Cotton Eyed Joe
Bob Wills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe? If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
He brought disaster wherever he went
The hearts of the girls was to hell broken sent
They all ran away so nobody would know
And left only men 'cause of Cotton Eyed Joe
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
He brought disaster wherever he went
The hearts of the girls was to hell broken sent
They all ran away so nobody would know
And left only men 'cause of Cotton Eyed Joe
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
Overall Meaning
The lyrics to Bob Wills's song Cotton Eyed Joe speak of a man named Cotton Eyed Joe who is responsible for breaking many hearts and causing disaster wherever he goes. The singer laments that if it had not been for him, he would have been married a long time ago. The singer then asks the question, ""Where did you come from, where did you go?" repeatedly, suggesting that no one knows where Cotton Eyed Joe came from or where he has gone. He then goes on to say that all the female admirers of Joe ran away because of him, leaving only men behind.
The lyrics of Cotton Eyed Joe are typical of the honky-tonk music genre, which originated in Texas in the early 20th century. The song has a traditional folk melody with a simple but catchy chorus. The song is often played at social gatherings such as weddings, square dances, and barn dances, and has become a staple of country music. The origin of the song is somewhat unclear, but it is thought to have originated in the southern United States in the mid-1800s. Some versions of the song have been traced back to African American plantation slaves, while others have links to Irish and Scottish folk music.
Line by Line Meaning
If it hadn't been for Cotton Eyed Joe
Bob Wills acknowledges that Cotton Eyed Joe was an integral part of his life, something that may have contributed to many of his experiences.
I'd been married long time ago
If it weren't for Cotton Eyed Joe, Bob Wills might have been married years ago.
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Bob Wills is questioning the origin and departure of Cotton Eyed Joe in his life and the impact that he had.
Where did you come from Cotton Eyed Joe?
Bob Wills is still curious to know about Cotton Eyed Joe's origin, he pondered it often.
He brought disaster wherever he went
Cotton Eyed Joe's presence was often associated with chaos and disaster. He led to many mishappenings in Bob's life.
The hearts of the girls was to hell broken sent
Cotton Eyed Joe had a way with women, leading them to heartbreak and devastation wherever he went.
They all ran away so nobody would know
The girls who fell for Cotton Eyed Joe ran away because they did not want to be involved with someone who caused so much heartbreak and chaos.
And left only men 'cause of Cotton Eyed Joe
The girls who left because of Cotton Eyed Joe left behind only men, who were not interested in him.
Writer(s): BOB WILLS, TOMMY DUNCAN
Contributed by Hunter P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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