Cotton Eyed Joe banjo tabs
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Tablatures
Scruggs Style
This is considered a beginner tune because of how repetitious it is. The A and B sections of Cotton Eyed Joe are very similar.
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Melodic Style
Cotton Eyed Joe isn't incredibly difficult because it's a fairly repetitive melody. To be more efficient, take it measure by measure.
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More about Cotton Eyed Joe
As a traditional American country song, this song "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (also "Cotton-Eye Joe") has received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Instrumental Performance". It is a popular folk song throughout the United States and Canada. In the Roud index of folksongs, the tune is No. 942. This tune has inspired a couple of country dances like the partner dance that's commonly danced in the United States and around the world. Several versions of the song have been made after its first recording. One of the remarkable versions of this song is the version recorded by the moody brothers' In 1985. It earned them a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Vocal Collaboration" for their version of the song with lead vocals by Ricky Skaggs on their 1992 album Another Country. In 1994, a Swedish band Rednex did their own version of the song and called it "Cotton Eye Joe." This version went viral worldwide. There have been speculations that the origin of this song dates back to the era of the American civil war. According to American folklorist Dorothy Scarborough (1878–1935) in her 1925 book On the Trail of Negro Folk-songs, the song was often rendered before the war. Another account by Scarborough states that her sister learns the song from "the Negroes on a plantation in Texas and some other parts from a man in Louisiana." Nevertheless, the origin of this tune is generally unknown.
Here on Tunefox you’ll find 3 versions of Cotton Eyed Joe for banjo. The Scruggs style tablature will teach you how to play slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs. In the melodic arrangement of Cotton Eyed Joe, you’ll learn some fancy up-the-neck melodic work. The third variation of this song is ...a forward roll based-backup arrangement. There are many Scruggs, melodic and bluesy licks in these three banjo Cotton Eyed Joe tablatures, which can be used to personalize each arrangement into your liking. To change measure into different arrangement, just click on the "Original Measure" text above the measure and select a different lick. You can also click the "Shuffle licks" button at the bottom of the page to randomly change all of the licks in the tablature and create a wholly unique arrangement of this song. Tunefox also features useful tools that will help you learn this arrangement of Cotton Eyed Joe. If you select the "Tools" option in the bottom bar you’ll see "Hide Notes", "Memory Train", and "Speed Up" features. Hide notes will help you train your ears by hiding some of the notes on the page for you to figure out as opposed to looking at the tab. "Memory Train" will help you retain the melody of the song by gradually hiding notes so you can rely on your ears more for memorization. Finally, the "Speed Up" tool will automatically increase the playback speed each time a measure or the song loops. Use the Tunefox backing tracks to practice the solo you’re working on or improvising over the chord changes for Cotton Eyed Joe. The backing tracks are recorded samples of real instruments to help simulate practicing with an actual band. You can adjust the volume of the instrument, band, and metronome to your liking. Once you’ve settled on an arrangement of Cotton Eyed Joe using the Lick Switcher, export your arrangement to a PDF file so you can print it out and take it with you. This is a member-only feature.
Cotton Eyed Joe lyrics
Doyou rememner a long time ago
There was a man called Cotton eyed Joe
There was a man called Cotton eyed Joe
I could have been married a long time ago
If it hadn't a-been for Cotton eyed joe
If it hadn't a-been for Cotton eyed joe
Old bull fiddle and a shoes-string ...
Play it fast or play it slow
Didn't play nothing but Cotton eyed Joe
Didn't play nothing but Cotton eyed Joe
Don't you remember and long time ago
Daddy worked and a man called Cotton eyed Joe
Daddy worked and a man called Cotton eyed Joe
Where do you come from ? Where do you go ?
Where do you come from Cotton eyed Joe
Where do you come from Cotton eyed Joe
Come for to see you , come for to sing
Come for to show you my diamond ring
Come for to show you my diamond ring