Bobby Gentry - Ode to Billy Joe

[@bjorngillefalk8965]

You hear this song once, you don't forget it ever.

[@hearthecrysofthecrusaders3357]

That is true, I thank the first time I heard this I was a little girl, it must have been my mother watched the movie, because, I had the vision of what the song was like in my head, and new there was a bridge involved, felt it to be a hauntingly sad, but lovely story, had wondered if the artist had come out with a different side of the song," like the singer of harper valley pta, that had a continuance of the song, I found harper valley pretty easy because I remembered the lyrics, but with obe to bobby joe I remembered the story, I have typed up everything about the story I could think of trying to find this song, and finally here it is, it's amazing what you can pick up at a young age that stays with you, this was one, know off to continue on a search for a movie I recall watching as a child, and haven't been able to find.

[@8ofwands300]

True.

[@trevorgallagher9930]

I just heard it for the first time.

[@ricksmith1087]

You are Absolutely correct

[@faisaldhariwal1510]

Absolutely true

[@karenluke3923]

This song can never be remade. Nothing about it needs to be changed. Classic!

[@cherylreinell857]

If she didn’t own the masters to it, she would surely remake it.

[@walterstronk5370]

No one likes a Karen Pacowta

[@paulbare6371]

absolutely perfect

[@ammarraza7327]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZa0YYaNlpqnqs0

[@charlenegodbee1202]

Amen, just perfect.

[@heinerthiessen4414]

I am 80 and remember hearing it back in 1967. Goosebumps then and now. The casualness in which a major story is unfolding is ingenious. Less is more. Don’t solve the mystery. Leave it all midair. A perfect example of understatement.

[@marknewton6984]

Great song. She is wonderful!

[@happypappy7106]

Im 84 Remember it well She has got the real Feelings for this song

[@davesjuricevich]

Her phrasing while singing ... is impeccable . Remember it well .

[@Libertygirl76]

She said it was about Emmitt Till.

[@helethead]

@@Libertygirl76 when did she say that? You would think if she did say that it would be widely known. But, it isn’t.

[@AngelfromGenX]

This is killing me. 💔 I was born on June 5 1968 - my dad was deployed to Vietnam until 1971-72. For all anyone knew he wasn't coming back. While he was gone, my mom who was only 19, lived with her mom and her 3 younger sisters. Those sisters were ages 11-17 the day I was born. They played this song constantly, among many others from that decade, so from birth I was drowned in the classics by this teenage cluster of aunts/big sisters, who were like bonus Moms. I just buried the last one of them 3 days ago and it's killing me.

[@seanbryant-smith5662]

Crazy memories old mate. Feel for you dude. Hey now you were their in the end like they were for you growing up. Those bonus mums never wanted nothing from you. All they needed was to be treated with dignity & love in their last days on earth. Job done as difficult as ever by yourself. Seriously well done mate. Time fades but doesn't heal all wounds because your pain never goes away. Head held high & be proud of yourself . They knew you wouldn't let them down. Kindest regards greetings from Australia 🇦🇺

[@ginafleener3962]

😊sorry Yahweh give you peace❤

[@taniamarriott6951]

@@seanbryant-smith5662💛 There’s no way they’ll be leaving you on your own- even after their passing. You’ll be surrounded in love and guidance 🍃

[@vallipherson6453]

@@seanbryant-smith5662Yours is one of the kindest comments I've ever come across on line.

[@andunea3744]

So so sorry 😣for your loss.

[@harleygal420]

If you remember this song, you are not old. You are high, quality vintage.

[@rogerbeckner1408]

Thanks very much for that 😊 Judy still listening at67

[@John-zy1dp]

good

[@faithfulgrl]

I lived through this time. I Ain't Old.🌺🌿

[@albertfachan1470]

I love it

[@leannegraham9708]

Hey now ! Lol 62 killbuck ohio !

[@scooteranthony6297]

It was a No. 1 song in 1967. Her debut album followed which knocked 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, songwriter and producer. And she was smokin hot! 😎

[@tommerchant8900]

I was fortunate enough to meet Bobby. I did a lot of work on her house in the 80's. She was a very lovely and gracious person. She told me stories about her childhood which threw some light on her music. All who knew her then were saddened when she went back to her roots. Be well Bobby, TGM

[@TheTami1963]

yes

[@mauricewascom658]

Yep INDEED ❗👍🏼❤️💔❤️‍🩹✝️🛐

[@shayadayan3343]

Oh God, was she gorgeous

[@joshuatrees797]

Apparently, she lives in Los Angeles now.

[@shawn1432]

This song should be in the library of congress with its rich southern tones and live the hardships thru her song ….what a story, I’m 70 and I remember hearing this song on my mom’s radio she kept in the kitchen in 1967 and every time it came on she would be at the sink….starring out the window and be off somewhere up on Chocta ridge. Incredible song so so powerful !

[@GrantParks]

It looks like it is www.loc.gov/audio/?all=True&q=ODE+TO+BILLY+JOE&st=list

[@susanhommel4773]

Love you.

[@toomanymarys7355]

It is. All discography in thr US is there.

[@seanbryant-smith5662]

Wo..hold on mate. Congress...i wouldn't allow any of the mongrels to be gifted with the Billie Gentry gospels. Founding fathers maybe. None of them graced themselves helping the Republic . No they put snouts in the trough & took from rather than giving back. God bless America 🇺🇸

[@johncoles-pw4qx]

If it's not broke don't fix it, ie just listen.

[@taniabaldock5755]

Still listening and loving this song in 2024 ❤

[@OneRedKansan55]

amen

[@ronparker6489]

How do you not?

[@howardfowler63]

This song was released in 1967. Here I sit, almost 52 years later, still in awe of its beauty and simplicity...

[@donaldzahnke2123]

Ihahthe orginal 45og this song fifty two years later where ad the time home

[@nancyneville8700]

Thank you

[@VisualNoizze]

Lol.. I was 5 when this song was out

[@noracasas855]

I was 6 years old when this song came out and I love this song 💝

[@minerdad02]

I was four,..my mother listened to this tune many times over and over,I now understand why,the creativity and lyrics are strong

[@LM-mn7ll]

This masterpiece was released during the U.S.' tumultuous “Summer of Love”. I had just completed 4th grade & clearly recall the sensation it made. Hearing it again takes me back to a sweltering August evening, sitting in our living room, a blue anodized aluminum tumbler of Pepsi sweating condensation in my hand, the yellow lamplight illuminating all the room but the shadowy corners. My 17 year old sister & her friends coming in the screen door, chattering excitedly as she had that day been crowned queen of our local fair. I can hear the cricket chorus outside as the sheer curtains puffed faintly in the sticky breeze. Then everything abruptly suspended, frozen in time as this song came through the radio, electrifying us with the stark chords, the baldly chilling lyrics.

[@klaatubaradamgtow9956]

Ah, yes, the blue anodized aluminum tumbler (Mine was green). These, along with aluminum Christmas trees, baby formula, and the music itself, were the velvet cattle prods of a simpler, more innocent America still prone to bittersweet introspection. Thank you for your masterpiece of a comment.

[@msteve1956]

Nicely written could well be the lyrics to a song.

[@NeilRoy]

Boy, you know how to paint a picture! If you're not a writer, you should be. ;)

[@LM-mn7ll]

@@NeilRoy I'm not, but thank you. Maybe when I retire.❤️

[@wendytruscott1609]

Don’t wait till you retire. Take it from an author- you have a gift. Start now!

[@TheDAT9]

One of the best country songs ever written and performed. Brilliant, she really takes you there.

[@benvoiles3505]

Not really country, it defies genres.

[@vonrock6862]

@@benvoiles3505 a Ballad, stories that touched the heart, I think ‘Patch’s’ was about the same time. The 60’s, so lucky to be raised in it. Still the soundtrack of my life.

[@classickruzer1]

@@vonrock6862 Only bad thing about growing up in the 60's is now you're in your 60's or older..

[@TheDAT9]

@The Best Western Yes, I consider myself very lucky to have been born in 48, we have have lived through our peak.

[@ultravenia]

@@benvoiles3505 Americana.

[@Troy_nov1965]

Im 57 years old and have loved music my whole life , from bluegrass , country to rock and blues. This is the best song I have ever heard that takes you into the story and lyrics. You can not listen to this song and not see it playing in your head like a old movie wile starring off into space. Its like a southern gothic novel put to music.

[@Oldschoolcustomrides]

All this time it was guy's boss...cool movie

[@marknewton6984]

Great song-- Beautiful lady!

[@RicHansenMusic]

Well said. So true.

[@paulbare6371]

perfect

[@paulbare6371]

jeez i have the 45

[@blank557]

The lyrics, the ache in her voice, the gentle strum of the guitar, is a spell that puts one into a living dream of a love tragedy.

[@williammason9789]

If you remember the '60s, you weren't really "there."

[@winstonwhiteside9525]

@@williammason9789 Huh? You be need to clarify your statement.

[@januarysson5633]

@@winstonwhiteside9525 I think he means if you didn’t do enough drugs to forget the 60s you didn’t really experience what they were all about.

[@tennesseechic1958]

Absolutely agree! How I wish she were still performing! 💜💜💜

[@delz3501]

@@williammason9789 this a ridiculous statement what year were you born mr. brilliant

[@wickedpissa25]

It's worth being old now, to have been young then.

[@judithmorgan9787]

Yes I agree with you it is

[@Moomookitty-vq3ch]

Absolutely true.

[@smasterson5255]

16ft dips in a hole

[@wickedmirage]

Totally worth it.

[@robrutt7129]

wickedpissa25 I feel sorry for the generations coming up; they have no clue what they missed out on

[@66kprdwd]

Such a great, yet haunting song. People forget that this song knocked the Beatles out of the #1 spot on the Billboard charts.

[@Isabella-nh5dm]

No....we don't forget...

[@gfg8262]

What are the Beatles?

[@classickruzer1]

@@gfg8262 They were the little bugs that ate the tobacco plants up on Choctaw Ridge.

[@laudarevsonhunt]

@@gfg8262 The greatest group in the history of popular music.

[@gfg8262]

@@laudarevsonhunt were they the greatest group of communists to infest a great country or 4 talentless shitdick drug addicts? I believe it's the latter of the two.

[@kenneth-pc7mf]

I am 70 and I remember this song like it was yesterday. My Lord!! What a beautiful Woman.

[@MissTaken40]

Who's still listening in 2019? Such great songs from this long gone decade.

[@johnhoward1939]

Me

[@stevenbiliunas6728]

And me

[@lisaadams5811]

I listen to it every day. Brings back wonderful memories. You ought to watch the movie and then you might understand the song a little better.

[@maryward613]

Texas here

[@marywillametz3494]

I am

[@brianlynch9204]

Haunting and stirring. A beautiful voice of Americana. Blues and Country in a blend of perfection. A slice of apple pie.

[@oriolesandravens]

apple pie with a dash of whipped cream. Oh, pass the biscuits, please. The way she mixes the mundane into the super story kills me every time I listen. I'm 62 and have been trying to figure out what they tossed for over 50 years.

[@lisae7719]

I always assumed she had a miscarriage and it was the baby.

[@lisacutlip2778]

One of the best examples of story telling through music, you can see EVERY word of this song in your mind... mesmerizing!!! Her lilting voice, intonations, just captivarying from the first time I heard it. Classic gem!!!

[@vincegay986]

There’s a sad, tired, numbed quality to the vocal, beginning to end.

[@Miguel_Travels]

This and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

[@naudianeels1328]

Amen. This song is absolutely amazing 👌

[@richardmenaed3064]

Perfectly said.

[@chucktaylor4958]

Just like supper time chatter about day’s happenings

[@andunea3744]

I was born in a holler in Clay County, Kentucky in 1950. I can remember the day that this song hit the charts. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@seanbryant-smith5662]

Very cool 😎 !!!! U b listening 🎶 when u reach old age too...

[@janbeeson5083]

In either 1969 or 1970, I was alone in New Orleans on a business trip. As I walked down Bourbon St. past the female imposter and strip joints, I saw a sign on a club the said, "Bobbie Gentry Live". So I went in and watched her perform all of her hits to a half-packed audience-- I was stunned because she was the hottest thing going at the time! Apparently her publicist did a poor job of promoting her appearance. Anyway, of course, she sang 'Ode', much to my delight. She was tall with long, pretty black hair; she wore a tight-fitting turquoise pants-suit with bell-bottoms (popular in the day). It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. In real life, she was the same as on TV and on her records.

[@rbrax9641]

Lucky you.

[@texsportpub]

Great story. A tremendous memory. Would love to have live that.

[@musicfan1935]

Thank You for sharing your story.

[@shanemiller2046]

Jeez... I had to do a double take. I was thinking you JUST seen her in the Quarter. Female impersonaters , LOL... There are plenty of them on The dark end of Bourbon. The whole street reeks of vomit and urine. I avoid the city like the plague. Did you hear about the Hard Rock Cafe collapsing? A dead mans.legs were hanging out of the wreckage for about 6 months.

[@timholtzclaw8930]

Lucky

[@dougraddi908]

Catchy tune from a classy lady. Anybody listening in Sept 2019. Thank you all for the likes

[@bobgreen623]

Yep. September 15

[@petedodig6192]

18 September

[@mylocus1013]

Doubleplus good

[@mahalinhin]

Imma listening September 2019

[@JoeAquila]

Tonight, Bobby Gentry and her song was featured in Ken Burn's Country Music documentary.

[@leschurchill804]

She owns this song. No one has ever been able to sing this song, but her. It still gets me after all of these years, at 65 years of age in 2020. Ms. L. Churchill

[@GRMLS5]

Ditto Les Churchill....I'm 65 in 2020.

[@helenoleary5460]

I agree with you sister? I turned 62yrs old back in May, & I love this song & other oldies! ✌️💜👍🍀😁☮️🇺🇸

[@m1t2a1]

@@Mr_Ray. I listen to this right after Sunday Morning Coming Down.

[@annek1226]

73, July 23rd, 2020.

[@JustaGirlinCleveland]

@@annek1226 Happy Birthday!

[@rorob53]

I am from Bavaria, in the south of Germany. When I first heard this song I was 14 years old, I rediscovered this song on YT. Glad I found that jewel again.

[@globalavenger7580]

Well, I'll be. 50 years ago, my father's production company, KPA Films, filmed Bobby, on location at her Grandparent's home where she grew up. I was 13, and allowed to "help out". The film was for a special that was going to premier on BBC. The footage of Bobby walking on the bridge was part of it. She impressed me as open, honest and a little sad. She showed me real southern hospitality. I still have the photos and the memories.

[@TheJase193]

Awesome…

[@stellamaris5405]

*@Global Avenger* ☘️ That's a lovely memory to have. They don't make 'em like Ms Bobby anymore. Cool moniker btw.! 😋

[@ArcadiaOccult]

COOL! 😎

[@debrapower8673]

You were given a unique gift. Thanks for sharing this story.

[@llkoon]

that's awesome.........

[@howlingwaters2741]

Bobbie Gentry walked into my pop's radio station in '67 with a guitar, a track and the clothes on her back. He listened. He broke it out on the radio. The requests kept coming. We have an original 45 on an Award for Broadcast that he received for breaking it and help make it a hit. As time goes by, the memory and honor grow more dear. He is 78 and still rocking🎤🎶🎸

[@walk-with-Walz]

Beautiful story

[@dumbass1958]

Alison Klein Great story,Thank you for sharing 👍

[@jodyfarina1147]

Alison Klein Your paps was just a kid.. Thanks for sharing your story..

[@julesiorizzo5406]

Alison Klein what a great family story. your pops cool.

[@juliejamison6020]

so cool. I love reading replies to videos like this one.

[@druidriley3163]

"There was a virus going around and Papa caught it and he died last spring..." Line hits a little harder these days.

[@tinaturner7710]

You aren't kidding

[@michaelgaynor6866]

@@tinaturner7710 is Phenomenal and Simply The Best!

[@donaldthomas7070]

@Druid Riley, For sure.

[@jimbo43ohara51]

Don't sneeze, this thing is really catching.

[@terravarious]

Fuck me the feels hit hard with that line.

[@kathyyoung5710]

I am 65 and remember hearing this on am radio. Loved it then, love it now. Perfect song.

[@janeykelly9898]

It's almost like she wears this song. Her eyes, her expression the sadness.

[@sofumba]

My thoughts exactly....I remember it as a child, and it always made me wonder why this kid jumped off of the bridge. She was very attractive, and the way she sang the song was so effortless. She was telling a prolific, traumatic story and it was all relevant and interesting at the same time. Sheer perfection in the delivery of a timeless song......

[@staceyking9496]

JANEY, This song feels SO VERY REAL, I don't even think it's JUST A SONG, it's also a STORY as well.

[@staceyking9496]

@The Muffin Man And OH SO VERY REAL.

[@manichairdo6346]

Her false eyelashes are hilarious. Lol.

[@jrmetmoi]

manic hairdo no they're great they look so 60s

[@celestenameth6419]

in 1967 i was a kid mowing the lawn with my transistor radio attached to the handle. When i heard this song play, i shut the motor and sat on the ground mesmerized. i had the very good fortune to meet Bobbie in the fall of 1967- and from then until 1987, she was a mentor to me. i had the chance to stay with her at her home on Floye Dr.in the Hollywood Hills. And crazily, my husband and i now live, for the past 30 years, 5 minutes away. Although most people thought Ode To Billy Joe was about a ring, a baby... being thrown off the bridge, Bobbie told me the song was about indifference, one of the cruelest ways people can treat one another. Billy Joe has jumped to his death, but you hear mama say that he never, "had a lick 'o sense, pass the biscuits please." i found Bobbie to be a warm and generous, extremely smart, talented and complex. To the gentleman who saw her in a bar singing in New Orleans, no worries about her publists and the job they did marketing her. One of the most valuable lessons i learned from her was when she told me to make sure i learned what it took to make my money work for me so i didn't have to spend my life working for my money. I watched her in her 20's buy part of the Phoenix Suns, avocado orchards, real estate and one of her smartest moves; the royalties to many of the Beatles songs. She retired in her early 30's and is worth millions. She disappeared from most who knew her, including me, in 1987. i am most thankful that she took an interest in a curious, music loving girl from Sacramento.

[@horsepower711]

It didn't hurt that she was married to Bill Harrah of casino and auto collection fame. Her reason for dropping out of the limeligh

[@celestenameth6419]

@@horsepower711 Hey there Delton - just so you have your facts right... Bobbie was married to Harrah for less than a year. I know it’s so lovely for some men to think a gal can’t make it without the help of a man... but that gal... she did it on her own talent and wise investments... Mr. Harrah did not get her a wealth of over 300 million in a 10 month marriage. And, if you take note, the world is full of talented, high earning women, more often than not, the bread winner of the family.

[@stephenstidham714]

Great story!🕊

[@renebaca4456]

She is an exquisite beauty.

[@Leeloosavestheworld]

It was the father who was dismissive of Billie Joe: "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"

[@petesmith9472]

The timing in this song, the phraseology is nothing short of brilliant . You won’t find another example of that treatment

[@colinrunciman5166]

And we went, back to the house to eeet!, and still!!

[@colinrunciman5166]

You know, don't seem right?

[@colinrunciman5166]

No, you will not sir!!

[@davisholman8149]

One of the BEST SONGS ever written ….truly EPIC✌🏽😎🇺🇸🌉

[@judythompson8227]

this is so 'off hand' subtle, it forces you to listen hard, hard...and it breaks your heart

[@marks.2909]

I was a leather jacket wearing long hair rocker when I heard this incredible song it captured my imagination and attention and still does after all these decades, Bobby Gentry I love you .

[@TheSharoneus]

This is one of the best American songs ever written.

[@ShmuelWeintraub]

I can't think of a better one.

[@countdracula6769]

ShmuelWeintraub It’s Alright Ma by Bob Dylan

[@russellcampbell9198]

There can be none better because it is perfection.

[@TheresaPowers]

Oh, c'mon. It's fun and mysterious but IT IS NO ONE OF THE BEST EVER WRITTEN YOU IDIOT.

[@TheresaPowers]

@@russellcampbell9198 BULLSHIT.

[@nicholassalamone8495]

Still absolutely breathtaking and devastating after all these years. As someone commented below. it's okay to be old now to have been young then.

[@laynesunada7834]

Yup

[@susanrichardson1815]

You are so right . We grew up in the best era 60s 70s even the 80s

[@laurelwood8750]

I so wish I could be back in the real time.

[@Gene_Greenlees]

Love it. “Wendy-K” just put out a standard DEMO. Check it out please! She’s from the Mississippi Delta too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXzGhKBuedahZsU

[@MegaEugene101]

@@fionnualamurphy125 Born in 53 Ireland, this song was just so good for a country boy as a teenager.

[@joeherald7319]

This has proven to one of those songs that can't be covered. There is something unique, almost eerie about her voice and her emotional ethos. This is like a small tragic one-act play about the days and lives of the people mentioned. And the lingering unanswered mystery

[@rosairedubrule60]

Imo her pain is real. Why else would she write it

[@RedneckBarStoriesRonVincent]

Had never thought of this but it is so true.

[@shan5963]

Tammy Wynette did it some justice, but NO ONE can touch the original.

[@jeffscott8323]

Sacred

[@joeherald7319]

@@jeffscott8323 Agree. She never did a bad job doing this song live but this particular one is my favorite. She wrote, produced and performed her own material and, she was attractive enough to be a fashion model.

[@coralharvey7957]

I remember walking home from last year at junior school in 68 and playing this on my transistor radio. A hot dry June afternoon . It seemed that this song suited the mood of the afternoon completely. I've loved it ever since then.

[@Iwrotethis1980]

Songs that tell stories are always the best. A skill that is sorely lacking in these days. I remember this song from my early childhood.

[@AshleyShell343]

I felt that way about Lonesome Dove by Garth Brooks - also a story song that was one of the songs I remember loving when I heard it as a child.

[@judygantz1005]

Me too, I grew up in a home that was little bit country (alot actually lol) and little bit of rock and roll!! Dad was the country cow boy horse lovin type, Where Mom loved that 50s rock and roll. Had the best of both worlds. Great memories, I hope yours as well 🤗💞🌹🦋

[@kotysuefawcett6538]

Me too. 🤗✌️

[@lewiscarey1593]

64 years young,.. How well I remember this being on the radio constantly! Stood the test of time. True classic!! Happy New Year, y''all!! 👍👍👍

[@rooky55]

That song played all summer when I was a 14 year old gas pump jockey and it will be in my heart forever and I love it 55 years later.

[@kellychurchill9869]

Comin up ta 62 in a couple months... Agree... VVAgree! Cheers n Have A Good Day. 👍👍👍

[@andreenippe11]

I'm 87 and I remember!

[@brianatkinson1399]

Right along with Delta Dawn and Harper Valley P. T. A.

[@lindatimmons3675]

@@brianatkinson1399 ...... Yes absolutely. I'm 64 and remember this song very well.

[@lennyblue4u]

This is so f’in good. Sexy, sultry, bluesy. Paints a whole story you can visualize. Do you hear that orchestra in the background? Beautiful. They don’t make music like this anymore. Glad KZbin’s saving this for future generations.

[@Proverbs--tx6yr]

Lenny Blue so good, that it doesn’t deserve vulgarity...

[@mamiemhurt5785]

aint that the truth, i turn all my grandchildren onto this good music

[@vincentthompson1608]

The last violin riff brings to mind someone or something plunging to they're death or destruction. The perfect exclamation point on this ominous story.

[@locogr81]

@@vincentthompson1608 She might have known real stories for the locations in the song, things people did not talk about. She was very bright.

[@rhondalight70]

Not only that, but, no auto tune, just a pure, beautiful voice and a classy lady performing a beautiful song.

[@garyclaytor3721]

My mom had a small cafe with a Jukebox in 1967. I would play this over and over while bussing tables and washing dishes!

[@ericdebord]

Damn that's a super cool story. Were listening.

[@mattrussillo4587]

That kind of Haunting feeling is really hard to achieve. This was really a piece of art!

[@shonaskibbee4792]

Yes, truly a piece of art; poetry set to music, raw honest, perfect truth.

[@kaseyleonard7388]

Everything Bobby Gentry wrote and sang was pure art.

[@stephenjstclair]

Don't forget the people who produced and preserved this incredible performance.

[@kaseyleonard7388]

Mark Housman yes, I was aware of that. He was sexually assaulted by his boss at the Sawmill.

[@Janellabelle]

She does it again in Fancy...."Southern Gothic" Is the perfect name for it I think.

[@kerrajohnson3203]

It's ominous. It's vivid. It's sad. It's heartfelt. It's perfect. ❤

[@beanbagpilot922]

Perfect description.

[@BJ-wb4lh]

You summed that song up perfectly! I'm proud to see a black woman that loves a good country song like me!

[@jimjazz150]

Im a white English boy and this song touched me as a kid. I'm 52yo living in Australia and it still touched me. Perfect song.....almost poetry.

[@beanbagpilot922]

@@jimjazz150 show us on the doll where the bad song touched you. -the hyperbolic media

[@larrypetry8700]

Kerra Johnson i love it

[@margaretgross9311]

Southern Gothic. A song from my youth. Loved it then and love it now.

[@georgeh372]

God bless you Margaret

[@ms.reneer1010]

Margaret Gross yes those were the days. I miss it.

[@jasonlawson8980]

yep 100% Southern Gothic feel

[@johncray5210]

rode my stingray bike with transistor radio in hand at age 10 thinkin what a cool tune

[@peterdonnelly6763]

My Dad told me about this song. He used to sing it. Dad passed away 3 years ago aged 91. Every time I listen to it, I get such happy memories of just listening to him singing along to Bobby Gentry.

[@donaldoneill2117]

Peterdonelly trying to bring back our youth.. we all feel that. We lose everyone we love tightly. Our parents, sometimes a sister or brother tragically. Hear about friends, teachers we lived that died. Makes u grip your kids with kisses even more, hoping u will see your grandkids. Looking over hard whoever is making them with your kids. Poor bastard if mine had to be scared. I was a former boxer that still ran, did pushups all that. But I call him son now. Been with my daughter almost 15yrs. Works hard gave me 2 great nice grandkids a older girl and a younger boy. Funny she protects him like he is hers. Raised perfectly. I can lay my head for final sleep with pride and hopefully a smile

[@oriolesandravens]

@peterdonnelly6763 hold on to those memories. When I was a kid, I loved Hurricane Smith "O Babe What Would You Say" because of his voice. Whenever me and my dad were driving somewhere and it came on the radio, he would crank it and we would sing along. Dad committed suicide September 2013, age 78. Every time I hear it, I think of him and cry happy tears for the times we had together at Memorial Stadium watching the Orioles and the Colts.

[@eleanorwalmsley635]

💖

[@donaldoneill2117]

@@peterdonnelly6763 live ya honey, we r all going to be with people u love unless u have no religious beliefs

[@onthelam9021]

This is a song that stays with you for decades. You might not hear it for a year or two but when you do hear it again you stop whatever you are doing, put everything down and just pause for a moment in this turbulent life and listen. Just listen and let your mind imagine every moment of this haunting story. And seeing Bobby sing and play it is just the best. What a beautiful woman and beautiful voice. A true American classic.

[@geneeric-jones4610]

wHO TOLD YOU ALL THAT NONSENSE?

[@rivetingglance]

Love this song, always have and it’s still gold all these years later.

[@GeorgeVreelandHill]

I thank God I grew up with music like this. You can call me old, but I would rather have my memories of great times than be young in today's world. Reply

[@hermenvali8414]

George Vreeland Hill amen

[@RoobieBreastnut]

You got that right HuN!

[@GodsGloriousGift]

George Vreeland Hill I fully agree Sir

[@hermenvali8414]

PsyOp Cop the poor ones did

[@ChuckMcC]

George, I couldn't have said it any better myself.. Seems I've been spending a lot more time these days looking back and listening to (real) music.

[@bernardboka4277]

Southern Gothic. Haunting ominous and beautiful. It’s like a thousand page novel told in musical form.

[@staceyking9496]

It's the kind of song that puts you in a TRANCE-LIKE state of pure shock.

[@josephkavanagh7055]

It was made into a movie and the writer novelised it the same year. I've never saw the movie but did read the novel. I then understood the song.

[@fieldhandDan]

Bernard, how could anyone describe this 5-minute ballad with just 16 perfect words! What talent and insight.........keep writing.

[@redriver6541]

I've never heard it called southern gothic. It fits though. Totally makes sense. Does feel like a novel set to music doesn't it?

[@mfreeman313]

I'm a writer and I've always been in awe of this. "Pass the biscuits, please." "What's happened to your appetite?" If you've ever been traumatized and found the reactions of the other people in your life somewhat inadequate to the emotional weight of it you can relate to this brilliant work.

[@thepurplediva2957]

There has never been a song so sad, but sensual, lovely, timeless. and nostalgic. Those horns- priceless!!!

[@tonyeva42]

I love it, regards from Darling, South Africa 🇿🇦

[@thepurplediva2957]

@tonyeva42 Greetings from a teacher in the US. I love reading about your lovely country and its people. Thanks.

[@ronaldtuschl9408]

How about Honey by Bobby Goldsboro?

[@ddt67]

She is stunning. This song takes me straight back to the backyard as a little girl and hearing it in the distance from the kitchen window on WPLO am590 in Atlanta, Georgia.

[@JesusIzLord0911]

Billy Joel didn’t jump off of the bridge , A Bigfoot took him away for killing it’s young. Body was never found

[@danielorbell4517]

Absolutely stunning. Goodness me! I see she studied philosophy. I'm also thinking hypnotism.

[@rodneybrowne2932]

yes there is almost something mystical with her looks she is more sensual than sexy if that makes sense

[@danielorbell4517]

@@rodneybrowne2932 it makes complete sense. The thing that makes her more captivating is there are no tattoos and her breasts and backside aren't hanging out of her clothing. All class.

[@michaelpyles1090]

@@danielorbell4517 dont forget to whipe your feet

[@renayesanders8214]

I was the only black child in my hood that liked this song. Born n 63

[@cooks4ross]

You just have good taste that all this song is just beautiful and loved by people who know a great song trust me I'm black born in 1958 and remember this one well.

[@greyhamlogan2255]

Greetings from New Zealand 🇳🇿 👏. 7th June 2024

[@CECILWARREN-u6x]

I think I was only grateful in Pike county Georgia don't like this song course I went to school with 800 kids only 20 of us was white

[@CECILWARREN-u6x]

I still came out MVP and State champion 81 or 82

[@gabifilter2257]

Brave folks will out, I hope and pray!

[@musicrocksoffical]

Bobbie was simply one of the best. She wrote her music and had number one hits out of it. She's so talented and it's a shame she left the spotlight for so many years. We love you Bobbie!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@Stevie-hn7mp]

Absolutely love her beautiful voice . Simply love this song .

[@theswampfox9584]

This is a sublime performance from Ms Gentry no wonder no woman country music performer has dare covered it - it can’t be duplicated or one upped it totally stands on its own

[@russellbrown1068]

Agreed. This Classic should never, ever be covered.

[@larryn2682]

I've heard instrumental jams.

[@kissimmeedisney]

Listening in 2020...They just don't make music like this anymore.This lady's talent is pure talent, not electronic enhancements.

[@petermott2411]

They do, but you won't hear it on Clearchannel radio.

[@Jessedog11]

crazy isn't it?, this is real clean talent- today not so much.

[@robinmerritt1269]

Try Margo Price

[@DominusLuna]

Yup. I was listening to this in like the 60's or 70's. Whenever it came out. She was probably with Glen Campbell then but who remembers lol.

[@mmedeuxchevaux]

people will be listening to this song for many, many of years to come.

[@1besieged]

Melancholy , gloomy ,dark , dusky, mysterious, and beautiful song.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Well said and well put !! :-)

[@roxannareneerantz638]

So sad.. this seems like such a true story.

[@leeosmond3651]

You summed up this song along with her voice perfectly!

[@wordswritteninred7171]

@@roxannareneerantz638 more than we know!

[@chrisconerly8577]

Y’all this song so perfectly captures the Southern-ness I grew up with. ...”Y’all remember to wipe your feet,” “child, what’s happened to your appetite, I’ve been cookin’ all mornin and you haven’t touched a single bite...” Seriously, this song provides a timeless snapshot of an era, when a Southern accent wasn’t a sign of hick stupidity, but a pure, lyrical phenomenon of language. I love a Southern accent, I dial mine in when I need to make a point but sadly have to dial it back in my professional capacity. But I still retain a true Southern spirit at heart.

[@irisheyzgrl24murphy92]

I'm true southerner too.

[@termeownator]

You haveta pick your own hickory switches when you was a young'un and been bad?

[@auntieshaunshine1152]

Chris Conerly how’do Sir? It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[@HB-xr2ir]

I’m from Chickasaw county. Southern forever!

[@christopherhernandez3652]

I always remember the elderly gentleman from Greensboro NC with Alzheimer's in my father's room at the home. He would ask me, "you from here, sir?" "Yes" I would say. "You're from Greensboro?" "No, from Arizona." "What brings you to North Carolina?" "This is Ariz..., Oh, just visiting." This went on for a while, but his kind, southern-way of conversing left quite an impression on me.

[@1977minicooper1380]

it's the 3rd of June 2024. I always spin this on the 3rd. Such a beautiful song and performance.

[@greyhamlogan2255]

7th June, Auckland, New Zealand. Greetings, fellow music lovers.

[@laurasweet326]

My birthday, though the song was written a year before I was born. 🙂

[@Eric-z8k6f]

Love it.

[@ThinkerThunker]

I grew up on Zeppelin, John Lee Hooker, BB King, James Brown ... but it doesn't get much better than this. And on top of being an astonishing talent, Bobbie Gentry is as beautiful as any woman could possibly be.

[@azmike1956]

Variety is the spice of life! At 62 I have embraced all kinds of music. Sorry, can't do opera!

[@kamuelalee]

So pretty, I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight...the Talahatchie Bridge and Bobby Gentry singing on it

[@oliasofsunhillow7116]

Iron Butterfly, Vanilla Fudge, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Renaissance, Rush...

[@chefgiovanni]

Led Zeppelin was the greatest rock band that ever played.

[@paultracylewis5416]

Two hearts

[@FrowningIke]

One of the greatest songs of all time. Brings a tear every time.

[@jojox9791]

Me too!! I wasnt even born until 1970 so my older sister introduced me to the song...then the movie (yes I was about 5 and didnt understand anything much other than she really thought Billie Joe was cute") lol. Here we are heading into 2020 and this is still one of THE most hauntingly beautiful songs I have ever heard. And Ms Gentry was genius to get out of the spotlight when she did and live out her life in peace. Ps...not sure if you're aware. The reason she wrote the song wasnt so much about Billie Joe and the why's, she was highly philosophical and was showing the mesh of a young boys death as "chatter" over the dinner table in between everything else. Love it

[@FrowningIke]

@@jojox9791 Yes. I'm aware. I picked up on that detail when I was 11 and lost someone. Our conversations were similar. I would often play it, but sometimes be afraid to play it. So that's the biggest lesson it taught me. Don't be afraid to play music that makes you cry.

[@jojox9791]

@@FrowningIke ✌

[@anthonydavid5121]

@@FrowningIke Very little really makes me cry, but music and songs, OMG, they tear jerk me all the time!

[@FrowningIke]

@@anthonydavid5121 Same here. I'm a hard grizzled old bastard but give me a certain song, or a puppy rescue video and I'm done!!! 😒

[@jm7804]

Part folk, part country, part rock...great cross-over song which holds up well 50+ years later. Bobbie Gentry wrote & performed this song. She was extremely talented. Why are there almost 500 thumbs down??? Some people don't know great music when they hear it.

[@alnonymous2482]

Some people wouldn't know good music if it bit them on the ass. - FZ

[@noracasas855]

I so agree with you JM

[@jackiejones2689]

@JM, you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT ABOUT THAT!!! I grew up listening to this and I have ALWAYS LOVED IT ❤️❤️❤️

[@scooteranthony6297]

They probably listen to crap..err... I mean rap.

[@brianatkinson1399]

I agree one hundred percent, those who thumbed down just don't appreciate good music.

[@bettebleu6065]

I was ten, in 67, played this till the grooves gave in. From UK,, music of depth is eternal.

[@rons5319]

Today is the third of June 2021. One of the best songs ever. Through her art, for a brief moment, I can feel how it was to live in her delta even though I've never been there. Amazing.

[@m1t2a1]

Happy Billy Joe Day, yesterday.

[@MUSCRX79]

I bet those black eye peas were good eaten

[@CNPdubyagirl]

...and on my wedding anniversary. Hey, y'all! How'ya doin'? From Christi in and from a small town in Mississippi.

[@berylgilligan9287]

My birthday is 3rd June and this video was filmed 1968 the year I was born so I kinda feel connected I remember hearing it wen I was very small beautiful song

[@snookerb6777]

Hopefully you’ll never experience that Osiris moment. Thatain’t no ✂️she✂️-now you know what was thrown over-ode to Osiris

[@russellcampbell9198]

Just things like the way she pronounces "Brother Taylor" and the slight rasp at just the right moments - hell, the whole thing is perfection.

[@user-rq2cz2dl6y]

My mom loved this song RIP darling I'm a black human and still watch this vid beause it reminds me of her and the bridge reminds me of my birth place Belize I love and mis you mom and yet I'm glad you're not here to stress in 2020 the world has and is still changing drastically

[@arizonanative7409]

This was one of my Mother's favorite songs. She is gone now many years, and like you I'm glad she is not here to experience this virus and, well, crazy times in general.

[@pamspencer5733]

Belize & Scubadivimg ⛱️❣️

[@bluedragon94]

This was one of my mom's favorite songs, too. We listened to it a lot when I was growing up. Patsy Cline and Joan Baez, too.

[@DeborahEdelen333]

My mother too. Blessings to you and your mother in heaven. The heartache goes deep, but so does the wonder of being able to grow up in those days, nurtured by such music, and a loving mom.

[@JohnSmith-uc7tj]

Music is music...why you gotta add color...

[@MickPosch]

We, the audience, are stuck in the middle: Unlike her clueless family, we know something was going on between her and Billy Joe. But we'll never know exactly what. Pure storytelling genius!

[@allenmoody4457]

There's a guy i saw on You Tube who said the real story here is how the family totally dissed Billy Joe as a nobody/nothing. Listen to it again.

[@JEWSWITHTATOOS]

they knew just not talking

[@stevealexander8010]

It is a sort of genius story. It contains a mystery and the story-telling just makes it more interesting. & curious. Two young ppl throw *something* off a bridge; then one (the ne'er do well) commits suicide (presumably). the other tells the story w/o commentary. About as plaintiff as is possible. OPen to all interpretations, as are all good lyrics. Sorta briilliant

[@vickitrotter7947]

I believe she was pregnant and had an abortion/miscarriage. That's what they were throwing off the bridge. I know of a similar story that's true.

[@classickruzer1]

@@vickitrotter7947 It was the love letters that she had from that nice young preacher Brother Taylor that she and Billie Joe were throwing off the Tallahatchie Bridge. .. He couldn't get over her cheating on him so he jumped off the bridge.. That's why she throws flowers off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

[@dondee5439]

One of the greatest songs ever to paint a life with words. Also at the the 4:08 mark, the lyrics: There was a virus going around, Papa caught it and he died last Spring. The more things change the more they stay the same.

[@stormwatcher1299]

Truth!

[@d_hurl]

My pops had your name & he died thanks to the virus last summer. Damn cosmic coincidences.

[@geneeric-jones4610]

.♪ ♩ ♫..and now mama just wears her mask and doesnt seem to wanna do much of anything.....♪ ♩ ♫

[@virginiaritter7992]

@@geneeric-jones4610 those people were smarter than to think a mask would work

[@aliceparsley5227]

Exactly💯

[@DavidSmith-oh3re]

Bobby Gentry was a real Southern Belle

[@jubalcalif9100]

Right on !!

[@corkcamden9878]

Brilliant woman. Just brilliant.

[@shankster3578]

She was drop dead gorgeous.

[@andrewbenson5041]

Talented and beautiful,long before plastic surgery

[@headshotsongs9465]

But she paid her dues. Went to music/art school, played local clubs, wrote her own songs.

[@yukonchris]

This is one of those timeless tunes. The one you remember from your childhood that your parents played on the old 8-track. It sure is a classic.

[@jackcarvis3668]

For some reason this song brings back memories of me being 10 years old . Of riding my bike , of playing base runner in the front yard , going fishing with my older brother. My Dad was working around the house, Mom seemed to always be making something for us to eat . After supper our next door neighbor , Bud would come over. Him and Dad would talk about their day and i"d just sit and listen. It was a perfect time for me. Sorry for rambling

[@robertbauer8497]

that was great Jack...we didn't know how good we had it!!

[@LilJoeSr]

Please, no sorry about it. You've painted a timeless snap shot of a time in many of our lives that need to be cherished. We were loved, we were taught right from wrong, we were taught respect for others, we were expected to pull our weight to help out not only ourselves, our family, our neighbors... but the elderly, the ill, pretty much we were raised with morals and ethics daily. We were taught about GOD in all his glory. It is the simple things that shaped us into the person we were to become. The love for kids and critters who in many many ways aided us in our daily work and enjoyment of life, who also returned our affections for them. Mama's kitchens were filled with the best smells of the foods we still recall today. Our playtime was well earned and most of the time took place out doors.... the way it still should be. Now I am rambling. Thank you so much for sharing a snippet of your time in your youth, I am 64 and I so much miss my days of fishing in a creek or river were the water was so clear that you could see even the crawdads on the bottom. There is a lot that our grandchildren may never be able to experience, yet... we are still here to share as much as possible. Photos, music, and stories. Thank you Jack for reminding me!

[@candykane2videos]

Don’t be sorry for a snapshot into a time in many lives. Children could play outside and ride their bikes without fear. Fishing , jumprope hopscotch, chase, and hide and seek were fun games that all the neighborhood kids played all day long. Thanks for the memories.

[@SweetUniverse]

I would've been 5. I do remember hearing this song when I was young & wasn't impressed/ understood nothing. Now that I'm heading toward senior citizenship, I understand everything & this song, finally.

[@anns1921]

Not rambling at all Jack. I loved hearing about your nice memories. Made me feel like I was back there too. Good stuff and we really need that right now. God bless!!

[@ayosilva]

Its beauty is in its simplicity. No screaming, no over-the-top drama.

[@kathleenbrownsword3825]

Songs that have meaning. You can understand Not banging music which only works after strong. Drug s. This music makes you dance for hours so It keep u fit but no meaning

[@claytonhewitt3460]

This is real music 😩

[@daluckygit8019]

@@kathleenbrownsword3825 well I can see you dont like psychadelic rock which contains meaning and screaming banging and great quality and is better with drugs so

[@dianeatkinson2015]

The drama is in the lyrics - A song you need to listen the whole way through.

[@sooziebarren8840]

I grew up in the 60's and I still love this song to this day. She has a way of making you feel like you were there. You can visualize what was happening. She's such a talented singer.

[@gardensofthegods]

Yeah she definitely was talented and i do remember this also when it first came out and i was just a kid . Now do you remember another song that was kind of Haunting but it was more of a pop song and did not have the Elegance of this but it was Haunting in a different way ... it was called Timothy ( where on Earth did you go ) just wondering if you remember that ?

[@1computernew]

@@gardensofthegods I remember the song "Timothy".

[@fontaine7880]

Have you watched the movie?

[@rickredmond4039]

I guess for the Repubs it beets Termination of a mistake .

[@carmariax]

What a voice! No autotune here.

[@tenadaniels4880]

Perfection at its Best 🔥‼️💯

[@happypappy7106]

Really low soft true feeling. With the meaning. Country.!! ❤️

[@coolworx]

As I watch my civilization crumble, and my planet wither, I have to thank my lucky stars that I was born to witness the heights from which we've fallen.

[@davidglover5447]

AMEN :~b

[@robinbowman6896]

I lived on tallahatchie river

[@robertbusby2909]

You nailed it.

[@mariusrascol763]

Baby. The Planet is just fine. Stop listening to the crazy Democrats. We're just fine. They just hate our Country. Teachers told them to and they bought it.

[@mr.d.572]

The Democrats are destroying this country by the minute. I'm old enough to remember when this was such a great country, and we all had a common purpose and common values.

[@Wisdomdesign]

This song will never get old. Everytime i hear it, it takes me back to those younger years.

[@natfeerick1]

That's the thing with country music. They sang about life in a conversational way, and conversation never goes out of fashion and life never really changes much, so those songs are as relevant now as they were 40 years ago.

[@neilirvine95]

You know it babs🇬🇧🇬🇧👍

[@hopeyoung5482]

A timeless classic

[@darrellcole6311]

....And with tears in my eyes

[@brentlanders9392]

Yes take me back to Easyer time

[@Ronda_Frank]

You can close your eyes and see the story . It's Perfect!

[@Hillaryhope192]

The perfect songwriter always tells the story..and beautifully I might add. I sang this over and over growing up. Love the soothing quality of her voice . Brings back sweet memories of simpler times......

[@skyemacallister1306]

@BC FOSTER There has always been speculation about what was being thrown. The movie says one thing, but that was Hollywood's take. Do a Google search for more thoughts.

[@kateruterbories2692]

You can close your eyes and feel the story and you are correct, it's perfect!

[@tlc4369]

It's alleged that the song was loosely based on actual events. Supposedly, Billy Joe impregnated the young girl he was in love with. Although, they cared deeply for each other, Billy questioned his sexuality after being seduced and molested (after being spurred on to over drink by some older men at a local county fair) Billy later shared this traumatic event with his sweetheart as well, his feelings that, he enjoyed it. His sweetheart was sympathetic to his situation and stood by him during his bouts of confusion and mixed emotions. The two vowed secrecy about the pregnancy. Unfortunately, the young girl miscarried. Distraught over the miscarriage, the young lovers wrapped their dead baby and threw it over the Tallahatchie Bridge. Not able to cope with his sexual feelings and the death of his child, Billy committed suicide by jumping off that same bridge. This very beautiful, emotional and moving film was unjustly underrated most likely because of it's homosexual overtones, teen sex and pregnancy. The two main young characters were exceptionally played by the awesomely talented Robbie Benson and Glynnis O'Connor. Some thought it was ahead of it's time. I felt it was right on time! It is one of my all time movie favorites and has since become apart of my "cherished collection" This film can be viewed in it's entirety on KZbin. Be prepared to shed some tears if not many.

[@shonaskibbee4792]

Absolutely!!

[@TexasShopGirl74]

I was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, you don't find many people from there, so it's a big surprise when you do!!

[@spankynater4242]

So is it really dusty on the Mississippi delta? Seems like there would be a lot of moisture and not a lot of dust That point has always bothered me.

[@bailinnumberguy]

As a 9 year old, when I saw Bobby Gentry I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. My first crush.

[@michellenine9486]

I love Robbie 😂

[@michellenine9486]

+Angela C. Taylor

[@alexanderpatrick4866]

Robby was SO popular in the 1970s.

[@shmuli9]

He was. I wonder what became of him.

[@seanmontgomery801]

Hey.No disrespect intended,but isn't Ms.Gentry actually old enough to be your ma or possibly your auntie?Just saying.

[@the1stDJLowkey]

I am a club DJ (before pandemic) and I have played this song as a closing song on more than one occasion. It blows everyone’s mind, every time.

[@mfreeman313]

Bold, interesting choice compared to, say, "Last Dance." 😄

[@Braveheart0484]

The song I used to end with was Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. Sorry about spelling.

[@boosheet5520]

Man this brings back some of the best memories of my time ❤

[@Ron71997]

What a haunting song, so beautifully sung by Bobby Gentry..... no one else can even consider covering this song.... she owns it. Thank you for this gem.

[@tubebitch12]

The Fifth Dimensions covered this, so did Ella Fitzgerald!

[@jubalcalif9100]

You're right ! I did not care for Marcel Marceau's version !

[@usernamevidio]

Everyone listen to this. This is what a pure Southern American voice sounds like. That's what makes this song so special and memorable. The utter PURITY of her voice/accent. You won't ever get that again.

[@charper1541]

Hear Hear...

[@nijo5427]

Unlikely, but ya might. Blues ain't never goin' away.

[@crybbysckatit]

@@nijo5427 well there not exactly making a big come back.

[@mauriceshaw963]

Im a black man an i love this 4get race

[@deannekliene2673]

Absolutely! U go!

[@ShredCo]

Well, why mention it?

[@fireiswet7809]

What's race got to do with it?

[@royferguson3909]

I a white man. forget race . I concure I 57 and in Canterbury U.K. people are people, some good some not . Let's be good . Stay safe please, respect to you my virtual friend .X.

[@allenhall4861]

@@royferguson3909 Thank You Maurice!

[@JamesSullivan-fq9bw]

She knows how to capture the culture, the feelings, and the times with a song. She was made for this.

[@thomassyverson7561]

This is a southern Gothic masterpiece and I've always loved it. Rivals anything Flannery O Connor ever did.

[@thomashogan16]

Brilliant reply Thomas. It is like a sketch by Flannery. Spot on.

[@1ACL]

Faulkner

[@katynstevensmom]

A Good Song is Hard to Find.

[@thomashogan16]

@@katynstevensmom Very very clever reply. One of my favorite American stories.

[@reddwing4368]

The snopes Family

[@dmlong56]

This is such a compelling song filled with drama, shame, loss, inability to forgive oneself and the south and what secrets their waters hold. The lovely Bobbi Gentry plays this cool and simple which is the perfect narrator to this devastating short story and the tragedy of life. Artists are flattered when others choose to cover their material and I believe there is always room for other interpretations from those artists. You may or may not like them and when you have such an emotional attachment to an artist and their song, the roots run deep because this is the original. I think BG was so defined by this song that her other, upbeat or happier music was not as well received. I do know she became a recluse for a while, moved onto a quiet yet happy life and has stayed far from the music scene. For me, this is one of those ‘one in a million’ songs that never grows old and takes me back to my younger years and that’s priceless.

[@aarondigby9859]

BG was the first female to produce, write and sing her own song.Groundbreaking for any female recording artist. She walked into the studio with just the jacket she was wearing and her guitar and recorded OTBJ in one take. She did not take the usual route of touring on stage. She chilled and settled in and pushed her own narrative her way. Didn't blow her money and when the NBA was expanding with new teams, an investor asked her did she want to invest in the expansion Phoenix Suns, she asked them what they needed and she put up $5million. Ten years later she sold her share for $50million. She had a one hour variety show in Britain, it lasted about four years before she decided to come back to the states, instead of doing a lot of flying back and forth. She wasn't conventional and predictable, she always allowed herself to be flexible. She did it her way, invested wisely, now she's living her best life.

[@auroranite]

@@aarondigby9859 I wasn't aware of this part of her story, thank you for sharing this good news. A BG fan since I was 12 yrs old. I use to pantomime her song, Fancy, over and over with my girlfriends. Such fun memories.

[@greggusan]

This song is so moving, both in terms of the melody and the lyrics - and her amazing execution of both. It's like listening to literature sung by an angel.

[@gardensofthegods]

This is a wonderful way that you have described this song that i've always loved since the first time i heard it when it first came out when i was a kid .

[@roisinniloirgneain815]

Wow! Wonderful remark! 🙏💐

[@rooky55]

@@gardensofthegods I was a 14 year old gas jockey in Alberta Canada when this song came out and it brings me back to the gas pumps when I was young. It played all summer and will always bring me back to that special time in my life.

[@CarnellTGentryJr]

Ian a Gentry my mom McCallister Think about that one

[@tonyg1975]

Hahaha Pure joy... your description ... literature sung by an angel.😋

[@raymondcaylor6292]

I'll never forget the movie Ode to Billy Joe. It really knocked me for a loop. I wasn't expecting the plot. It's free here on KZbin sometimes but once was enough for me.

[@spankynater4242]

Somethin' bad happened, somethin' real bad.

[@cabzillah]

The simplicity of her delivery underscores the the drama of this story. Beautiful

[@martydawson1525]

Cynthia Snowden Couldn't agree more! It is beautiful, isn't it?

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

Sometimes the simplest is the most dramatic.

[@stephenbeardwood9987]

@@rudolphguarnacci197 beautiful very talented woman

[@natfeerick1]

You're sat at the dinner table with her, I can see her dad saying Billie Joe had no sense, as if this was no surprise, and her mom doing what all moms do, trying to make everyone see the emotional value in the news 'it's a shame though, isn't it?' And she's sitting there in shock that everyone is being so casual about this awful thing that's happened.

[@dave3096]

Pure country blues. The voice, the lyrics, the accent,and the emotion combine perfectly to create a listening experience that resonates and moves. This is a true classic that will never be outdated.

[@marie-noellegautier7287]

SUPER

[@AlbertaRose94]

Back then it was part of the category of Folk Music.

[@delz3501]

well, this is not pure country blues. imo.. you don't know what you are talking about

[@AlbertaRose94]

@@delz3501 Country music is more about how it makes you feel. 🤣 Plus I’ve seen Boomers choke on their coffee when they hear Elvis on a country music station. They don’t like that this century a lot of “The King of Rock & Roll” as been downgraded to Country music stations.

[@jesusavila452]

2021 and it's still a haunting classic, from her voice to the guitar playing, the strings and of course the lyrics. Perfection in excellence.

[@nijo5427]

Sparse orchestration too, but perfect in its simplicity.

[@monsterguyx]

So simple, but so affecting... A haunting work of brilliantly understated songwriting.

[@charleswarren8792]

I am black but I grew up liking this type of music. I also liked the Harper Valley PTA.

[@NoNonsenseKindaGal]

Great minds think alike!!!!

[@Stevie-hn7mp]

Delta dawn is another great beauty

[@lloyddavis-fy4pn]

I'm a white person an I approve this message.

[@wolfganggoethe2569]

At least the songs back then had stories to tell, unlike most of what goes for music these days.

[@robertkelly9772]

That's no necessarily true. There was just as much dreck put out back then as we got today. The problem is there are very few gifted singer-songwriters in the world and therefore quality songs will always be at a minimum. The industry's policy in making music hasn't changed in the last 50 years as they seem to hew to the old formula: "Let's throw ten pieces of shit at the wall and maybe we'll get one to stick"

[@brucebelisle6403]

Wolfgang Goethe I remember this song as kid and I Still love it.

[@xwhite2020]

PLeys not get carried away. Plenty of complete trash back then too.

[@stephenreno7909]

I was thirteen when I heard this on am radio,two weeks later I was in that part of the Missippi delta,the smells this song invokes are like olfactory time capsules

[@erikasever6389]

B br

[@anitanash7777]

Who on earth gave this a thumbs down?!! ... Beautiful, haunting song❤️

[@mikepapillo5728]

kik him or her in the bag

[@anitanash7777]

@@mikepapillo5728 😂

[@lisadolan689]

Someone a bit silly 😜

[@lisadolan689]

@@whyyeseyec nah. Us folks in the Southern Hemisphere know how to use the thumbs up

[@reesaserik3759]

Some people are just tone deaf.

[@RayWhite-yd2ss]

EVERY “3rd of June” I celebrate this classic!

[@gabifilter2257]

Damn right !!!

[@kateruterbories2692]

Me, too!!

[@shayadayan3343]

My late friend was a DJ. He played this song for me every year. He was murdered on May 29 of this year. I so miss him

[@DJDouglasWarden]

Anyone notice that the only time Bobby smiles during this performance is when she sings the line about her brother and Billy Jo puting the frog down her back. Like it was a fond memory that brought a bit of joy among the sadness of this story.

[@d.g.n9392]

I was a teenager in 1967 when this song came out. My dad would poke fun at the lyrics. Anytime we had black eyed peas, he use the phrase at the dinner table. “by the way, pass me the black eyed peas”. I’m 67 now, still remember that.

[@rons5319]

That was a great period to live in.

[@susanofficial4126]

Hi there, how are you doing?

[@nijo5427]

You should have replied, "pass the biscuits please."

[@lt7378]

@@nijo5427 🤣

[@pabrennan6877]

He should have realised exactly what he was mocking & repented................

[@michaelahatfield1508]

This song had a profound affect on my life, even 50 years later and it still effects me. Thank you, Bobbie Gentry

[@nancyjackson8886]

Such a great song. . .story telling at its best. Simple but haunting. Love it!

[@donnabrown8582]

Don’t know how anyone can dislike the great songs of this era.

[@rtelkin2194]

Three times an hour on AM radio did it nicely, thanks!

[@maevecooper4290]

A great time for music!

[@Imissthepostoffice]

Well Donna, there's a lot of weirdos out there. Sadly, that's how.

[@darlenefraschilla4886]

she was so hauntingly beautifl as is her song!!!

[@sukhmaidickoff]

Was? She´s still alive as far as I know - and maybe she is still a beauty for her age??

[@KnowTrentTimoy]

"hauntingly beautiful" is a good description of her.

[@beanbagpilot922]

This is the mildest of Mississippi delta accents. Im from NC, i go to the Mississippi about once a month. I cannot order food from drive throughs most of the time... cuz i have no idea what the person on the other side is saying.

[@masonparks3939]

if you havent , watch the movie

[@Janellabelle]

@@beanbagpilot922 I know what you mean. I'm from Memphis. THE Mississippi Delta... But I guess since it's such a big city the accents aren't as thick or something, because if I drive 30 minutes South or east or west to a small town Ill end up talking to someone with an even thicker accent than mine. I LOVE it tho, and imitate it right back so I sound even more southern. Lol ❤😘