Cotton-Eyed Joe (Cotton Eye Joe) is an American country song known in various versions in the United States and Canada. After it was recorded in 1994 (English) Russian. Swedish band Rednex, the song has become a worldwide hit. The exact time of origin of the song is unknown, although it is believed to be from the American Civil War. Both the song and the dances to it have many variations. One version, recorded by Dorothy Scarborough, was recorded and published in 1925. Scarborough noted that the song is widely known in the South (where it is still widely popular), and was sent to her by various people.

After a while, the song began to be performed at the tempo of jig and polka.mOne of the discographies has 134 recorded versions of the song dating back to 1950. Options for explaining the phrase “cotton-eyed” (cotton-eyed) include: the contrast between the white eyeball and the dark skin of blacks, glaucoma, discoloration of the eyes of those who have used methyl alcohol, etc. One version of the dance of the same name can be found in the 1975 edition of the Encyclopedia of Public Dances.