Old Pop in an Oak

"Old Pop in an Oak" is a song recorded by Swedish band Rednex, released in 1994 by Jive and Zomba as the second single from their debut album, Sex & Violins (1995). Lead vocals are by Göran Danielsson and Annika Ljungberg, and it was both written and produced by Pat Reiniz (a.k.a. Patrick Edenberg). The song reached number-one in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. In the UK, it peaked at number 12.

When asked about the similarities between the band's first single "Cotton Eye Joe" and "Old Pop in an Oak", singer Annika Ljungberg (a.k.a. Mary Joe in Rednex) told in an 1995 interview, "The two melodies are completely different! The only thing that is similar is that techno beat but if you took that away and played it acoustically with violins and a banjo, then you can hear there's a very big difference. They are totally different songs, different stories. 'Cotton Eye Joe' was an old, trad song. But 'Old Pop in an Oak' is a whole new, original song that we dedicated to an old man in our village."

Like its predecessor, "Old Pop in an Oak" was very successful on the charts in Europe, remaining one of the group's biggest hits to date. It peaked at number-one in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Additionally, the single entered the top 10 also in Belgium (2), Germany (2), Iceland (6), the Netherlands (6), Scotland (8) and Switzerland (2), as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number two. In the United Kingdom, "Old Pop in an Oak" debuted and peaked at number 12 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on March 19, 1995. In France, it was a top 50 hit. Outside Europe, the single peaked at number seven in New Zealand, number 17 on the RPM Dance/Urban chart and number 53 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada, and number 70 in Australia.

"Old Pop in an Oak" earned a gold record in Switzerland (25,000) and a platinum record in Austria (50,000), Germany (500,000) and Norway.

British Lennox Herald noted that "Old Pop in an Oak" is a "similar sounding song" to their previous single, 'Cotton Eye Joe'. A reviewer from Manila Standard described it as "techno-pop fun". Pieter Kops from Music & Media viewed it as a "C&W/dance mixture". Music Week constated that "Rednex regurgitate 'Cotton Eye Joe' – give or take the odd twang – and set out to prove that successfully following up a novelty number one isn't impossible." James Hamilton from the magazine's RM Dance Update declared it as a "speak of the devil, another thumbs in braces, boot stompin', high steppin' moonshine swiggin' gingham swirling Swedish disco hoedown much too much like their last one".

Also Chuck Campbell from Scripps Howard News Service deemed the song as a "very similar re-take" on the band's first hit. Pete Stanton from Smash Hits wrote, "The only difference between this song and 'Cotton Eye Joe' is that this one is called 'Old Pop in an Oak'. Anyway, what or who is old pop in an oak? Have they hidden Grandad in a tree? It sounds like they're singing Pop in my nose, one chicken here looks like Emmy Joe."

• CD maxi

1. "Old Pop in an Oak" (Original Radio Edit) – 3:30
2. "Old Pop in an Oak" (Doug's Klub Mix) – 5:25
3. "Old Pop in an Oak" (Original Extended Mix) – 5:38
4. "Old Pop in an Oak" (Doug's Phantom Dub Mix) – 3:50
5. "Old Pop in an Oak" (Original Instrumental) – 3:20

Personnel are taken from the European maxi-single liner notes.

• Göran Danielsson - lead vocals
• Mary Joe (Annika Ljungberg) - lead vocals
• Christopher Sylvan Stewart, Cool James - backing vocals
• Ken Tacky - vocals, banjo
• Mup - bass drum
• Billy Ray - violin
• Bosse Nilsson - violin (additional)
• Bobby Sue - violin, harp
• Pat Reiniz - producer, engineer, writer
• John Wayne - recorder, mixer

• List of number-one hits of 1995 (Austria)
• List of number-one hits of 1995 (Denmark)
• List of number-one singles of 1994 (Finland)
• List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden
• List of number-one songs in Norway
• Ultratop 50 number-one hits of 1995