Did this boys life inspire bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe. Cover versions of ode to billie joe written by bobbie. Watch the music video and discover trivia about this classic pop song now. Ode to billie joe is a song written and recorded by bobbie gentry, a singersongwriter from chickasaw county, mississippi. I remember thinking that the family was unwittingly callous. The mystery created by bobbie gentry cast a spell over the entire. Bobbie gentry grew up in mississippi near the tallahatchie river. Industry wisdom said ode was too dark, too long, too different to get played on the radio. Of course, it is entirely possible that bobbie recorded mississippi delta first as an intended aside, then wrote and recorded ode to billy joe on a later date, and someone at capitol heard ode and said thats the one.
In gentrys song ode to billie joe, a hit single that knocked the. Ode to billie joe is a song written and recorded by bobbie gentry, a singer songwriter from chickasaw county, mississippi. I read the book, and it makes a lot more sense than what others have written. Bobbie gentry born july 27, 1944 is an american singersongwriter. Jan 01, 2008 bobbie gentry ode to billy joe 1967 smothers brothers show. Reporters and fans asked bobbie gentry these questions for years. Jun 03, 2016 bobbie gentry performs ode to billie joe live on the bbc in 1968. Country music circle bobbie gentry ode to billie joe. Bobbie gentry sings ode to billie joe live on the andy williams. Bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe 33 and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
Bobbie gentry ode to billie joe 1967, scranton pressing. Bobbie gentry sings ode to billie joe live on the andy williams show 1971 duration. My number and email address are at the bottom of this story. I love bobbie gentrys gritty, raw country voice on this disc. The mystery created by bobbie gentry in her debut single ode to billie joe cast a spell over the entire country. I wrote about this song, and bobbie herself, at length last year in my post bobbie gentry and the power of mystery but today i wanted to focus on how she has inspired the songwriting of so. Sinead oconnor ode to billie joe bobbie gentry cover. My father bough this album ode to billy joe old to billy joe back in 1967 and this album is one that i was always looking for which i just purchased from amazon. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. As to what the girl that looked a lot like you and billy joe mcallister were throwing off the tallahatchie bridge has remained one of the open questions of pop music. I love bobbie gentry s gritty, raw country voice on this disc. Save gentry herself, the world gave not much thought to billy joe.
Bobbie gentry fancy fantastic stereo sound1969 youtube. Fever and madonna sang a song and did a music video several years ago. Since its the 3rd of june i thought wed take a walk down to tallahatchie bridge and contemplate the influence of bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe on country music and beyond. Its a good song that tells an intriguing story, yes but bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe is also missing a key detail. Post jobs, find pros, and collaborate commissionfree in our professional marketplace. Delta suite, local gentry, touch em with love, fancy, and patchwork probably one of my favorite albums of all time. In july of 1967, capitol records released ode to billie joe, a spooky wisp of a song by an unknown artist named bobbie gentry.
I loved her first album, and each album thereafter. Bobbie gentry ode to billy joe 1967 video dailymotion. Ode to billy joe is the epitome of simple grace and musical elegance. In 2008, australian label raven records released the album on cd, paired with 1969s touch em with love. It was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty, delta day i was out choppin cotton and my brother was balin hay and at dinner time we sto. Doesnt hurt the film has glynnis ooconnor in an early starring role and is based on the great bobbie gentry ballad. Dec 18, 2014 tara murtha examines that song and the rest of bobbi gentrys career in ode to billie joe, the latest release in the 33 series of books. Jul 27, 20 but if the details of the song are fact and bobbie gentry was in love with him, then i commend gentry for not only her poetic and musical talent but also her bravery in sharing her deeply intimate story. In the case of bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe, we readers get a very well researched history about bobbie gentry including her reclusive way of living, the making of that hit song and then background rather than technical details about the album and then gentrys foray into directing. The confounding, enigmatic ode to billie joe tuesday is june 3, a date memorialized in a 1967 hit by singersongwriter bobbie gentry.
Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats. The track positions as listed on the rear cover are incorrect. The single, released on july 10, 1967, was a numberone hit in the us within three weeks of release and a big international seller. She was born roberta lee streeter to portuguese parents in chickasaw county, mississippi. July 27, 1942 is a retired american singersongwriter who was one of the first female artists to compose and produce her own material gentry rose to international fame in 1967 with her southern gothic narrative ode to billie joe. The details and resolution may surprise some viewers but i found it a satisfying film. The mystery created by bobbie gentry in her debut single ode to billie joe cast a spell. The same river where the famous and original reallife tallahatchie bridge mentioned in ode to billie joe was located.
Find bobbie gentry ode to billie joe lyrics and search for bobbie gentry. Was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out choppin cotton and my brother was balin hay. Bobbie gentry performs ode to billie joe live on the bbc in 1968. In 1967 she became an overnight sensation with her release of ode to billie joe. The song ode to billy joe by bobbie gentry was a big hit for many weeks in 1967. But if the details of the song are fact and bobbie gentry was in love with him, then i commend gentry for not only her poetic and musical talent but also her bravery in sharing her deeply intimate story. Mississippi mystery the 50yearold enigma of bobbie. My sincere regret is that i never purchased the album, merely the 45, which i still treasure. Ode to billie joe by bobbie gentry on amazon music. I used to steal my fathers copy of the record when i was a kid. The lyrics to the bobbie gentry song ode to billie joe have mystified listeners for.
Bobbie gentry ode to billie joe lyrics genius lyrics. I came to love bobbie gentrys music when her big hit ode to billie joe came out. Bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe 33 tara murtha on. The enigma of this, her best known song, is nothing when compared to that of bobbie gentry in real life. Ode to billy joe is a 1976 american drama film with a screenplay by herman raucher, inspired by the 1967 hit song by bobbie gentry, titled ode to billie joe. Ode to billie joe is the debut studio album by american singersongwriter bobbie gentry. It was produced by kelly gordon and arranged by jimmie haskel and shorty rogers. Lucinda williams has written specifically about what she admires about ode to billie joe, which gives us a real insight into how this song has influenced her own music. Appropriately enough, their performance adds a new dimension to ode. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. In 2000 a cd compilation called ode to bobbie gentry contained a couple of previously unreleased recordings, although they were not listed as such on the sleeve. Ode to billy joe by bobbie gentry pass the paisley.
Which may explain the enduring power of her ode to billie joe. It is a wonderfully compelling book and the best ive read in the series since television. In this particular case, mississippi delta was recorded on an earlier date than ode to billy joe. Dec 04, 2014 in the case of bobbie gentry s ode to billie joe, we readers get a very well researched history about bobbie gentry including her reclusive way of living, the making of that hit song and then background rather than technical details about the album and then gentry s foray into directing. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Gentrys debut lp, which went to number one on the pop charts, was a promising but not wholly satisfying disc, with the singer penning all but one of the songs. Ode to billie joe is a critically acclaimed volume in bloomsburys 33 series by tara murtha. One of these, a bobbie original called show off was an outtake from the ode to billie joe sessions.
It was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out c. With this release, i once again understand why i love her so much. She was a singersongwriter with a strong talent for folk narratives, but she had a husky, sexy voice and a. She shot to international fame in the summer of 1967 with the quirky and intriguing ode to billie joe, written by gentry and sung in her warm, captivating style. Note that the track sequence on the cover is different from that on the label. Bobbie gentry ode to billie joe 1967, vinyl discogs. In keeping with the mississippi vibe, another of bobbies songs, ode to billie joe, is chosen as the bside.
Its a good song that tells an intriguing story, yes but bobbie gentry s ode to billie joe is also missing a key detail. With her debut album, ode to billie joe, bobbie gentry knocked the beatles off the top of the charts and made herself a household name. Listen online and get new recommendations, only at. Mississippi mystery the 50yearold enigma of bobbie gentry. Listeners connect to ode to billie joe on a personal level, not a logical one.
It was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out choppin cotton and my brother was balin hay and at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat and mama hollered out the back door, yall remember to wipe your feet. It was covered by wendy ellison mullen, erin hay, jesper thilo finn otto hansen sextet, melveen leed and other artists. Bobbie gentry ode to billy joe 1967 smothers brothers show. On the rear cover there is also an emi brand beneath the capitol logo. Ode to billie joe is bobbie gentrys debut album, released in 1967. British guitarist analyses bobbie gentry live in 1968. It was released on august 21, 1967, by capitol records in 2007, the album was made available for digital download. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. Jul 27, 2016 the 5th dimensions cover takes that reading a step further, turning the song into a oneact play, with different members handling the vocals of each character in the song.
It was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out choppin cotton, and my brother was balin hay and at dinner time we stopped and walked back to. If youve never heard bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe, please stop reading this and go listen to the entire thing at least once before you finish this post and before you read anything else about this song. Bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe by tara murtha goodreads. Bobbie gentry it was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out choppin cotton, and my brother was balin hay and at dinner time we stopped. Is bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe based on a true story. May 31, 2016 bobbie gentry, if this story somehow lands in your hands, please contact me. I came to love bobbie gentry s music when her big hit ode to billie joe came out.
About ode to billie joe ode to billie joe is a song written and recorded by bobbie gentry, a singersongwriter from chickasaw county, mississippi. Even with a suicide in the first verse, the song helped. Bobbie gentry roberta lee streeter ode to billie joe lyrics. Inevitably, the title track dwarfed everything else by comparison, but a greater problem was that several of the other tunes recycled variations of the ode to billie joe riff. Cover versions of ode to billie joe written by bobbie gentry. The capitol years was the first cdera compilation to make a serious attempt at summarizing bobbie gentrys remarkable recordings for capitol during the late 60s and early 70s. Tara murtha examines that song and the rest of bobbi gentrys career in ode to billie joe, the latest release in the 33 series of books. Bobbie gentry ode to billie joe the smothers brothers. Then bobbie gentrys cool vocals came in and, in a little over four. Ode to billie joe singers secret life rolling stone. The song ode to billie joe was written by bobbie gentry and was first recorded and released by bobbie gentry in 1967.
Get the best deals on bobbie gentry vinyl records when you shop the largest online selection at. One particular song really tugs at my heartstrings and that hurry tuesday child. It was the third of june, another sleepy, dusty delta day i was out choppin cotton, and my brother was balin hay and at. The 5th dimensions cover takes that reading a step further, turning the song into a oneact play, with different members handling the vocals of each character in the song. The enigma of this, her best known song, is nothing. This tale of starcrossed lovers involved in peculiar. Mar 09, 2007 bobbie gentry sings ode to billie joe live on the andy williams show 1971 duration. Set to a backing of spare acoustic guitar chords and atmospheric strings, gentry s sensual, southernfried voice relates the story of two mississippi teenage lovers who share a dark secret. It includes ode to billie joe one of her best known songs but my favorites are the fun titles lazy willy, bugs and nicky hoekey, with my aboslute favorite being hurry tuesdays child. Aug 17, 2012 bobby gentry ode to billy joe duration.
Trying to unearth the story behind the reclusive bobbie gentrys ode. Gentry s debut lp, which went to number one on the pop charts, was a promising but not wholly satisfying disc, with the singer penning all but one of the songs. Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about html5 video. Two book release parties for ode to billie joe are going down friday, december 5. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers. Mississippi mystery the 50yearold enigma of bobbie gentrys ode to billie joe. Bobbie gentry, if this story somehow lands in your hands, please contact me.
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