Haunting yet hopeful, together Dean and Bradley create luring melodies and lyrics that touch on the universal and the fleeting; those shared experiences that while they’re happening might seem trivial, but go on to become waypoints in the memory of a life well lived. It might be the sudden realization that, when it comes to love, forever isn't all that long. We’re are all on the same ride to the undeniable end, yet with someone by our side we just might be able to go gently into that good night.
Sonically, they approach each song as if writing for the screen. A swirl of melodies and harmonies bring you along on their journey, the sounds they craft at once giving rise to a myriad of mental imagery
Cotton Eye Joe
The Sweeplings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Where did he go?
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
Yeah,
He came in to town like a raging storm
He rode through the fields so handsome and strong
His eyes were his tools and his smile was his gun
And all he had come for was having some fun
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Where did he go?
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
(Where did he go?)
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
The Sweeplings’s “Cotton Eye Joe” is a song that tells the story of a man who has stolen the heart of the singer’s lover. The opening and closing lines, “Where did he go?”, suggest that the man left suddenly, without any explanation. The lyrics reveal that if it hadn't been for this man – Cotton-Eye Joe – the singer would have been married a long time ago. The man is described as having “come in to town like a raging storm,” riding through fields looking handsome and strong. He uses his eyes and smile as his tools, coming only for some fun. The song’s repeated refrain asks, “Where did he come from? Where did he go? Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?”
The name Cotton-Eye Joe refers to an old folk song, but the lyrics of The Sweeplings’s version have been entirely re-written. The song tells a tragic tale of love and loss in a surprisingly upbeat melody. The singer recalls how her life could have been very different if it had not been for the arrival of Cotton-Eye Joe. The song is both catchy and mournful, a blend of celebratory rhythm and sad lyrics that perfectly capture the feeling of missed opportunities and lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh
A sound of curiosity or puzzlement
Where did he go?
Asking about the whereabouts of Cotton-Eye Joe
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Expressing regret over not marrying earlier before encountering Cotton-Eye Joe
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
Asking about Cotton-Eye Joe's origins and destination
He came in to town like a raging storm
He rode through the fields so handsome and strong
His eyes were his tools and his smile was his gun
And all he had come for was having some fun
Describing Cotton-Eye Joe's arrival and demeanor as powerful, charming, and playful
Ooh
A sound of curiosity or puzzlement
Where did he go?
Asking about the whereabouts of Cotton-Eye Joe
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Expressing regret over not marrying earlier before encountering Cotton-Eye Joe
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
Asking about Cotton-Eye Joe's origins and destination
If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I'd been married a long time ago
Expressing regret over not marrying earlier before encountering Cotton-Eye Joe
Where did he come from? Where did he go?
Where did he come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?
Asking about Cotton-Eye Joe's origins and destination
Contributed by Callie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.