from Cotton-Eyed Joe? (x2)

I want to go to town but I couldn't go
Had to take care of Cotton-Eyed Joe,
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eyed Joe
I'd a'been married a long time ago...

They whipped that man with a rope and a line
They whipped that man 'til he lost his mind,
They whipped that man to the longleaf pine
They whipped that man 'til he went stone blind...

They whipped that man with a line and a rope
They whipped that man 'til he buzzard loped
They whipped that man with a rope and a line
They whipped that man 'til he lost his mind...

My instrument is an 1890s S. S. Stewart "Thoroughbred" banjo.

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