Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Cotton Eye Joe (Rednex song)

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Released
  
12 August 1994

Genre
  
Eurodance, techno

Recorded
  
1994

Length
  
3:14

B-side
  
"Ride the Hurricane's Eye (Winnetoons Version)"

Format
  
CD single, 12-inch single

"Cotton Eye Joe" is a song by Swedish Eurodance group Rednex from their debut studio album Sex & Violins (1995). Sampling the traditional American folk song "Cotton-Eyed Joe", it combines the group's style with traditional American instruments such as banjos and fiddles. In 2002, "Cotton Eye Joe" was remixed in a dance version, and was released from Rednex's greatest hits album, The Best of the West.

Contents

Chart performances

The Rednex version of the song (using "Eye" instead of "Eyed"), along with a dance-mix version, was very successful in Europe, where it remained at number one in Norway for 15 weeks, Switzerland for 13 weeks, Germany for 10 weeks, Sweden for 8 weeks, Austria for 7 weeks, and for 3 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. In Ireland, it peaked at number 2 in January 1995. In Oceania, it topped the New Zealand Singles Chart for 6 consecutive weeks. In Australia it peaked at number 8 in April 1995. In the US, it peaked at number 25 in March 1995.

Critical reception

Blender magazine ranked the song at number 38 on the list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".

The song is part of the track list of the 2009 video game Just Dance, and appears in the dance on-demand compilation service Just Dance Unlimited.

This is a playable song in Dancing Stage EuroMIX 2.

Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song for their 2015 live stage tour Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Musical.

Track listings

Original CD
  1. "Cotton Eye Joe" (original single version) – 3:14
  2. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Mix) – 4:46
  3. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Madcow Instrumental) – 4:46
  4. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Overworked Mix) – 6:20
  5. "Cotton Eye Joe" (Original Instrumental) – 3:08
2002 CD
  1. "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" – 3:33
  2. "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" (Dance Nation Remix) – 7:32
  3. "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" (Aquagen Remix) – 7:45
  4. "Ride the Hurricane's Eye" (Winnetoons version) – 3:02
  5. "Cotton Eye Joe 2002" (extended version) – 5:56

References

Cotton Eye Joe (Rednex song) Wikipedia
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