Sex & Violins (also known on later US releases as Cotton Eye Joe (Sex & Violins)) is the debut studio album by Swedish Eurodance group Rednex, released on Jive Records in February 1995.
Content Female vocals on the album are provided by Annika Ljungberg; due to a disagreement with the other band members, she left the band after the release of the album's fifth single, "Rolling Home", in 1996, to start a solo career. The album was a commercial success, including the hit dance single "Cotton Eye Joe".
For its US release, the album was retitled Cotton Eye Joe (Sex & Violins) and received new cover art – presumably due to the possible offensive nature of the original artwork depicting a golden shower. In it an unseen person urinates into a chamber pot onto which the band members' faces are superimposed. Initially, the album cover was edited to leave out the stream but with the yellow liquid remaining. This would be substituted for wholly original artwork for a short time, which depicted a desert landscape with cacti warped by heat haze, but returned to the unedited original cover after a single pressing.
Critical reception David Browne from Entertainment Weekly said, "For sheer audaciousness, it’s not surprising that the record is garnering such attention. Where else can you hear a barn-dance staple gone techno, complete with dance-diva wailing and manic banjos and fiddles?" Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated, "What started off as a good joke with 'Cotton Eye Joe', could now very well become the best promotion for what is euphemistically called "New American Music". Dance can definitely bring country music closer to the masses than any strategic marketing campaign could before the Rednex popped up." Neil Spencer from The Observer wrote, "Swedish barn-dance disco: an initially amusing joke (chart-topping 'Cotton Eye Joe') repeated to the point of inanity."Spencer, Neil (12 March 1994). "Pop Releases". The Observer. Jordan Paramor from Smash Hits was very negative to the album, giving it one out of five, but praised 'Wish You Were Here' as a "very lovely ballad".
Track listing
Notes signifies a co-producer
Personnel Accordion – Ari Haatainen and Henrik Widén Banjo – Gary Johansson, General Custer, and Kjell Johansson Bass – Björn Lagberg Drums – Anders Lövmark, Animal, and Heffa Guitar – Anders Hellquist, Boba, Bonne Lövman, Clint Eastwood, and Henrik Jansson Steel guitar – Uffe Sterling Harmonica – Ove Sandberg Piano – Henrik Widén Violin – Bosse Nilsson Vocals – Anders Hansson, Annika Ljungberg, Björn Lagberg, Camena, Camilla Molinder, Chris Sylvan Stewart, Cool James, Currey, Göran Danielsson, Hanna Wannagárd, Henrik Widen, Hoss, Janne Ericsson, Jean-Paul Wall, Jeanette Söderholm, Joe Cartwright, Lotten Andersson, Ludde, Michelle Anenberg, Monte Reid, Pat Reiniz, Stefan Cevaco, Sir Een, Thomas Hegert, and Zeb Macahan Whistle – Jean-Paul Wall
Production Producers – Pat Reiniz, Janne Ericsson, Anders Hansson, Denniz Pop, Max Martin, David Millington, Stefan Sir Een, L. Teijo, Anders Hellquist, and Thomas Hegert Engineering assistant – Jacob Schultze
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for Sex & Violins Chart (1995) Peakposition Australian Albums (ARIA) 71European Albums (European Top 100 Albums) 4
Year-end charts +1995 year-end chart performance for Sex & Violins Chart (1995) Position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) 16 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 85European Albums (European Top 100 Albums) 21 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 17 Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan) 69 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) 7
Sales and certifications
References