[1882 Version, Published 1910 by Harper and Brothers]

Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe
What did make you sarve me so
Fur ter take my gal erway fum me
An' cyar her plum ter Tennessee?
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe
I'd er been married long ergo

His eyes wuz crossed, an' his nose wuz flat
An' his teef wuz out, but wat uv dat?
Fur he wuz tall, an' he wuz slim
An' so my gal she follered him
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe
I'd er been married long ergo

No gal so hansum could be foun'
Not in all dis country roun'
Wid her kinky head, an' her eyes so bright
Wid her lips so red an' her teef so white
Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe
I'd been married long ergo

An' I loved dat gal wid all my heart
An' she swo' fum me she'd never part;
But den wid Joe she runned away
An' lef' me hyear fur ter weep all day
O Cotton-eyed Joe, O Cotton-eyed Joe
What did make you sarve me so?
O Joe, ef it hadn't er ben fur you
I'd er married dat gal fur true

[1925 Version: Published by Dorothy Scarborough]

Don't you remember, don't you know
Don't you remember Cotton-eyed Joe?
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe
What did make you treat me so?
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe
He was de nig dat sarved me so
Tuck my gal away fum me
Carried her off to Tennessee
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
If it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe

Hi's teeth was out an' his nose was flat
His eyes was crossed, but she did n't mind dat
Kase he was tall, and berry slim
An' so my gal she follered him
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe
She was de prettiest gal to be found
Anywhar in de country round
Her lips was red an' her eyes was bright
Her skin was black but her teeth was white
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe

Dat gal, she sho' had all my love
An swore fum ne she'd never move
But Joe hoodooed her, don't you see
An' she run off wid him to Tennessee
I'd 'a' been married forty years ago
Ef it hadn't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe