Bobbie Gentry -- Ode To Billie Joe [REVIEW]

[@ole9421]

Yes, a thousand page Southern Gothic Novel told in less than 5 minutes.

[@RockN2Country]

@ole9421 That's about as perfect and concise a description as I've ever seen about a song. You're hired!! And welcome to the channel!!

[@ole9421]

@@RockN2Country Thank you for the warm reply and welcome. Isn't this just a riveting song/story? It grabs you and pulls you into a place, a time in this countries history when life was still hard. I lived a similar life in a small farming community in southeastern, Iowa. Even had the same style of steel girded bridges around the area. Jumped off of them when we were kids. But, no one died. Still there were other major events that did occur, like in this song, and were treated with the same indifference around the dinner table. Rural people have a different way of approaching life. It's a simple matter of, "Well, life goes on" or a, "Stupid is what stupid does", type of attitude. We just have to move on because yes, "That 5 lower acres still needs to get plowed." Cheers! And I'm also a big Skynyrd fan, too!

[@CrayCruz]

Such a beautifully written story, and beautifully sung. Just when i thought that she couldn't do it any better than the original recording. This is a classic song, so haunting and so lush in it's storytelling. Wonderful!

[@jazziered142]

I loved that book so much. I think I was like thirteen when I read it. It was everything!

[@igorstein5616]

@catothewiser It just Aint Gothic ya know what i mean

[@direnova6284]

This is the most American thing I've ever heard, it belongs in a museum of history.

[@barbarasettle1782]

My dad owned a bar and would bring home 45 records for us kids to play. Ode to Bille Joe was one of the records, and I was captivated with it's mysterious story and the emotional crack in Bobbie Gentry's voice. Loved it and played it over and over. Still love this gem of a song. 💎

[@janebraun4482]

Part of why the song is so special, just soooo American and although sad makes me proud just the same.

[@badsexofficialthingy2026]

Yup I agree, but you must remind yourself that it's actually a song of British immigrants after a few years of getting settled into a strange land and getting settled then bad stuff happened.

[@direnova6284]

@@badsexofficialthingy2026 Aren't Immigrants at the root of what it is to be American ? I'm not trying to be contentious, just expanding on your point which was interesting.

[@billybradley1455]

and they wonder why we keep saying "they don't write songs like they once did"

[@robynalvin2849]

Preach!!!

[@susanliebl9019]

Her phrasing is Shakespearean! And the scratchy, raw, real vocal=PERFECTION!

[@kathlelan]

What she did here is truly masterful. In minutes she simply and eloquently evoked a place, a time and a mysterious story with such precision and detail. This song still gives me the chills and I'm now 73. The background music is perfect too. Listen to the sound of the strings when she sings she drops flowers off the bridge into the muddy water. But, yeah, I always thought it was a baby they threw off the bridge. Too many clues. Pass the biscuits please...Oh, and she was able to talk her way through the song and continue finger picking on the guitar in a different rhythm. Wow!

[@scotm3599]

What an incredible voice. I have heard this song over the years, but had no idea she was so gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful

[@miamidolphinsfan]

yep she could have been a Miss Mississippi !!

[@kurtsherrick2066]

I grew up on a farm on the Hatchie river in West Tennessee. I was 6 when this song came out. My sister who was 5 years older than me and a great guitarist played this song a thousand times and I was so blessed to have a understanding about working in the field and being called to dinner by a huge Dinner Bell. This song is to me the greatest country song ever written and performed. It gave millions the feel of our part of the country without having to ever been in the Delta. I still get goosebumps when I play the song. Timeless Masterpiece.

[@RockN2Country]

@Kurt Sherrick Thank you for sharing that with us. It's a beautiful testament to your family and life where you grew up, and a beautiful way to speak about a timeless and almost perfect song. Also, welcome aboard the channel!

[@gerardhodkinson2334]

One of the best songs ever, absolute classic.

[@miamidolphinsfan]

100% agree

[@Rocker1983]

Gives me chills every time!

[@TexasMagnolia]

She was an ultimate storyteller.

[@RockN2Country]

100% truth, tlb!!

[@mr.x5458]

I was lucky enough to know this lady in Lake Tahoe when I was a kid. She was married to Bill Harrah. My family was friends with them. She was always very nice to me, and god she was beautiful. My whole family was from the south, even though I was born in California. I loved her voice.

[@guyofStorm]

Its heartbreaking how disconnected the family is. The parents inability to see how affected their daughter is. Not knowing about her relationship with the boy...its tragic.

[@walterpalmer2749]

Imagine writing a song that has such impact even 50 years later. The record sold 3 million copies but more amazing is that it spawned a picture later, and was rerecorded in many other countries by other artists using local backgrounds.

[@solarpaneling]

She was 25. Wrote, produced and performed it. Amazing.

[@nonenone3257]

Everyone oughtta have a crush on her! She described it as "a study in unintentional cruelty." That all the explanation she ever gave. She's phenomenal. So glad to see Bobbie Gentry. She wrote all her own songs and had a great business sense. Growing up in Arkansas this song had a very familiar feel...the language, big meal and Preacher...all of it. Retired in the 70s and never performed again. And it's not the height of the bridge that will kill you, it's the Tallahatchie River.

[@RockN2Country]

Good stuff, levyrat. That's a great description---"unintentional cruelty." As for you having grown up in Arkansas, where abouts? I've been to Arkansas quite a few times, and my surrogate daughter is from there, as is her friend who I've also now claimed as my other daughter! They're from the Fayetteville area (both went to U of A), and I've got other friends who live in Springdale and Little Rock.

[@Courdorygirl]

I also live in Arkansas, and going based on your username, I've been to Levy a few times :D

[@nonenone3257]

@@Courdorygirl, and you lived to tell about it! lol Wow. Small world. Too funny.

[@nonenone3257]

@@RockN2Country, dang, you have a lot of AR connections. I have friends in Fayetteville. It's a beautiful area. I grew up in North Little Rock and now live in a tiny town in the Ozark foothills about 1.5 hrs from Fayetteville. Btw, next trip be sure to hit Eureka Springs. Best pizza in AR is at a bar called Chelsea's.

[@laurenhartness29]

levyrat AR I live in Little Rock now, but I’m from the delta area, in the Southeast corner not far from both the Mississippi and Louisiana borders. I agree with you, the language is what I grew up with. Even the conversation with the family and preacher. I grew up in a small town beauty shop, and you wouldn’t believe the conversations that happen there lol.

[@musicandmoviefan9217]

I love a lot of the modern music but THIS is what todays music is missing. She has painted a story with her lyrics that take you away to Choctaw Ridge. You feel as though you are part of the song. Today is all about just repeating the same inane phrases over and over as long as it has a beat. The story is missing.

[@wendel5520]

This song has always been in my top 5 off all time. She is my female Kris Kristofferson.

[@nonenone3257]

Wow. That is a great comparison. Spot on.

[@RockN2Country]

@wendel hardy Solid choice for a top 5. i mean, this song and her performance in this video is beyond belief.

[@wendel5520]

RockN2Country check out her performance of fancy.

[@flomurdock]

Except she can sing and Kris can't.

[@conboring63]

Perfect comparison to Kristofferson.

[@wendel5520]

A lot of people don't realize that she wrote and performed "Fancy" way before Reba covered it. For those that want to see her there is a clip on KZbin from Johnny Cash show singing Fancy and it's worth a look.

[@MrRondonmon]

Its not her saying much of anything, its her dad, brother, moma and the young preacher. So you have to piece their stories together to make sense of it all. I'm not sure about the dad, but he does have 5 more acres to plow....the Brother then saw her at the "Saw mill with Billy Joe" {you cut things up/PEOPLE Maybe), then the young preacher tells mama he saw a girl that looked like her, and Billy Joe "THROWING SOMETHING" of the Bridge. So I always thought they killed somebody and Billy Joe felt so remorseful he took his own life. But who knows. Some people say it was a baby

[@leshaunda]

Yes they don't..but she did...she awesome

[@sandrasanders706]

Thought I heard it before..

[@StellaWaldvogel]

Bobby Gentry said once that she imagined it was probably rings (but didn't say that was the final word.). I guess they had a tiff and he was dead before she got a chance to make things right. The song is chilling for the way her family chatters on and has no clue that she's destroyed inside. Her Papa says "Billy Joe never had a lick of sense" and asks for someone to pass the biscuits. Her mother pushes her at "that nice young preacher." The girl in the song has stopped eating and probably gone chalk white but other than "I've been cookin' all mornin'" nobody seems to notice or care. I used to imagine bodies and babies and all kinds of things. Now I'm inclined to agree that it probably was rings. They had a secret engagement, for some reason he wasn't considered "eligable" by her family. And why was Brother Taylor spying? Did he instigate the fight? What else did he say or do? Any suspicions I have rest on him. In the movie it was a rag doll that got thrown in the river. That never set right with me. At the end, she's dropping flowers into the muddy (not clear - this is a genius lyric) water. Her man, her engagement, all taken by the river. Grieving alone.

[@kathcasey2090]

@@StellaWaldvogel - They were pregnant. Going to elope. Threw the last vestiges of her childhood away, ... her doll. But Billy Joe got drunk and made out with a man. He couldn't reconcile what he had done with who he thought he was, he jumped. She went away for a year and had the baby.

[@beth8443]

I am in LOVE with her voice and the delivery of this song. I'll never forget the first time I heard it. At the time I was a child. I'll never forget the chill bumps that her voice telling that "story" gave me. In my humble opinion she's got one of the most underrated voices in country music.

[@LiamE69]

You have a crush on her? Well you better head to Alaska then. That's where the back of the queue starts.

[@RockN2Country]

@LiamE69 Yeah, I came late to the party and the line had already started. Ha! Welcome to the channel, BTW!

[@gibrigg]

Liam... Dude, I almost fell off my chair... Thanks for that nugget!

[@RogerTears]

i'm laughing as hell LOOL

[@Chris-kj7de]

@@RockN2Country lol dude!

[@Vinylsearch]

Ok a few things about this song. During the so call summer of love where psychedelia music dominated youth couture come this southern gothic song with a mysterious story line which became a huge hit. Also the album that contain this song dethroned Sgt. Peppers album on Billboard Magazine album chart after a long stay. I have always loved this song and the lyrical content did not escape me through the year. A stunning classic for sure. Enjoyed hearing the live version for the first time. I love how the strings arrangements fade out at the end of the song. Enjoyed the video.

[@RockN2Country]

Thanks for the info on the song and the times in which it was written. I remember when it came out, as I was a little kid but the song endured for quite a long time. And the strings are beautiful, as you said. But her voice, her pauses, her raspiness, her unique and exquisite beauty, the mysterious storyline, all of it makes this one of the best single-song performances I've ever seen.

[@chewy2804]

40 years dormant and this song pops in my head today. Amazing song and story.

[@RockN2Country]

@ChewyTV Glad you came back to it, 'cause it is one heckuva song.

[@beckyd.236]

One of my all-time favorite songs when I was young! Thanks for reacting to this!

[@RockN2Country]

@Becky You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it, and welcome aboard the channel!

[@SuperKaren1953]

Love,love this song.

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

I have not heard it in a while either. What a great "slice of life" song this is! The voice and the simple no frills delivery of the story makes it a classic!

[@RockN2Country]

Amen, CTC!!

[@roberttreborable]

I heard this song too while growing up and it took me to the Delta although I've never been there, it was as if I was sitting at the table having a meal with the family... It's a Masterpiece that stands the test of time..... So surprised you missed that all when younger ....

[@patrickobrien163]

Listening she makes you feel your there at the kitchen table waiting for the black eyed peas. Great storyteller song writers can do this. Considering there is no Billie Joe McCallister and is purely fictitious makes it all the more impressive. Listen to "Fancy" same kind of deal where she's a poor girl in New Orleans. What a talent, what a doll.

[@LittleBozo]

I found this song again 5yrs ago and fell in love with Bobbie Gentry. What a talent and such a young age. I think it moves all of us the same way since we heard this song when we were kids but didn't really hear it until we heard it again as adults. My mom used to play this song over and over on our stereo record player. I must have heard this song 1000 times and was just to young to put it together.

[@439tab]

There is never anything that can ever take the place of a beautifully sung, emotionally felt song like this. It just goes to show that you don't need 25 tracks and 5,000 electronic effects to create a great song. This is a piece of art that will still be relevant 200 years from now. You don't even have to understand the lyrics or the context of the song. Just listen to the emotion in the voice and the beautiful melody.

[@lorellstoneman74]

She was also playing guitar while singing this...perfection.

[@michelle88960]

I love this song, and I'm a lyric monster. So I have had my theories of what it was about. I think her and Billie Joe had a secret affair and she got pregnant. In a small town like what Bobbie describes, and at that time, becoming pregnant was a disgrace. So I think either she secretly had a baby, maybe stillborn, or they needed to dispose of it. So they threw it off the bridge. Billie Joe couldn't handle the guilt and committed suicide. When her mother says the preacher saw a girl who looked just like her daughter and Billie Joe throwing something off the bridge; in a small town like that, what her mother's really saying is "I know it was you." And that's why she lost her appetite. She loved Billie Joe, and they did what 2 young kids only knew how to do. So she throws flowers in to the the water for Billie Joe and their baby. But everybody has their own idea.

[@maryreilly5092]

I didn't read your comment until after I just posted mine. Great minds think alike!! Take care.

[@Abornazine_]

Bobbie was amazing. She sang, played several instruments and even produced most of her stuff which for the time was amazing.

[@arianahelvie5033]

"As Gentry told Fred Bronson, “The song is sort of a study in unconscious cruelty. But everybody seems more concerned with what was thrown off the bridge than they are with the thoughtlessness of the people expressed in the song. What was thrown off the bridge really isn’t that important. “Everybody has a different guess about what was thrown off the bridge-flowers, a ring, even a baby. Anyone who hears the song can think what they want, but the real message of the song, if there must be a message, revolves around the nonchalant way the family talks about the suicide. They sit there eating their peas and apple pie and talking, without even realizing that Billie Joe’s girlfriend is sitting at the table, a member of the family.”" performingsongwriter.com/bobbie-gentry-ode-billie-joe/

[@RockN2Country]

@Ariana Helvie Thank you for posting that---it's the most cogent explanation I've heard yet. And welcome aboard the channel!!

[@davidmonypeny5734]

Yeah it doesn't matter at all what was tossed off the bridge that was a storytelling device. The unconscious cruelty come in when they are at the table passing around the black eyed peas with dad bitching about having to plow the field and mom complaining to the girl about eating the meal she cooked all morning not considering or caring about the fact that their daughter just lost her boyfriend to suicide, completely ignoring her trauma. Your also clued in at the end when dad's died, mom's devastated and daughter spends her time tossing flowers off the bridge, STILL pining for Billie Joe. This song is really deep and amazing.

[@kathcasey2090]

They were pregnant. Going to elope. Threw the last vestiges of her childhood away, ... her doll. But Billy Joe got drunk and made out with a man. He couldn't reconcile what he had done with who he thought he was, he jumped. She went away for a year and had the baby.

[@MyHammer111]

ARIANA THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INSIGHTFUL, BRILLIANT, AND HELPFUL COMMENTS I CAN REMEMBER EVER READING. EVER. THANK YOU!

[@jaygilllan7574]

@@kathcasey2090 That is the plot of the movie, the movie took inspiration from the song but it's not what the song is about.

[@atomikmaster1]

She has so many wonderful songs to experience ❤️

[@evonne1957]

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, y'all, remember to wipe your feet And then she said, I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge Today, Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge And papa said to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow And mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge And brother said he recollected when he, and Tom, and Billie Joe Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night? I'll have another piece-a apple pie; you know, it don't seem right I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge And now ya tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge And mama said to me, child, what's happened to your appetite? I've been cookin' all morning, and you haven't touched a single bite That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge A year has come and gone since we heard the news 'bout Billy Joe And brother married Becky Thompson; they bought a store in Tupelo There was a virus going 'round; papa caught it, and he died last spring And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Bobbie Gentry Ode to Billie Joe lyrics © Spirit Music Group

[@michelescanzano6280]

Kindred Spirit i wanna copy, paste , But , can t .....

[@maryroberts9233]

Great song.....loved it since 69. Awesome southern story, hangs in your mind forever.

[@roman14032]

chopping cotton in june?

[@PrincipledNaturalLaw]

Gentry had a voice like tupelo honey.

[@siskokidd]

When I first listened to the story being told in this song, probably well into my 30's, and having heard it many times as a kid, the first thing to hit me was how Bobbie was able to express the thinking and mood of those parents around the dinner table, the gossipy, distant tone at the news of someone they knew dying the way he did. I just remember that impression.

[@pueblodove]

This is the first time watching one of your videos, I have always loved this song ever since I was a kid, and I gotta say while watching you watching her- us women can't help feeling amazed at you like you were her! You show a lot of passion for music and the finer things! Watching your face in this video was a treasure. You are very sincere and expressive... I will definitely be watching more!

[@billycampbell854]

A southern Queen, Americana at its best!

[@757optim]

Wow. It is told that her mom traded a cow for a piano when Bobbie was 7 years old and she taught herself to play that and about half a dozen instruments, studied philosophy, wrote, arranged, performed and produced her own music and later Las Vegas show. I never knew Bobbie had all of those talents and abilities and education. Frankly, like you, I never thought that deeply about the song's message, though you get it instinctively. All of that talent on top of natural beauty. Amazing.

[@ronaldporter7206]

I've listened to this song, over and over, and analyzed it a thousand times. I heard it, as a high school freshman, when it first hit the charts. After 55 years of scrutiny I still don't know what they threw off the bridge and, nobody else knows. And, I now understand we weren't meant to know. The song is just the song and the story it tells is just what happened.

[@xyz8655]

5:15 She is reliving this song, every line. I've been inspired to check out other videos of her doing this song live and she delivers every time. Slightly different vocal timings but always used to full effect, like an actor. She's brilliant. Hey buddy, can you take a look at "Shoking Blue" - Never marry a railroad man?

[@matthewpaul1111]

Besides her unique singing style Bobbie was a true classic beauty and seemed highly intelligent. I really appreciated those photos of her you threw in.

[@wehart2950]

That bridge in the video might not have been high enough to kill Billy Joe Mcalister from the impact, but it's the undertow that gets people. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta not that far from where Bobbie Gentry was from. I've lost friends and family members who were swimmers to strong undercurrents in the Mississippi Delta river system. Recently, my nephew was lost as he jumped into the the Yazoo River to tie his boat up. They still haven't found his body. The surface of those rivers can look deceivingly calm but if you look closer you can see little swirls and eddies. They can be very dangerous at certain times of the year.

[@saries54]

So sorry about your nephew.

[@MrBobby99888]

A true American Classic Tune.

[@guyofStorm]

This song and the story it tells along with how she's able to perform it,,,is pure art.

[@kurtsherrick2066]

Bobby was a great writer, singer and performer. She made and got out. She was absolutely beautiful and amazing.

[@paulvangeenen]

I bumped in her record "Ode to Billie Joe" in a huge bin (hundreds of records) of a second hand store. When I don't know the artist or the album I always make a picture of the cover so I can look it up te comming week. And man... when I started to listen to this album on Spotify, I was totally blown away! Only the first song has drums. All the otherones don't so it's accoustic. And if you listen close you can hear loads of other instruments that pop in. An amazing album. I wonder if it is country. For me, it's more jazzy/soulish. I listened to her other albums and they are not as great as this one but still very good. This weekend I will return to that store and hopefully able to buy this record. And I have a feeling all here records are there which surely I buy. I hope. And I will keep digging for more unknown artists for me because every month I discover another artist which is great and I missed in the time I was black and white ;) So I discovered the album of Helen Reddy called "Long Hard Climb" song "Until it's time for you to go" and I fell in love with the first albums of Emmylou Harris which I own now. 70's .. great time of great music... for me to re-discover...

[@RockN2Country]

@Paul van Geenen Great stuff right there!! I love finding deals on albums like that, especially when the album and artist are amazing. Welcome aboard, BTW!!

[@juancarlosmontes]

I like that you reacted deeply. I was expecting more commentary, but it didn't say you were going to analyze the song, it said you were going to react, and that you did. You were visibly emotionally moved throughout the song and then you were speechless. It threw you for a loop.

[@RockN2Country]

@juancarlos montes Thank you for the kind words and keen observation. Sometimes a song hits a certain way and there's just nothing to say in the moment, and that's rare for me since I enjoy commenting. When I reacted to "Broken Halos" by Chris Stapleton a year ago I was even quieter than I was for Bobbi'e song, since I unexpectedly began thinking about a woman I loved dearly and who passed away a few years prior to me doing the reaction. And BTW, welcome to the channel. :-)

[@ClarkFox1]

Everything about this song is genius. Ms. Gentry is one of the few performers who can maintain a steady guitar rhythm with vocals of varying speed. Her lyrics rhyme and tell the story with as few words as are necessary. The story immediately draws-in the listener and carries them to the ultimate conclusion. Ms Gentry said the song was about how people can be indifferent to life's tragedies.

[@melaniefelsher4356]

Southern Gothic in song, beautiful voice, beautiful woman

[@RockN2Country]

Eloquently put.

[@Vol-mom]

New course in high school “dramatic writing” studying this song. Amazing how a song from 1967 can have so much creative spirit it breaks ground in this arena for teens in this day and time.

[@scooteranthony6297]

It was a No. 1 song in 1967. Knocking The Beatles off the top of the charts. She became an overnight super star. Played in Vegas for about 10 years, was married to Jim Stafford for awhile. But in the early 80’s. Walked away from it all and went back to Miss.. and apparently still lives a quite life in her home town. Her reasons for walking away are her own, and I respect that. I wish she would’ve still kept writing music though. She cut 7 studio albums in 4 years. She wrote Fancy way before Reba made it famous. She wasn’t just a one hit wonder. She was a skilled musician, singer, song writer and producer. And she was smokin hot! 😎

[@roycelabor4339]

Great reaction & review! I remember the stir that this song caused when it debuted! Epic!

[@RockN2Country]

@Royce Labor Thanks for the kind words, and welcome to the channel!! This song is still a mystery when it comes right down to it.

[@johnpinegar8027]

One of the best songs ever. A masterpiece.

[@danielrdrown1]

Her stock is hotter than ever. Her box set; The Girl from Chickasaw County :The Complete Capitol Masters, is a critical and commercial smash hit.Released in Sept. 2018, it is already in its fourth pressing. In the U.K, it debuted at #1 on the U.K Country Compilation Album Chart and now in it's 20th week is still #4. The New York Times, The London Times, the L.A Times named it top re-issue of the year.

[@RockN2Country]

Wow, that is incredible and such good news!!

[@danielrdrown1]

@@RockN2Country In it's 22 week of release, it roars back to #1 on this U.K Album Chart!

[@karenwalker2464]

Amazing lyrics....haunting voice.

[@stephallan2543]

I recall watching this Haunting Movie at an extremely young age...it use to bother me as I believe I was actually too young to view the movie alone. This SONG was simply Incredible and it Blew Me Away...nevertheless as I’m 56, it’s still a little freaky. Thanks 🙏🏽 for your REACTION. 🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🏽🤔💕🎵💗

[@RockN2Country]

@Steph Allen Glad you enjoyed the reaction, and sorry you saw the movie at song a young age!! I remember a movie my mother let me watch when I was around six years old, and it messed me up for a few years. Such is life, huh? And BTW, welcome aboard the channel!!

[@lindasmith7814]

This movie haunted me as well. I was 14 when I saw it and felt strange for weeks. Lost some of my innocence on this one.

[@christine2931]

First time I saw it as a teen I convinced myself Billy Joe was raped and that he died trying to get Benjamin back for Bobbie. Just watched it today and still not sure if he unalived himself on purpose. Also, realizing how much more crazy the movie would be if it went the way we all thought they throw off the bridge.

[@community1949]

Every time she came on the TV I watched and I've got all of her albums and 45's. She recorded Ode to Billy Joe the year I graduated from high school - 1967.

[@yeesintx7]

I love this brilliant song. Love the reaction. There's a video of her performing this song on an Andy Williams show. Absolutely beautiful.

[@RockN2Country]

@Louisa Yee Glad you liked the reaction--it's such an amazing song and she's such an amazing performer. And BTW, welcome to the channel!!

[@marlahudgins7038]

Beautiful lady and beautiful song. I too heard it as a kid. In 1967 I was only 6 and remember listening to it but hearing it today was like I heard it for the first time

[@RockN2Country]

That's 100% my experience too, Marla---today I heard this song for the first time, after having heard it as a kid and not understanding it at all.

[@sabbyvk424]

Such a beautiful and distinctive voice!!

[@mikefruge8589]

Perhaps one of best songs ever written! What beautifully done portrait of life! Her delivery was perfect! Suggestion, please allow the songs you are reviewing to play through without interruption. Save the comments until the song has played.

[@RockN2Country]

@Mike Fruge Right? Such an incredible song, with an air of mystery that still stands today. As for not pausing the songs, there a few reasons I pause. One is that the videos are less likely to get blocked if we pause during them. Another is that they are reaction videos, so it's in the very nature of the style of the medium to comment along the way---otherwise those of us with reaction channels could just privately record our comments and post only those, without the songs. And the other is that there is no way I'd remember all the thoughts I get while listening to a song, and then recount those thoughts at the end of a song. Take a look at the top reviewers/reactors (Lost In Vegas, NoLifeShaq, PinkMetalhead, and so on, and we all stop the videos. It's the way things have been moving on KZbin and has become its own form of entertainment, though as with all such things not everything works for everyone. I minimize the times I stop a song, but there is also a difference between listening to a song in one's car, for instance, and doing a reaction in front of a camera---many more thoughts come to mind and aren't retrievable four or five minutes later. In any case, welcome to the channel!!

[@brucedillinger9448]

I too remember this song from my childhood. I was about 10 years old when it hit the airwaves. And, although I was not fully aware of all the drama packed into this perfect piece, I certainly do recall having my interest peaked at the part where the lyrics mention 'something' being thrown from the bridge. This was a stand-alone song. Nothing else at the time quite like it. I know the term masterpiece can be thrown around a lot but in this case it is fully justified.

[@shatteredabby964]

This a dark song. I've always thought that it was about a girl that got pregnant by Billy Joe. Because they hid it they got no prenatal care. The baby was stillborn. They threw the baby's body off the bridge. Billy Joe then killed himself because of guilt or grief. If you have another story let me know. This song is open to interpretation,

[@p.j.morris633]

He was with a man sexually he was so distraught he jumped off the bridge and it was a rag doll he threw into the water not a baby. I saw the movie over 100 times its my fav.

[@safespacebear]

Love how a disinterested narrator starts telling the story but by the end of song you realize they know a lot more than they previously let on.

[@guywill7875]

it was the unwanted love child she had with Billy Jo Mc Callister

[@willowb1527]

LOVED the movie.

[@bricirri9629]

Guy Will yes😔

[@bricirri9629]

I loved the movie too💔

[@Hurricaneintheroom]

The movie did no justice to the song. It's wasn't a baby, dead baby, gay man, etc. With her family, they would've noticed her being pregnant & they didn't. It was a ring. He loved her & wanted to marry her. She said no.

[@kathcasey2090]

It was her doll. He lost his virginity to a man and she lost her love to his own self disgust. She went away to have the baby and returned a year later. Watch the movie again.

[@smalltownblackouts]

Shoutout from a fellow philosophy major. Ive always known Mrs. Gentry from recording an early version of 'Fancy' and also her version of 'Son of a Preacher Man'. Another great song by her I hadn't heard. Cheers!

[@GrandmasGoneGamingLW]

"Son of a Preacher Man" is another of my favorites, also. \0/

[@RockN2Country]

@Logan Schrapf Thinkers of the world, unite! Now if only the three of us (you, me, and Bobbie) could somehow get together and talk about things, my life would be complete. Ha!

[@aswan2140]

Bobby Gentry is the best. What an Artist !

[@Peachy08]

Beautiful voice beautiful lady beautiful song...

[@fmoproductions4887]

I literally just found you!! The music is awesome and your reactions are OFF THE HOOK!!! KEEP IT UP!!

[@RockN2Country]

@FMO Productions Thanks for the kind words, and welcome aboard the channel!

[@brettthebad]

You are wonderful - glad I found you.

[@RockN2Country]

@Brett Dillingham Thank you for making me turn red---ha!! Welcome aboard the channel!!

[@39thala]

What a great performance! And wow can she write and tell a story! Grabs your attention throughout the whole song!

[@axelosterberg5980]

Bobbie Gentry spoke about what exactly this song means. She is amazing; songwriter, storyteller, extraordinaire

[@merlinemcallister3756]

You have to live in Mississippi to appreciate that song.Back then the Tallahassee Bridge seemed high to us folks who never traveled elsewhere or to other cities.Therefore,bridges as that were mighty tall to us country folks.

[@tkaefring]

Great review! It’s one of the most complex “pop” songs ever recorded. As an addendum. The Tallahatchee bridge collapsed into the Chatahoochee river one year to the day that she released this song.. at least according to legend!

[@tdawna]

The Tallahatchie Bridge crosses the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi, not the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. The original Tallahatchie Bridge collapsed in 1972, nearly five years after the song release.

[@patricktomlinson5426]

Love that Mississippi accent....from the Delta..no other southern accent quite like it..and it rolls off her tongue like butter off a hot biscuit!

[@rufscooby1]

great video..thank you...have a great week!

[@RockN2Country]

@Steven Fitzgerald Thank you, and glad you enjoyed it! Have a great week yourself, and welcome to the channel!!

[@italobambino43]

I recently started to listen to Bobbie Gentry, im only 53, i do recall hearing this on the Radio every now and then, i put this song in a class by itself, i can mention another song, somewhat similar in its delivery, written by Jeannie C. Riley Harper Valley PTA. It to was released in 1967, and told a story. Im in love with this era, the late 60's early to mid 70's, i was a kid, my father influenced me greatly and opened my eyes to all Genres of Music at an early age, he was a Jazz Musician, playing both the Trumpet and Piano. You listen to a song like this, Gentry's delivery of the lyrics, and her facial expressions, pretty much gives life to the tale of Billy Joe! With all the heated Political crap going on in America, the climate of Censorship we are living with brought on by PC, i long for those days when i was growing up, when i felt more in touch with life, people today are so hell bent on turning something innocent in to a controversy. You listen to songs like this, you begin to realize just how much of a tapestry we are as a Nation, our history is controversial, but we are an amazing Country to have the culture and talent that we do. Like in one of Dolly Partons songs...."A Coat of many Colors! We are unique and colorful.

[@RockN2Country]

@Mark Conti Good stuff all the way around right there---thanks for taking the time to post that!! And I've got you covered on Jeannie C. Riley, as I reviewed both of her songs about the Harper Valley PTA. Here are the links---enjoy, and welcome to the fam!! "Harper Valley PTA": kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJjKe32Lp9SEnqM "Return To Harper Valley PTA": kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHqcY3mtfr6gq7M

[@Whoareyounot]

I always loved this song glad hear somebody else rate it

[@peterlewis1121]

One of my all time favourites; I get tingles up and down my spine when I hear this song!

[@ritamead6318]

Very intriguing song and singer... also the background music was very dramatic.. She is 76 now and looks much different but is still very beautiful.... Thanks to you Don and the requester.. great review...

[@RockN2Country]

You're welcome, Rita---this was truly one of my favorite reactions I've ever done.

[@patdonnelly9392]

I'm 57. Heard it all the time on the radio. Just like you...had NO clue as a kid what was going on there! Pretty heavy stuff to be singing about...even in those days. Thanks for sharing...

[@RockN2Country]

@Pat Donnelly You're welcome---glad you liked it, and welcome to the channel!!

[@movalle22]

What I notice about these old country songs, and other songs of that era, is that I am able to understand the lyrics! Billie was drop dead gorgeous and her voice has that smoky quality that I just love.

[@paxonearth]

Yeah, I caught this song again last year, and like you I had never really paid attention to the amazing lyrics. Incredible.

[@luvsknitting4378]

I was in 1st grade, about 6 YO when I first heard this song. I was in the back seat riding w/my parents going out to the country to visit family. I was 6 YO & this was my first awareness of suicide. I would get goose bumps every time it came on the radio. Still do.

[@RockN2Country]

That's deep insight into the song at only six years old, Deb.

[@luvsknitting4378]

@@RockN2Country I was the youngest of 5 children. I was surrounded by adults all the time, grew up fast & listening to hard core country songs can give one education. LOL!

[@RockN2Country]

#truthiness!

[@walterpalmer2749]

If Bobbie Gentry left me, I might have jumped as well.

[@RockN2Country]

@Walter Palmer LOL!! I burst out laughing when I read that yesterday as I was on the checkout line at the grocery store---I had to turn away so people didn't think iw as nuts (I probably failed at that). I TOTALLY agree with you on that!! You win the internet today my friend, and welcome aboard the channel!!

[@frost1977]

Johnny Horton - North to Alaska, great story was written as the intro for a John Wayne romantic comedy by the same name.

[@scottmartin4052]

Shes one of the best story tellers and writers let alone her voice is so great ! She eye candy ! All around wow! Another song. Son of a precursor man

[@rufscooby1]

love the videos...keep 'em going.

[@RockN2Country]

@steven fitzgerald Thank you for the kind words, and welcome aboard the channel!

[@maryreilly5092]

Thank you for this Great Video. I was only 6yrs old when it came out on the radio. I clearly remember hearing it then. Here's My Theory: the girl from the story miscarried a baby that was Billy Joe's. Due to the times and the place they lived in, and to avoid a scandal, they together threw the dead baby in the river. In the days or weeks that followed, Billy Joe, so overcome with grief and guilt threw himself off the bridge. The girl was chided by her Mom for not eating, (another clue), and someone seeing Billy Joe and a girl that looked like her throwing something off of the bridge, (the biggest clue)! Even though the bridge may not have been very high, the muddy river could easily pull someone under and down the river, especially if a person wasn't trying to swim to save themselves. Currents, undertows and debris in muddy rivers, especially those that feed from the Mississippi river, have taken many lives. Another note: I have family in N.E. Alabama that have that same strong but soft Southern Accent. I love it!! This Artist and this Song was Brilliant, just as you said! Take care all.

[@christineems8754]

Absolutely loved this. Maybe it's just me, but with her sultriness and mystique, I keep envisioning her as one of Captain Kirk's girls in the old Star Trek. Loved the Ode to Billie Joe movie, but some how I missed the impact of this song! And thanks for the shout out Don! 😁 You have a fun channel with great music!

[@RockN2Country]

Good call on the Capt. Kirk thing. I think Hulu might be the one you're thinking of, though I don't remember their names so well. And thanks for the encouragement as always, Christine!!

[@christineems8754]

@@RockN2Country ha, I can't remember their names either! But I had to do a quick search because Hulu sounded like his male pilot, that was SULU! Ha ha ha Dave said his favorite was the blue woman, the three boobed girl and ohara wasn't bad on the eyes either LoL, but I think Bobbie would've out-classed them all 😉

[@davidemswiler4351]

Great reaction...looks like she really throw you for a loop! As it should be with such a stark portrayal of Americana. Did you know Ms. Gentry also wrote "Fancy" (covered by Reba)? Several comments mention the film with Robbie Benson...huge fan of him growing up, he was like the 70's Andrew McCarthy. Oh yeah, Robbie's a native Texan. :-)

[@GrandmasGoneGamingLW]

Yes! "Fancy"...another one of my favorites!

[@RockN2Country]

@David Emswiler She threw me for the hardest loop I've been thrown for in decades. What an intriguing woman.

[@davidemswiler4351]

@@RockN2Country She's still single...lives two hours from that bridge. Older don't mean "done", at least not with her kind of spirit! 😍

[@qso3566]

Your observation that "she looks like she's in a whole different space" is very astute! I've loved this song since it was first released, and it is every bit as powerful now. FYI: The original song that she wrote had 11 verses and only five were included in the recording. Really enjoyed your reaction, very insightful. (Wow, wish I could meet a man who has your observant and philosophical personality, lol.) Thanks for the video!

[@RockN2Country]

@qso 11 Thank you for the incredibly kind words, as well as the info about the song!! And welcome aboard the channel!!

[@qso3566]

@@RockN2Country :) TY ~

[@prdyer2763]

Delta Sweete, her second album, is still one of my favs. Available on KZbin, but without the characteristics of the scratchy vinyl I grew up listening to with my dad!

[@mingohernandez6475]

Just came upon your channel tonight. Looked up my fave song of John Moreland and ur video came up . I liked your channel so much I subscribed and I've seen like 20 of your videos in a row now .

[@celsomiori8763]

What a voice!! What a beautiful woman!! What a soul!! I simply don't understand the huge underrating about her!!

[@joygrace7924]

She weaves a web and casts a hypnotic spell that has never been broken.

[@bowtiefidenine]

A great one i grew up with my mom sang it on our drive’s to town (1 hour each way)😊

[@chickmcgee1000]

I got to see her sing this in Vegas around 1978. I hadn’t been off the the farm in Illinois many times as an 18 year old. I still have a crush on her.

[@RockN2Country]

@larry borrowman So cool that you got to see her, and its totally understandable that you still have a crush on her---I do too!! Welcome aboard the channel!!