<P> During the first half of the twentieth century the song was a widely known folk song all over English - speaking North America . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Cotton - Eyed Joe A 1939 recording of the folk song </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing this file? See media help . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Cotton - Eyed Joe A 1939 recording of the folk song </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing this file? See media help . </Td> </Tr>

What does the cotton eyed joe song mean