Cotton Eyed Joe is a traditional American folk song dating to the 19th century, long used for square and line dances. It became a global pop hit in 1994 when Swedish group Rednex released their Eurodance version, which topped charts across Europe and became a staple at parties, sports arenas and weddings. Online, the frantic fiddle intro was detached as a standalone meme sound for chaotic dancing and country-themed edits, keeping the Rednex arrangement far more famous than earlier folk recordings.