SONG ORIGIN
Cotton Was King
121lifetime playslive performances
May 5, 2010first played
August 9, 2025last played
Dirty Side Downappears on2010
“Cotton Was King” is a Widespread Panic original. It appears on Dirty Side Down (2010).
It's a tribute to New Orleans, past, present, and future. Yeah, that was fun to write... it uses the phrase ‘before the beginning,’ which I actually got from Firesign Theatre... It dates back to the beginning of time that a place like New Orleans was always meant to be created. It was inevitable, a geographic hot spot where things were going to happen no matter what, and New Orleans is what manifested.
John Bell, singer, guitarist · jambands.com, 4/30/2010
Closing track on Dirty Side Down (2010).
Sources
- John Bell, "True to Our Nature" interview by Randy Ray · jambands.com, 4/30/2010
- Type & first-played · Everyday Companion / Burnthday catalog
Frequently asked
- Who wrote “Cotton Was King”?
- “Cotton Was King” is a Widespread Panic original, credited to the band.
- Is “Cotton Was King” a Widespread Panic original or a cover?
- It is a Widespread Panic original.
- What album is “Cotton Was King” on?
- It appears on Dirty Side Down (2010).
- When did Widespread Panic first play “Cotton Was King”?
- Its live debut was 5/5/10.
- How many times has Widespread Panic played “Cotton Was King”?
- About 121 times (per Everyday Companion).