I read an interview she did about this song, commenting that everyone has always wondered why Billy Joe jumped off the bridge. She said that missed the point; the song is about how all the family could speak so casually about the death, and not notice the effect it was having on the girl at the table.
there is nothing casual about this.a reason behind every phrase, every bit of this performance. she arranged this music herself.I know Phil describes it as "relaxed" delivery, but it is artfully done.
@@patricias5122 Casual-"seemng" is what I'm implying, given her recitation of mundane facts mingled with ominous events. Casual and artful aren't mutually exclusive. The literary term is sprezzatura. Another example would be Fred Astaire's nonchalant precision.
Wow! Bobbie Gentry, what a talent. What a songwriter. Hit it huge, but actually didn't seem to want the spotlight. She also wrote Reba McIntyre's huge hit, 'Fancy.' Read where she lives in California and doesn't give interviews and likes to be alone. More power to her.
@@spongebobsquaretits Her vocals were beautiful in O'Connor's rendition. But the producers ruined it with awful instrumentals. Sinead would likely agree. One of the beauties of the song is the simple instrumentals.
Agreed, her original is peerless. However, I've always quite enjoyed Nancy Wilson's laid-back lounge-jazz version from the 60s. Nothing like as good, but a different feel. The haunting story gets a bit lost in the musicality.
Pretty amazing for a young Brit to take on analyzing this understated but powerful song, which is totally a product of rural deep-southern American culture. Good job!
When this song came out I remember I was in my room sewing & the DJ on the radio said that this was a new song by Bobbie Gentry, then proceeded to play the song. When it ended he said that he really liked it & decided to play it again. When it finished the second time there was a pause, then he said he was playing it again...and did! I remember laughing & thinking that was how I listened to songs I liked; I just kept playing them over & over. I remember, too, that after he played it the third time, he couldn't say enough about what a great song it was. He may have even played it more, but he also was worried about people calling in & maybe complaining, but he really didn't care. Gotta love those times!
@@akb5531 There are upsides to small towns. I used to work at a small town local TV station and, yep, we got away with a lot. Definitely my favorite job ever.
Agreed-what an incredible song! Almost every line is deeper than it initially appears. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta in the 1960s, and there are references in the song that you might not get if you didn't grow up there. 2 examples: "That nice young Preacher, Brother Taylor dropped by today. He'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday." Her mother tells her this when she senses that Bobbie is upset about Billie Joe. In the rural Delta, referring. to him as a "nice young Preacher" meant that he was single and desirable. Preachers were among the few educated men that a poor white girl in the Delta had any chance of meeting (or potentially marrying). In other words, her mother was trying to set her up with the Preacher. 2nd-"Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo." Tupelo was/is in the upstate, rolling hills area of Mississippi, as opposed to the Delta, and was a much wealthier area, with more opportunity for socio-economic advancement. This implies that her brother has done well and is getting away from the grinding poverty of the Delta as fast as he can. Just a great song, and tremendous artist.
This song still gives me the chills after all these years. She sets the scene and atmosphere so well. You can feel that sultry heat in the Delta. Oh, look what I did. Heat and chills. This is a song that can haunt you every time you hear it. Amazing, a Southern Gothic novel in a few minutes. As someone said on a reaction video, you can't un-hear this song.
The thumbs-downs come from people who, if they didn't occupy their sad, miserable selves with raining on people's parades and pissing on the life-affirming pastime of discussing art and music, would probably throw *themselves* off of a bridge.
Dan Degenhardt Perhaps people do find him annoying. Strange how some people can get annoyed when watching a free post from a musician sharing his perspective about other musicians. The really annoying part is when he shares background info on an artist/recording techniques/record labels and other tidbits of obscure info. Who does he think he is? I can definitely see how that would make Fil annoying. I personally hate how he is so annoying that I end up watching the whole video...sometimes multiple times. I spend a lot of time with my mother-in-law, so I guess I have a strong tolerance for things that are annoying.
@ Dan Degenhardt OMG!!! What are you doing on this site?! That’s why we are here! Fil’s technical insights are amazing... they give me a deeper appreciation of music I’ve loved for years. I also enjoy his knowledge about how artists got their breaks, how they took up the craft, what happened to them in business deals, etc..... their backstories. You do realize, don’t you, that Fil graciously makes it possible for you to bypass his comments completely and watch the performances uninterrupted? You should be polite, say nothing, go directly to the link, and enjoy this site your own way. Your comments are unnecessary and trifling.
I was 11 years old when this song stormed onto the scene. I am 64 years old now and this song makes me feel today the way it made me feel back in 68. If this song/performance does not transport you away from reality, check for a pulse. AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE. As always, great reaction/comments.
My mom worked at Capitol Records in the 60s and was given a free record every week during her years there. She amassed quite a collection, including all of Bobbie Gentry's works. When I was a child in the 70s, I listened to this not fully understanding what it was about, but I realized it must be about something grave just by her somber vocal delivery. Fun fact: While it's considered one of the most important songs of the modern era, it may be the only one without a traditional chorus. It's simply a masterpiece!
I'm in my early 60's and remember the song...but wasn't prepared for the emotion it evoked when I just now watched her sing it for the first time. I had only heard the song on the radio...but watching her made me cry...and I am a very large and strong guy who almost never cries... It may be because of how many close friends of mine have died throughout my life...but the response was very surprising.
In 1967 I was six. My family and I traveled from California to New Jersey and back again that summer. On our way home our car broke down in a desert town called Needles. We had to sleep in the car that night in a gas station that had a cafe. The cafe had a juke box and we listened to this song. I’ll never forget that.
This song is absolutely mesmerizing, with the guitar accompaniment setting up her vocal and giving her the freedom to deliver the vocal in the free-form manner. Every time I hear this, I find myself hanging on every word and not wanting it to end. The song is over 50 years old and it still has the same effect on me.
What Fil was saying about listening to the voice over listening to the song/story is exactly the problem I have with Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You vs Dolly's. Whitney has you listening to her voice and being amazed at the power whereas Dolly has you listening to the song and feeling her heartbreak. Good job, Fil!
Kryptonian Cowboy glad someone finally said it. There are singers who are just there to show off their voice, however the performance of the song itself is absolutely lacking (some might say destroyed). The voice should be the instrument used for the delivery of the performance of the song...... What Whitney would do is just say, LOOK AT ME AND WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY VOICE. Dolly's version has often brought people to tears because her delivery displays the emotions of the lyrics of the song.
Bobbie Gentry was raised in Chickasaw County, Mississippi about 30 miles from Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis, and about 30 miles from Oxford, home of William Faulkner. Our area is rich in both storytelling and musical history. Both Choctaw Ridge and the Tallahatchie bridge are real places and people still throw flowers off the bridge in homage to this song.
Fil, I'm telling you this is masterful writing. The little southern nuances are so spot on, not only in the language she chose but in the way the lyrics, phrasing, and cadence are constructed, carrying on a conversation, for example, interspersed with polite requests to "pass the biscuits, please", etc. This is a masterpiece. . "..and mama hollered at the backdoor. 'Y'a'll remember to wipe your feet' ". Southern gothic at its finest.
I love the way her voice breaks up and she can bring out notes by momentarily going slightly off key. Thank the baby Jesus autotune hadn't been invented yet.
I’m 70 years old. The first time I heard this I was bailing hay on a very hot day. It was playing on the transistor we had taken to help pass the day. I remember I dropped a bale and almost broke down in tears. No one could tell because of the sweat running down our faces. I’d have been embarrassed had they seen me crying. Today it still effects me the same but I don’t care who sees my tears. I always thought I knew what they thru off that bridge.
I am a born and raised Mississippi girl and i can certainly identify with the song. My husband of 45 years name is Billy Joe but thank goodness he hasnt jumped off any bridges.
Is your husband by chance billy joe johnson who liveds/lived on the houseboat on the pascagoula under the wade vancleave bridge? Perhaps there is a number of Billy Joes in Mississippi.
Diane Pahl I’m from Greenwood;Ms. I grew up listening to this song! True southern gothic! I also remember when they filmed the movie. They filmed close to where I lived.
And we sing along whether or not we have a voice - we isng it with the same delivery she does. We know it perfectly!! Loved it when it came out and still love it!
This song sucks me in every time I hear it. I love the "matter-of fact" style of storytelling. She captures the dialect of the region with a slight grit in her voice. It is one of those songs I'll always consider "excellent".
I was around starting rock bands when this song came out. All my rocker friends laughed at me because I thought this track was amazing. The feel of the tune, the content, the finger picking/vocal counterpoint. The STORY! Absolutely brilliant. They just don't make 'em like this anymore, sadly. Also - Fil...you are an astounding host. Your depth of knowledge and appreciation is greatly admired by an old dude like me. Keep it up, my friend. Kudos!
I remember this song so vividly, it stood out on the radio playlists with that dark, American Gothic atmosphere, its bluesy melancholy and brooding swamp spook-it's poetry
She is one of the very few who was able to go completely AWOL from the limelight. Multi millionaire and quiet. Her son is a musician and pretty good!! I wasnt born yet when this came out but my older sister turned me on to the movie when I was about 7 and this song has been one of my fav ever since. What a talent and story teller!
In 1967, my dad was stationed in Bangor, Maine. My grandmother, who lived in Memphis, where we were from, sent us a letter that said, Did you hear, that Billy Jo jumped off the Tallahatchie bridge? Well, you cannot imagine how my parents went crazy trying to remember who Billy was, and how they knew him. It took weeks before they discovered it was song and they wanted to murder my grandmother. Can I have another piece of apple pie, and the storytelling talk at the dinner table was perfect for us Southerners. we lived it every meal. Also, I think she dropped McAlister because everyone knew who he was. Thanks so much reminding me of a time when I was 7 years old and was really stirred up by this drama, even though I didn't understand the subtext.
If you weren't there you would think it was all Beatles and so forth back then, but this record absolutely dominated the late 1960s. It was one popular record that I never got tired of hearing.
Her expression changes in one place - she smiles when remembering that Billy put a frog down the back of her shirt. Seems Billy Joe was her boyfriend, but her family sitting around the dinner table did not realize that. It was a secret relationship. What other secrets did they share?
I'm from Mississippi and was 14 when we started hearing this song on the radio. That was back in the days of top 40 AM radio. You may hear the same song several time a day. It was a song you never got tired of hearing.
As a young girl of 12, I lost my best friend, he shot himself in the temple, I knew his step mother was cruel but never knew the extent of his depression, my family was much like the one in the song, life goes on, we also lived in the south. It took me a long time and still haunts me to this day that maybe I missed something that might have changed things. All of the interviews with people who survived attempted suicide say the same thing, that it was a moment of despair and extreme anxiety, as soon as they did it, they felt regret.
You never cease to amaze me Fil. All these different Genre and artists. It's like taking an advanced course in Music Appreciation. Great analysis, once again.
The magnitude of this song from another Time and era still resonates to this day a timeless song that will never really fade away.absolutely breathtaking!!!
In an interview, here's what Bobbie Gentry had to say about the mystery up on Choctaw Ridge: “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.” Even Bobbie Gentry herself doesn't know why Billie Joe killed himself and she wrote the song. So everyone is welcome to speculate in whatever way makes you feel satisfied.
This was good. To them he was just Billie Joe McAllister, to her he was Billie Joe. That always hit me, as you say, how nonchalant the table talk is....and the girl who loved him is right there.
Alfred Hitchcock would have recognized the songwriters' intent; the unknown object thrown from the bridge was the "McGuffin", the thing or device that, on the surface, seems to be what the movie is about.... except that it isn't! According to Hitchcock, The Maltese Falcon isn't really about the falcon!
Well that's a little bit better of an answer than I have heard over the years about this classic; there is no doubt that this is probably one of the greatest songs ever written, and it still intrigues me years and years after it was out...
Gnostic Mom Thanks for commenting! I thought she said it was SUB-conscious cruelty. So now I gotta go back and reread it. But I believe this song is TRULY all about her, considering there was a story by one of her friends about a young man, a musician from a neighboring town they’d often visit who died in similar circumstances and who just so happened to be several years older. (I think it was a car accident). Long story short, whether the guy was a fantasy figure or a reality to her, and the cavalier attitude of her family in something so important to an adolescent was inspiration for the song. Interesting to ME, maybe only speculation to anyone else. But to tell the truth, the summer this song came out was right after my first love ended HER life in exactly the same vexing fashion. We’d broken up days before and I didn’t even HEAR about it til months later. Even my best friends HID this from me and my best buddy made it a mission to keep me distracted by other girls. This is just the way we did things back in the sixties in the south....
The way this song was composed and performed was pure genius. Your comment on the timing of her lyrics vs guitar is notable. Adding space when delivering her lines added to the dynamics of the song.
This song has a kind of magic. When you hear the guitar part you hear the words in your mind, and when you hear the words you hear the guitar. One can not exist without the other.
Bobby Gentry was married to Bill Harrah of Harrah's Casino Hotel in Lake Tahoe and Reno shortly after this song made the charts. She had a lot going for her, I expected to see her become a huge star. After her hit "Fancy" she seemed to disappear. Edit, thanks for previewing this song!
How on earth did I miss this? You know....she can't be found and many a person has tried. She just ....walked away from fame. A real singer song writer with looks to kill. And wow what a voice. I hope she is happy out there somewhere...she sure made it. That's talent like won't come around again. Cheers, Fil. Thank you for this for Bobbie Gentry.
Ahhh, Jim Stafford's former wife. She now lives in a gated community in Tennessee, a very private person...🎶🎸🙂 I love the "story telling" of this song. It gives it a more human presence to the song. You can actually picture everything she says in it...
Not many knew she was married to Jim Stafford, who in his own right, is an outstanding guitar player. Loved his summer replacement TV show back in the day. Btw, I wish there was a current photo of her. When she took early retirement she really did drop out of sight.
Jim Stafford's wife from 1978-1979. Bobbi Gentry's former husband. She was married 3 times. Marriage stinks for some. No surprise at the desire for privacy. Did I mention Marriage Sucks...and this from someone that ain't been hitched.
@@jcheck6 ~ That's true. I didn't myself until I listened to Jim Stafford's "act" that Fil posted on here, and I looked up Jim's background. I've always thought J.S. was comical in his lyrics and his delivery...🎶
@@albertog7245 Happiness is being single. I say that even after my first was a trophy wife. Had 28 yrs of freedom in a "target rich" environment till I married again. :-)
Thx Fil, you went bk for this one. I was 11 at the time and this was a Big hit on AM radio. Yeah man there was a time when all your car had was an AM radio. Classic song and her voice is great. What a beautiful gal.
WOP, I am old and don't understand half of what you are discussing about music. I just know what I like musically. I am trying to learn and you know a lot. Thanks.
Stunningly lovely woman. An intoxicating song. Never have tired of it. Thanks Fil. The Players with Vince Gill Liza Jane with some of Nashville's finest.is a great look and listen.
FIL YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LADY AND SINGER THANKYOU FIL FOR ALL YOU DO. PEACE AND LOVE LOVE TO WATCH YOU ALL THE TIME .I LEARN ALOT FROM YOU.
This reminds me of a Chopin nocturne in the way that she used harmony to create a sense of mystery and a buildup of suspense. By keeping the number of instruments in the accompaniment to a minimum, she evokes a sense of folk singer intimacy.
There was an American literature story that I was reading during the time that this song came out. It was about a woman who was going to marry a scoundrel, and he stood her up. Years later it is found out that he didn't stand her up, she killed him.
This song and _Sunshine of your Love_ by Cream both came out in 1967. One afternoon, I heard both of them, one after the other, on my Transistor Radio. I was so affected by both that I went out and told everone that I had just heard two big new hit songs....and they were. :)
Jas Holden: All summer long, we spent groovin' in the sand; Everybody kept on playing, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," (Rumbling churning chords)
I saw her at the Blue Room in New Orleans at that time, '67 or '68. It was a "cocktail" club with tables and since alcohol was served you had to be 18 to get in. I adored Bobbie Gentry and nearly wore this song off the album I still have. I was a freshman in high school, so once again, mom came to my rescue and took me to see her. In a real night club and up close. I had a great mom, she actually took me to so many things I was a smidge too young to get into and desperately wanted to see. It really opened up her eyes too ;) i was a midlife baby. She got me into Grease (orig b'way version was adults only), Hair on stage, the movies Easy Rider and some other "restricted unless accompanied by an adult'' movies at the time. Crazy, I could drive and had a license but needed my mom to take me to a lot of the movies. She was a good sport cos i couldn't go with friends...most of them were a bit younger than i. At least she knew what I was up to!!!! thanks for the video, i still have the Bobbie/Glen Campbell album, i adored that one. Thanks for the memories.
A haunting piece. My 7th grade English teacher told her class what was thrown off the bridge, namely, the narrator and Billy Joe's newborn baby. Heady stuff for an 11 yr old to take in. But it was L.A. in the 1960s and we grew up fast there. Great job, Fil.
Always loved this song. Hear it when it first came out in the 60’s and I was moved to tears and to this day I feel no different. Great song. There needs to be more artists like her today.
Thank you for your superb commentary on the peerless Bobbie Gentry. You are a true fan. In 1967, I was a 14 year old boy living in a small rural town (Taihape) in New Zealand and this song was everywhere.. I bought my own 45 rpm copy from a small but popular music store where I lived. I can still recite the song word perfect from beginning to end. Bobbie’s performance still gives me the shivers. I have all of her albums, including the last two, Fancy and Patchwork. The latter is s sadly overlooked masterwork. The track Can’t Get Back from Patchwork is a heartbreaking response to Carole King’s classic Going Back. The intensity, originality and sheer audacity of her small body of music has lasted 50 plus years - and interest in it shows no sign of abating. Bobbie strikes me as a woman of stunning beauty and enduring dignity, head and shoulders above all other American singer/songwriters of her day. Thank you once again for your wonderful review of the timeless Ode to Billie Jo.
Rody, look up this and perhaps buy it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_from_Chickasaw_County:_The_Complete_Capitol_Masters. I've bought it and it is wonderful!
Sir Fil, I am so thrilled at the diverse music and artists you critique! I've heard this song many times, and I gave tears streaming out of both eyes, because of the depth of this song.......I thank you so very much for not just reviewing hard rock, but you're pulling out these beautiful ballads as well.....you are bringing enjoyment and emotions to many, Sir Fil.......thank you !
Fil, I have to hand it to you. You've surprised me with your wide range of artists and techniques you cover in your videos. At first glance I wouldn't have suspected that you would care about the nuances of either Roy Clark or Glen Campbell. Or, in this video, appreciate the sophistication of Bobbie Gentry's magnus opus. When I first started watching your videos I figured there would be a few jewels among a smattering of grunge and punk seasoned with maybe some 80's glam metal. Instead, I see a young musician unlocking secrets of contemporary music of the 1960-70's when those of us who lived through that development more or less assumed that fantastic songs were a way of life and not a result of a wave of creativity that defined a culture and set standards for the next 50 years. When I look at my own age of 70 and my grandbaby of 2, I realize that our combined live spans will exceed the difference between the death of Beethoven and my own birth. His influence dominated for 3 generations. It's looking like the same can be said of rock & roll and contemporary mid 20th century music. It's through interest and efforts of people such as yourself who cut through the generational biases to search for the essence of what makes the music great that extends the length of its influence. Your own compositions using what you've learned will provide further building blocks that provide the thrust of the next great wave of music when it appears in the culture. I want to thank you and commend you on digging deep to understand the significance of the songs but also the outlets on which they gained prominence. Not many of your peers realize that appearing with Andy Williams and Glen Campbell provided a large platform for Bobbie Gentry. Those factors, while nebulous to some, also weigh in on the development of the genres into the general public. Hat tip Fil... keep up the good work.
You really put into words what draws so many people to Fil's channel. And you contribute to another aspect of this channel that I have come to appreciate. Have you noticed that it is one of the most interesting an respectful comments section on You Tube? Every once in a while somebody badmouths a song or an artist, and says something inappropriate, but they don't last long. There is such a respect of people and their ideas that it is a pleasure to read the comments. Like I'm doing on a video he did a year ago, and I'm watching for the second or third time. Because it's a haven of peace, information, and camraderie. And you really gave great praise to Fil since he has managed to gather like minded people to express their feelings. See you at the next one. Rock.
Profound comments. Thank you. I remember being in 6the grade & having a heated debate with my teacher who was young but thought “rock music is just a fad. It’ll never last.” I argued vigorously it would last as long as Beethoven. Your comment just gave me chills.
Phil, you are half the reason I watch your videos. You have such a joyous face when you smile. :) The songs you choose to analyze are amazing. Back when singers could actually, you know, sing...for real - without voice correction. Amazing video! Keep doing what you do, my friend.
Wow, I'm 57 years old and have appreciated music and different genres all my life. Having said that, you are amazing at explaining all that I have never understood about recognizing what I appreciate!❤️
Sweeps me right up! Wonderful analysis of just WHY the song and Bobbie Gentry's delivery is so memorable. I never even noticed how much the strings added in the drama. (aaaannd congratulations on 75K subscribers!) Merci beaucoup!!
Hi Lynn, I heard last night you were a little under the weather. I hope you're doing all right and feeling better. You're in our prayers now. Get well soon we miss you already. Peace Boogie Woogie
@@jamesgordonakacrazylegs8222 Hey, James...thank you so much. The treatment for inner ear thing has me flattened and makes seeing videos and trying to listen to music and big old pain (vertigo, screeching squealing tinnitus). Email notifications on TH-cam was a very sweet and clever Get Well card. Holding you all in my heart. See you when I can! Peace.
what an in-depth & insightful analysis ... a real 'treasure trove' regarding good songwriting ... who woulda believed 'Ode to Billy Joe' was so nuanced ... kudos ...
One of the greatest songwriters (among all her other talents which she very seriously cultivated) in the history of recorded music. This is on the level of Leonard Cohen, at least. As for the song, most people make a parlor game of "what did they throw off the bridge?" But that's not what the song is about. It's about the people at the table, the narrator at the table, and the listener, who hovers like a ghost. That's us. We are his ghost, watching her absorb the barbs and digs casually thrown her way throughout the meal. Since each listener is that ghost who gets to listen in, we each FEEL every subtle jab. Why no appetite? The gossipy, rather cruel preacher coming over to have Sunday dinner so she can be tormented further, the deliberate display of indifference to his death . . . should make it clear as to why she doesn't want a biscuit or a piece of pie. And they all know what they're doing on some level. Gentry called it "a study in unconscious cruelty." The song is devastating. You feel everything the narrator felt. At the end, we are fast-forwarded a year or so, and the close-knit family has dissolved. She certainly didn't marry the "nice young preacher." The incident was clearly significant in their lives in that everything changed after it. Thanks for this wonderful analysis.
Anyone living in the southeastern US will not have any issues at understanding the lyrics, but to folks over seas I can see some phrases being odd. Excellent choice Fil!
@@deel2621 actually, calling dinner for the mid-day meal was passed down from their British ancestors. When people were more agrarian, the largest meal of the day was at what we would call lunch. The evening meal, called supper, was lighter and usually just left overs from dinner.
Oh wow, I was just a kid when this came out, but always loved it. First, there's the story that leaves you wondering what happened; then the sweet southern voice...so glad that she sang with the voice that reflected where she came from. There's no pretention in those dinner-time conversations. So glad that I remembered all the words. I did not know that she was so popular across the pond, but glad she was. Thanks for this one Fil.
WOW!!! This takes me back!!! This was a really a hard song to sing on stage - so many lines with very little repetitions with no 'main chorus' & really just 1 hook - no prompters back then - we taped lyrics to top of guitars, but I didn't play guitar!! had cue cards taped to floor in front of me!!!! Thanks for this trip down memory lane!! Love her Southern flavor being from the South myself!! A true 'ballad' in the old-world style that came over the pond from Wales,Ireland & Scotland to the Appalachian Mountains back in the mid to late 1700's!!!!
@The Beast It's a dark, dark, DARK story. "Criticized mama for turning me out". "Turning out" is slang for getting someone into prostitution. The woman basically sold her barely legal daughter into the sex trade. The baby only survived because social workers took it away. Mama died, probably of starvation. Fancy "did what [she] had to do" to survive. If you don't realize that that meant turning tricks, you aren't paying attention.
This was a favorite of mine when it came out. Thank you for the research involved and technical aspects we usually aren't privy to. Actually, what I love the most is how incredibly happy you seem when you listen to an artist. That makes me smile.
I lived in Las Vegas in 1972, and saw Bobbie Gentry at one of the big casinos on the Strip (before Vegas was completely ruined). Anyway, she gave such an incredible performance and was so genuinely warm toward the audience. Everyone felt like they got way more entertainment than they had paid for. I wish you could have been there, Fil! Respect!
Brilliant, Fil. Your perceptions are truly wonderful. Perfect learning videos. Your take on both voice and guitar technique and how they blend are incredibly interesting. I am a 60s and 70s generation musically. Born early 50s. Lots of unique voices then, indeed. I compose and arrange harmony for Highland pipes, but I am interested in all kinds of music. Thank you many times over, friend! David from Israel.
The bridge pictured is actually the one mentioned in the song. I believe it had been closed to traffic by the time this was filmed, and collapsed sometime later.
I have to admit as a young boy that voice and that woman singing that song gave me feelings I had never before felt. I was standing in my great grandma's store, an old country store with a dirt road beside it, and was stopped dead in my tracks as she had an old black and white TV. It was very hot outside as I had been playing with friends. The smell of honeysuckles and tobacco. I'll never forget that moment. And that was over 50 years ago. I still think about that moment every 3rd of June...... And alot of times as we were eating supper passing the bisquits around... Home Sweet Home!!! :)
Can feel the southern heat, humidity, and stillness. Can even hear the cicadas. That’s a song.
Here in Missouri today..95+degrees..high humidity..cicadas are loud everywhere
@@mevrammcoyoteV8f150 Ew... hot and humid... I'd jump too... lol.
Love the south.
And the water is muddy , slow .
@@mevrammcoyoteV8f150 I love the sound of Cicadas,it's the sound of summer! I love it!
I read an interview she did about this song, commenting that everyone has always wondered why Billy Joe jumped off the bridge. She said that missed the point; the song is about how all the family could speak so casually about the death, and not notice the effect it was having on the girl at the table.
Well stated.
They made a movie about this story and showed why Billy Joe jumped off the bridge. What a shocker!
She said the song was a study in unconscious cruelty.
Such a unique song, with its casual delivery but dark undercurrents - a little Southern Gothic, a little Hitchcock, a little church social.
A perfectly apt description
there is nothing casual about this.a reason behind every phrase, every bit of this performance. she arranged this music herself.I know Phil describes it as "relaxed" delivery, but it is artfully done.
@@patricias5122 Casual-"seemng" is what I'm implying, given her recitation of mundane facts mingled with ominous events. Casual and artful aren't mutually exclusive. The literary term is sprezzatura. Another example would be Fred Astaire's nonchalant precision.
Wow! Bobbie Gentry, what a talent. What a songwriter. Hit it huge, but actually didn't seem to want the spotlight. She also wrote Reba McIntyre's huge hit, 'Fancy.' Read where she lives in California and doesn't give interviews and likes to be alone. More power to her.
@@patricias5122 Steve didn't say it wasn't artfully done. I agree with the 'casual' description. It was very powerful, no matter how you look at it.
This song has never been copied by anyone…nor could it be. It is absolutely unique and beautiful, like the artist.
Sinead O'Connor does a great version
@@spongebobsquaretits Her vocals were beautiful in O'Connor's rendition. But the producers ruined it with awful instrumentals. Sinead would likely agree. One of the beauties of the song is the simple instrumentals.
Agreed, her original is peerless. However, I've always quite enjoyed Nancy Wilson's laid-back lounge-jazz version from the 60s. Nothing like as good, but a different feel. The haunting story gets a bit lost in the musicality.
Exactly she is one of the most beautiful woman ever a genius
Pretty amazing for a young Brit to take on analyzing this understated but powerful song, which is totally a product of rural deep-southern American culture. Good job!
He really is educated enough in my opinion to be at the Professor level. The ear he has can’t be taught though, that came to him naturally!
When this song came out I remember I was in my room sewing & the DJ on the radio said that this was a new song by Bobbie Gentry, then proceeded to play the song. When it ended he said that he really liked it & decided to play it again. When it finished the second time there was a pause, then he said he was playing it again...and did! I remember laughing & thinking that was how I listened to songs I liked; I just kept playing them over & over. I remember, too, that after he played it the third time, he couldn't say enough about what a great song it was. He may have even played it more, but he also was worried about people calling in & maybe complaining, but he really didn't care. Gotta love those times!
Pretty amazing he did the replays. This song ran longer than most song that got radio air play back then.
@@susanaltman5134
Well, we're talking early 60's & a small town station. Thems were the daze! 😁
@@akb5531 There are upsides to small towns. I used to work at a small town local TV station and, yep, we got away with a lot. Definitely my favorite job ever.
Yes they would repeat the greats!
AK Bonner: he played that song until his wife couldn't take it any more and moved in with her mother lol
Agreed-what an incredible song! Almost every line is deeper than it initially appears. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta in the 1960s, and there are references in the song that you might not get if you didn't grow up there. 2 examples: "That nice young Preacher, Brother Taylor dropped by today. He'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday." Her mother tells her this when she senses that Bobbie is upset about Billie Joe. In the rural Delta, referring. to him as a "nice young Preacher" meant that he was single and desirable. Preachers were among the few educated men that a poor white girl in the Delta had any chance of meeting (or potentially marrying). In other words, her mother was trying to set her up with the Preacher. 2nd-"Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo." Tupelo was/is in the upstate, rolling hills area of Mississippi, as opposed to the Delta, and was a much wealthier area, with more opportunity for socio-economic advancement. This implies that her brother has done well and is getting away from the grinding poverty of the Delta as fast as he can. Just a great song, and tremendous artist.
The Delta likely resisted a middle-class, and as the Chinese prospered they left the fuedalism for other pastures.
Thank you so much. It's very interesting to read the background cultural aspects behind the song's story.
Thank you William, some great insights that add to my understanding of the lyrics.
Yes I understood that reference to the preacher, but not the Tupelo part, thanks for that, very interesting.
Thank you for the context. I've loved this song since it first came out.
Half a century later and this song still wrenches the heart.
Amen....
What a beautiful woman.
She is pretty striking!
A Bobbie Dazzler.
Lord yes
This old lady agrees!
Stunning. Perfect 60's look.
This song still gives me the chills after all these years. She sets the scene and atmosphere so well. You can feel that sultry heat in the Delta. Oh, look what I did. Heat and chills. This is a song that can haunt you every time you hear it. Amazing, a Southern Gothic novel in a few minutes. As someone said on a reaction video, you can't un-hear this song.
The thumbs down may be from people that never had a lick of sense? Pass the biscuits, please. Another great job. Thanks Fil.
The thumbs-downs come from people who, if they didn't occupy their sad, miserable selves with raining on people's parades and pissing on the life-affirming pastime of discussing art and music, would probably throw *themselves* off of a bridge.
The host is kind of annoying,I'm sure that is the reason for dislikes.
Dan Degenhardt Perhaps people do find him annoying. Strange how some people can get annoyed when watching a free post from a musician sharing his perspective about other musicians. The really annoying part is when he shares background info on an artist/recording techniques/record labels and other tidbits of obscure info. Who does he think he is? I can definitely see how that would make Fil annoying. I personally hate how he is so annoying that I end up watching the whole video...sometimes multiple times. I spend a lot of time with my mother-in-law, so I guess I have a strong tolerance for things that are annoying.
Dan Degenhardt ~ I feel that the host is amazing, not annoying! But, as they say, “to each, his own”.
@ Dan Degenhardt
OMG!!! What are you doing on this site?! That’s why we are here! Fil’s technical insights are amazing... they give me a deeper appreciation of music I’ve loved for years. I also enjoy his knowledge about how artists got their breaks, how they took up the craft, what happened to them in business deals, etc..... their backstories.
You do realize, don’t you, that Fil graciously makes it possible for you to bypass his comments completely and watch the performances uninterrupted? You should be polite, say nothing, go directly to the link, and enjoy this site your own way.
Your comments are unnecessary and trifling.
Fil, thank you so much for respecting songs about poor southerners and their happenings. Everyone has mysteries and depth no matter where they live.
Her storytelling shows up on Fancy just as much. Bobbie Gentry was a very talented writer. She deserves more notice.
I was 11 years old when this song stormed onto the scene. I am 64 years old now and this song makes me feel today the way it made me feel back in 68. If this song/performance does not transport you away from reality, check for a pulse. AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE. As always, great reaction/comments.
Absolutely
Forgot how achingly beautiful the song was. Thank you, Fil
April S “Achingly beautiful” Perfect.
I never knew who sang it but I'd bet you a dollar that she was black. Wow what a surprise.
@@jeffdowler9130
That's okay... I thought the exact same thing the first time I heard Lowdown by Boz Scaggs.
@@jeffdowler9130 , Just deeply Southern.
jeff dowler: Yep. Could have been either.
This haunting number made Bobby Gentry a superstar, an American original.
My mom worked at Capitol Records in the 60s and was given a free record every week during her years there. She amassed quite a collection, including all of Bobbie Gentry's works. When I was a child in the 70s, I listened to this not fully understanding what it was about, but I realized it must be about something grave just by her somber vocal delivery.
Fun fact: While it's considered one of the most important songs of the modern era, it may be the only one without a traditional chorus. It's simply a masterpiece!
This song makes me feel as though I'm right there at that table listening to the conversation. Beautiful and haunting.
I'm in my early 60's and remember the song...but wasn't prepared for the emotion it evoked when I just now watched her sing it for the first time. I had only heard the song on the radio...but watching her made me cry...and I am a very large and strong guy who almost never cries...
It may be because of how many close friends of mine have died throughout my life...but the response was very surprising.
It is a very emotional song. The story is heartbreaking - achingly so.
The honesty in her voice is just increadible. I've heard the song many times and it's still timeless.
In 1967 I was six. My family and I traveled from California to New Jersey and back again that summer. On our way home our car broke down in a desert town called Needles. We had to sleep in the car that night in a gas station that had a cafe. The cafe had a juke box and we listened to this song. I’ll never forget that.
Best Southern Gothic Song ever written. Pure Americana. NOONE can sing it like Miss Bobbie. NOONE.
I agree, this is a song, that "you have to live it, to sing it". Not anyone else could sing this song. Such talent!
No one is two words not one.
Aren't you a hoot 😅
SHE LIVED DOWN THE ROAD FROM US , ALL THE BOYS CHASED HER FOR YEARS , GREAT LADY THANKS FIL
Are you the real killer of Billy Joe? :-)
@dmt YEP, BUT CANT TELL
@@barrycohen311 NO NO NO, NO, BUT ALOT OF THINGS WENT ON UNDER THAT BRIDGE
Brains and beauty...of course they were going to chase her. Come on..tell who the hillbilly was that caught her...was it a women?
In California or Mississippi? If Mississippi, we are neighbors.
This song is absolutely mesmerizing, with the guitar accompaniment setting up her vocal and giving her the freedom to deliver the vocal in the free-form manner. Every time I hear this, I find myself hanging on every word and not wanting it to end. The song is over 50 years old and it still has the same effect on me.
Every time I watch this performance, I can’t take my attention, ears, and eyes off of her. Everything about it is stunning.
What Fil was saying about listening to the voice over listening to the song/story is exactly the problem I have with Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You vs Dolly's. Whitney has you listening to her voice and being amazed at the power whereas Dolly has you listening to the song and feeling her heartbreak. Good job, Fil!
Linda Ronstadt's version is simply definitive. But Dolly wrote the song. Kudos to Linda for making a song her own.
Kryptonian Cowboy glad someone finally said it.
There are singers who are just there to show off their voice, however the performance of the song itself is absolutely lacking (some might say destroyed).
The voice should be the instrument used for the delivery of the performance of the song......
What Whitney would do is just say, LOOK AT ME AND WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY VOICE.
Dolly's version has often brought people to tears because her delivery displays the emotions of the lyrics of the song.
Bobbie Gentry was raised in Chickasaw County, Mississippi about 30 miles from Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis, and about 30 miles from Oxford, home of William Faulkner. Our area is rich in both storytelling and musical history. Both Choctaw Ridge and the Tallahatchie bridge are real places and people still throw flowers off the bridge in homage to this song.
Fil, I'm telling you this is masterful writing. The little southern nuances are so spot on, not only in the language she chose but in the way the lyrics, phrasing, and cadence are constructed, carrying on a conversation, for example, interspersed with polite requests to "pass the biscuits, please", etc. This is a masterpiece. . "..and mama hollered at the backdoor. 'Y'a'll remember to wipe your feet' ". Southern gothic at its finest.
Reid, I couldn't agree more. It's a true MASTERPIECE, one of my all-time favourite songs
I love the way her voice breaks up and she can bring out notes by momentarily going slightly off key. Thank the baby Jesus autotune hadn't been invented yet.
But when my voice breaks up or I go off key it sounds like someone lit a cat on fire.
NuclearGrizzly Hey Griz get the dogs and coyotes howling 5 miles away too ? Funny comment dude !
@@christineschmidt8494 Glad you find humor in my pain. 😁😁😁
Naw, when your voice breaks or goes off key, we call that "bluegrass".
@@RAEckart22 Well then I am the bluegrassyest singer in history.
I’m 70 years old. The first time I heard this I was bailing hay on a very hot day. It was playing on the transistor we had taken to help pass the day. I remember I dropped a bale and almost broke down in tears. No one could tell because of the sweat running down our faces. I’d have been embarrassed had they seen me crying. Today it still effects me the same but I don’t care who sees my tears. I always thought I knew what they thru off that bridge.
I am a born and raised Mississippi girl and i can certainly identify with the song. My husband of 45 years name is Billy Joe but thank goodness he hasnt jumped off any bridges.
Is your husband by chance billy joe johnson who liveds/lived on the houseboat on the pascagoula under the wade vancleave bridge? Perhaps there is a number of Billy Joes in Mississippi.
@@metalandwood4u No last name is Everett. This guy you speak of i have not heard of. Is he real or you joking? Lol.
@@Sandy-pr5qq not joking. But he is not famous. So you may not have heard of him. Mississippi is still kinda too big to know everyone.
@@metalandwood4u ok we are around Meridian so i hadnt heard of this guy. Thanks
Good
Bobbie the undisputed queen of Southern Gothic. Great choice.
Thank you for being open-minded about artists and their various genres. It's really appreciated!
some of us remember when the song came out and know every word :)
Most of us lol. Love it!!
Diane Pahl I’m from Greenwood;Ms. I grew up listening to this song! True southern gothic! I also remember when they filmed the movie. They filmed close to where I lived.
🤚 - I wore this record out!
My dad is 92 and it's one of his favourite songs.
And we sing along whether or not we have a voice - we isng it with the same delivery she does. We know it perfectly!! Loved it when it came out and still love it!
This song sucks me in every time I hear it. I love the "matter-of fact" style of storytelling. She captures the dialect of the region with a slight grit in her voice. It is one of those songs I'll always consider "excellent".
rdcn10ec The casual indifference to a heartbreaking event....
I love the raspiness in her voice.
I was around starting rock bands when this song came out. All my rocker friends laughed at me because I thought this track was amazing. The feel of the tune, the content, the finger picking/vocal counterpoint. The STORY! Absolutely brilliant. They just don't make 'em like this anymore, sadly. Also - Fil...you are an astounding host. Your depth of knowledge and appreciation is greatly admired by an old dude like me. Keep it up, my friend. Kudos!
I agree with you 101% Great song and Fil has a way bout him that's positive and interesting to listen to!
I grew up in NOLA, and loved this tune, as did most "rockers" in NOLA. This song went beyond genre. It's that good.
I remember this song so vividly, it stood out on the radio playlists with that dark, American Gothic atmosphere, its bluesy melancholy and brooding swamp spook-it's poetry
Sounds like the hot humid delta put to music .. she is awesome
She is one of the very few who was able to go completely AWOL from the limelight. Multi millionaire and quiet. Her son is a musician and pretty good!! I wasnt born yet when this came out but my older sister turned me on to the movie when I was about 7 and this song has been one of my fav ever since. What a talent and story teller!
In 1967, my dad was stationed in Bangor, Maine. My grandmother, who lived in Memphis, where we were from, sent us a letter that said, Did you hear, that Billy Jo jumped off the Tallahatchie bridge? Well, you cannot imagine how my parents went crazy trying to remember who Billy was, and how they knew him. It took weeks before they discovered it was song and they wanted to murder my grandmother. Can I have another piece of apple pie, and the storytelling talk at the dinner table was perfect for us Southerners. we lived it every meal. Also, I think she dropped McAlister because everyone knew who he was. Thanks so much reminding me of a time when I was 7 years old and was really stirred up by this drama, even though I didn't understand the subtext.
If you weren't there you would think it was all Beatles and so forth back then, but this record absolutely dominated the late 1960s. It was one popular record that I never got tired of hearing.
Every once in awhile a gem sneaks in and becomes a run away hit- the Singing Nuns Dominique, Paul Mauriat Love is Blue and this song ti name a few
Being an old guy(62) I grew up listening to Bobbie but didn't realize until decades later what a special artist she was.
Her expression changes in one place - she smiles when remembering that Billy put a frog down the back of her shirt. Seems Billy Joe was her boyfriend, but her family sitting around the dinner table did not realize that. It was a secret relationship. What other secrets did they share?
I can't tell you how many times I've watched this performance and never noticed that. Good catch!
After hearing this song so many times, I've wondered or thought that Mama and the girl's brother knew lots more but wouldn't go there.
Incredible singer-songwriter, incredibly beautiful lady!
I'm from Mississippi and was 14 when we started hearing this song on the radio. That was back in the days of top 40 AM radio. You may hear the same song several time a day. It was a song you never got tired of hearing.
As a young girl of 12, I lost my best friend, he shot himself in the temple, I knew his step mother was cruel but never knew the extent of his depression, my family was much like the one in the song, life goes on, we also lived in the south. It took me a long time and still haunts me to this day that maybe I missed something that might have changed things. All of the interviews with people who survived attempted suicide say the same thing, that it was a moment of despair and extreme anxiety, as soon as they did it, they felt regret.
You ha e to accept he found his peace. He ended his pain the only way h know. He is in a better place.
You never cease to amaze me Fil. All these different Genre and artists. It's like taking an advanced course in Music Appreciation. Great analysis, once again.
The combo of the accent, smokey vocals, and the lyrics, just makes me get shivers!
Great !
Just another supper in the south. First song I remember knowing all the words to, pass the blacked eyed peas.....
... the biscuits and apple pie, too! I loved how the lyrics flowed so easily, that made it super- memorable to me, as well.
But what happened to the hog jowls, buzzard eggs, possum stew, collard greens and fat back?
We went to the "picture show" back then, before they became "movies."
The magnitude of this song from another Time and era still resonates to this day a timeless song that will never really fade away.absolutely breathtaking!!!
In an interview, here's what Bobbie Gentry had to say about the mystery up on Choctaw Ridge: “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.”
Even Bobbie Gentry herself doesn't know why Billie Joe killed himself and she wrote the song. So everyone is welcome to speculate in whatever way makes you feel satisfied.
This was good. To them he was just Billie Joe McAllister, to her he was Billie Joe. That always hit me, as you say, how nonchalant the table talk is....and the girl who loved him is right there.
Alfred Hitchcock would have recognized the songwriters' intent; the unknown object thrown from the bridge was the "McGuffin", the thing or device that, on the surface, seems to be what the movie is about.... except that it isn't! According to Hitchcock, The Maltese Falcon isn't really about the falcon!
Well that's a little bit better of an answer than I have heard over the years about this classic; there is no doubt that this is probably one of the greatest songs ever written, and it still intrigues me years and years after it was out...
That's why I've always refused to watch the movie. I'm not interested in Hollywood's interpretation.
Gnostic Mom
Thanks for commenting! I thought she said it was SUB-conscious cruelty. So now I gotta go back and reread it. But I believe this song is TRULY all about her, considering there was a story by one of her friends about a young man, a musician from a neighboring town they’d often visit who died in similar circumstances and who just so happened to be several years older. (I think it was a car accident).
Long story short, whether the guy was a fantasy figure or a reality to her, and the cavalier attitude of her family in something so important to an adolescent was inspiration for the song.
Interesting to ME, maybe only speculation to anyone else. But to tell the truth, the summer this song came out was right after my first love ended HER life in exactly the same vexing fashion. We’d broken up days before and I didn’t even HEAR about it til months later. Even my best friends HID this from me and my best buddy made it a mission to keep me distracted by other girls.
This is just the way we did things back in the sixties in the south....
Thank you for showing Bobbie respect, you know your craft brother!!!!!!
What a back story on Bobbie, again you put together a great analysis. 👍👌
The way this song was composed and performed was pure genius. Your comment on the timing of her lyrics vs guitar is notable. Adding space when delivering her lines added to the dynamics of the song.
This song has a kind of magic. When you hear the guitar part you hear the words in your mind, and when you hear the words you hear the guitar. One can not exist without the other.
One of my very first musical crushes, at the tender age of 12. 😊
Brilliant song. Pure genius.
Bobby Gentry was married to Bill Harrah of Harrah's Casino Hotel in Lake Tahoe and Reno shortly after this song made the charts. She had a lot going for her, I expected to see her become a huge star. After her hit "Fancy" she seemed to disappear.
Edit, thanks for previewing this song!
I never thought much or appreciated this song as a kid. I've changed my mind. A great analysis as usual.
As we age we build history and we can either become closed or open minded. Glad we are the latter. Much more satisfying and fun 👍🎶.
How on earth did I miss this? You know....she can't be found and many a person has tried. She just ....walked away from fame. A real singer song writer with looks to kill. And wow what a voice. I hope she is happy out there somewhere...she sure made it. That's talent like won't come around again. Cheers, Fil. Thank you for this for Bobbie Gentry.
Ahhh, Jim Stafford's former wife.
She now lives in a gated community in Tennessee, a very private person...🎶🎸🙂
I love the "story telling" of this song. It gives it a more human presence to the song. You can actually picture everything she says in it...
Not many knew she was married to Jim Stafford, who in his own right, is an outstanding guitar player. Loved his summer replacement TV show back in the day. Btw, I wish there was a current photo of her. When she took early retirement she really did drop out of sight.
Jim Stafford's wife from 1978-1979. Bobbi Gentry's former husband. She was married 3 times. Marriage stinks for some. No surprise at the desire for privacy. Did I mention Marriage Sucks...and this from someone that ain't been hitched.
Alberto G ...... Now you’re singing my song!……😂🤣
@@jcheck6 ~ That's true. I didn't myself until I listened to Jim Stafford's "act" that Fil posted on here, and I looked up Jim's background. I've always thought J.S. was comical in his lyrics and his delivery...🎶
@@albertog7245 Happiness is being single. I say that even after my first was a trophy wife. Had 28 yrs of freedom in a "target rich" environment till I married again. :-)
Thx Fil, you went bk for this one. I was 11 at the time and this was a Big hit on AM radio. Yeah man there was a time when all your car had was an AM radio. Classic song and her voice is great. What a beautiful gal.
Beautiful explaination. Thank you.
WOP, I am old and don't understand half of what you are discussing about music. I just know what I like musically. I am trying to learn and you know a lot. Thanks.
Stunningly lovely woman. An intoxicating song. Never have tired of it. Thanks Fil. The Players with Vince Gill Liza Jane with some of Nashville's finest.is a great look and listen.
FIL YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LADY AND SINGER THANKYOU FIL FOR ALL YOU DO. PEACE AND LOVE LOVE TO WATCH YOU ALL THE TIME .I LEARN ALOT FROM YOU.
This reminds me of a Chopin nocturne in the way that she used harmony to create a sense of mystery and a buildup of suspense. By keeping the number of instruments in the accompaniment to a minimum, she evokes a sense of folk singer intimacy.
There was an American literature story that I was reading during the time that this song came out. It was about a woman who was going to marry a scoundrel, and he stood her up. Years later it is found out that he didn't stand her up, she killed him.
She did it better live.
fil you are awesome! so sensitive and insightful!..thanks so much and keep it up...there is no one like you!
Thanks!
This song and _Sunshine of your Love_ by Cream both came out in 1967. One afternoon, I heard both of them, one after the other, on my Transistor Radio.
I was so affected by both that I went out and told everone that I had just heard two big new hit songs....and they were. :)
Disraeli your gears.
Jas Holden: All summer long, we spent groovin' in the sand;
Everybody kept on playing,
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,"
(Rumbling churning chords)
I was like that when I heard pearl jam I was like super stars.
LOL! I was surprised when I heard, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Honey." Can't think of any others...
Fil, you’re on fire with this reaction!! 👍
She's a beautiful woman...but not just a pretty face. She wrote and performed great songs of the rural South.
I saw her at the Blue Room in New Orleans at that time, '67 or '68. It was a "cocktail" club with tables and since alcohol was served you had to be 18 to get in. I adored Bobbie Gentry and nearly wore this song off the album I still have. I was a freshman in high school, so once again, mom came to my rescue and took me to see her. In a real night club and up close. I had a great mom, she actually took me to so many things I was a smidge too young to get into and desperately wanted to see. It really opened up her eyes too ;) i was a midlife baby. She got me into Grease (orig b'way version was adults only), Hair on stage, the movies Easy Rider and some other "restricted unless accompanied by an adult'' movies at the time.
Crazy, I could drive and had a license but needed my mom to take me to a lot of the movies. She was a good sport cos i couldn't go with friends...most of them were a bit younger than i. At least she knew what I was up to!!!! thanks for the video, i still have the Bobbie/Glen Campbell album, i adored that one. Thanks for the memories.
I love love love Phil's take on songs.... He always Nails it
Great analogy of an artist
A haunting piece. My 7th grade English teacher told her class what was thrown off the bridge, namely, the narrator and Billy Joe's newborn baby. Heady stuff for an 11 yr old to take in. But it was L.A. in the 1960s and we grew up fast there. Great job, Fil.
As someone who grew up in Mississippi I feel this song right down to my toes.......
Always loved this song. Hear it when it first came out in the 60’s and I was moved to tears and to this day I feel no different. Great song. There needs to be more artists like her today.
Thank you for your superb commentary on the peerless Bobbie Gentry. You are a true fan.
In 1967, I was a 14 year old boy living in a small rural town (Taihape) in New Zealand and this song was everywhere.. I bought my own 45 rpm copy from a small but popular music store where I lived. I can still recite the song word perfect from beginning to end.
Bobbie’s performance still gives me the shivers.
I have all of her albums, including the last two, Fancy and Patchwork. The latter is s sadly overlooked masterwork. The track Can’t Get Back from Patchwork is a heartbreaking response to Carole King’s classic Going Back.
The intensity, originality and sheer audacity of her small body of music has lasted 50 plus years - and interest in it shows no sign of abating. Bobbie strikes me as a woman of stunning beauty and enduring dignity, head and shoulders above all other American singer/songwriters of her day. Thank you once again for your wonderful review of the timeless Ode to Billie Jo.
Rody, look up this and perhaps buy it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_from_Chickasaw_County:_The_Complete_Capitol_Masters. I've bought it and it is wonderful!
She was really an amazing talent and a woman and artist that truly ran deep. And her work continues to resonate and demands respect and revisiting.
I never saw this performance.
Thanks!
Sir Fil, I am so thrilled at the diverse music and artists you critique! I've heard this song many times, and I gave tears streaming out of both eyes, because of the depth of this song.......I thank you so very much for not just reviewing hard rock, but you're pulling out these beautiful ballads as well.....you are bringing enjoyment and emotions to many, Sir Fil.......thank you !
I remember listening to that track way back in the day as a teenager - captivating
Fil, I have to hand it to you. You've surprised me with your wide range of artists and techniques you cover in your videos. At first glance I wouldn't have suspected that you would care about the nuances of either Roy Clark or Glen Campbell. Or, in this video, appreciate the sophistication of Bobbie Gentry's magnus opus. When I first started watching your videos I figured there would be a few jewels among a smattering of grunge and punk seasoned with maybe some 80's glam metal.
Instead, I see a young musician unlocking secrets of contemporary music of the 1960-70's when those of us who lived through that development more or less assumed that fantastic songs were a way of life and not a result of a wave of creativity that defined a culture and set standards for the next 50 years. When I look at my own age of 70 and my grandbaby of 2, I realize that our combined live spans will exceed the difference between the death of Beethoven and my own birth. His influence dominated for 3 generations. It's looking like the same can be said of rock & roll and contemporary mid 20th century music.
It's through interest and efforts of people such as yourself who cut through the generational biases to search for the essence of what makes the music great that extends the length of its influence. Your own compositions using what you've learned will provide further building blocks that provide the thrust of the next great wave of music when it appears in the culture.
I want to thank you and commend you on digging deep to understand the significance of the songs but also the outlets on which they gained prominence. Not many of your peers realize that appearing with Andy Williams and Glen Campbell provided a large platform for Bobbie Gentry. Those factors, while nebulous to some, also weigh in on the development of the genres into the general public. Hat tip Fil... keep up the good work.
Thanks!
@@wingsofpegasus for another story teller take a look/listen to Tommy T Hall's song Old Dogs, children and Watermelon Wine.
You really put into words what draws so many people to Fil's channel. And you contribute to another aspect of this channel that I have come to appreciate. Have you noticed that it is one of the most interesting an respectful comments section on You Tube? Every once in a while somebody badmouths a song or an artist, and says something inappropriate, but they don't last long. There is such a respect of people and their ideas that it is a pleasure to read the comments. Like I'm doing on a video he did a year ago, and I'm watching for the second or third time. Because it's a haven of peace, information, and camraderie. And you really gave great praise to Fil since he has managed to gather like minded people to express their feelings.
See you at the next one. Rock.
Profound comments. Thank you. I remember being in 6the grade & having a heated debate with my teacher who was young but thought “rock music is just a fad. It’ll never last.” I argued vigorously it would last as long as Beethoven. Your comment just gave me chills.
@@jojosewist8921 I would recommend Tom T. Hall's "The Letters"
Phil, you are half the reason I watch your videos. You have such a joyous face when you smile. :) The songs you choose to analyze are amazing. Back when singers could actually, you know, sing...for real - without voice correction. Amazing video! Keep doing what you do, my friend.
I like how you make me appreciate songs and performers that I've known but never paid attention to. You aw--ight Brit guy. You aw-ight. Keep doin' it.
Wow, I'm 57 years old and have appreciated music and different genres all my life. Having said that, you are amazing at explaining all that I have never understood about recognizing what I appreciate!❤️
Sweeps me right up! Wonderful analysis of just WHY the song and Bobbie Gentry's delivery is so memorable. I never even noticed how much the strings added in the drama. (aaaannd congratulations on 75K subscribers!) Merci beaucoup!!
Hi Lynn, I heard last night you were a little under the weather. I hope you're doing all right and feeling better. You're in our prayers now. Get well soon we miss you already. Peace Boogie Woogie
@@jamesgordonakacrazylegs8222 Hey, James...thank you so much. The treatment for inner ear thing has me flattened and makes seeing videos and trying to listen to music and big old pain (vertigo, screeching squealing tinnitus). Email notifications on TH-cam was a very sweet and clever Get Well card. Holding you all in my heart. See you when I can! Peace.
what an in-depth & insightful analysis ... a real 'treasure trove' regarding good songwriting ... who woulda believed 'Ode to Billy Joe' was so nuanced ... kudos ...
One of the greatest songwriters (among all her other talents which she very seriously cultivated) in the history of recorded music. This is on the level of Leonard Cohen, at least.
As for the song, most people make a parlor game of "what did they throw off the bridge?" But that's not what the song is about. It's about the people at the table, the narrator at the table, and the listener, who hovers like a ghost. That's us. We are his ghost, watching her absorb the barbs and digs casually thrown her way throughout the meal. Since each listener is that ghost who gets to listen in, we each FEEL every subtle jab. Why no appetite? The gossipy, rather cruel preacher coming over to have Sunday dinner so she can be tormented further, the deliberate display of indifference to his death . . . should make it clear as to why she doesn't want a biscuit or a piece of pie. And they all know what they're doing on some level. Gentry called it "a study in unconscious cruelty."
The song is devastating. You feel everything the narrator felt.
At the end, we are fast-forwarded a year or so, and the close-knit family has dissolved. She certainly didn't marry the "nice young preacher." The incident was clearly significant in their lives in that everything changed after it.
Thanks for this wonderful analysis.
Great analysis.
@@barbaraforan9342 Thank you!
And thank YOU for your wonderful comments.
She oozes and drips with that slowww Southern humidity. Fil, your vids are so instructive. Thank you.
Anyone living in the southeastern US will not have any issues at understanding the lyrics, but to folks over seas I can see some phrases being odd.
Excellent choice Fil!
Yeah, like the mid day meal being called dinnner.
@@deel2621 actually, calling dinner for the mid-day meal was passed down from their British ancestors. When people were more agrarian, the largest meal of the day was at what we would call lunch. The evening meal, called supper, was lighter and usually just left overs from dinner.
I love how passionately you speak about songs... how in depth you get into the mind of the performer.
Oh wow, I was just a kid when this came out, but always loved it. First, there's the story that leaves you wondering what happened; then the sweet southern voice...so glad that she sang with the voice that reflected where she came from. There's no pretention in those dinner-time conversations. So glad that I remembered all the words. I did not know that she was so popular across the pond, but glad she was. Thanks for this one Fil.
WOW!!! This takes me back!!! This was a really a hard song to sing on stage - so many lines with very little repetitions with no 'main chorus' & really just 1 hook - no prompters back then - we taped lyrics to top of guitars, but I didn't play guitar!! had cue cards taped to floor in front of me!!!! Thanks for this trip down memory lane!! Love her Southern flavor being from the South myself!! A true 'ballad' in the old-world style that came over the pond from Wales,Ireland & Scotland to the Appalachian Mountains back in the mid to late 1700's!!!!
Bobbie also wrote "Fancy".. it was a hit for her and later on for Reba..
She had quite a few hits. "Son of a preacher man" as well
@@jojox9791 Incorrect
Wow
@@greganderson8985 hmmm so NOT incorrect. I didnt say she created it...I said she performed it. It was "a hit" for her. How is that "incorrect..wow"??
@The Beast owner of the original!! And yes I agree the White Queen of soul. But Bobbie did a fantastic job with it as well!
@The Beast It's a dark, dark, DARK story. "Criticized mama for turning me out". "Turning out" is slang for getting someone into prostitution. The woman basically sold her barely legal daughter into the sex trade. The baby only survived because social workers took it away. Mama died, probably of starvation. Fancy "did what [she] had to do" to survive. If you don't realize that that meant turning tricks, you aren't paying attention.
This was a favorite of mine when it came out. Thank you for the research involved and technical aspects we usually aren't privy to. Actually, what I love the most is how incredibly happy you seem when you listen to an artist. That makes me smile.
👍🙂
I lived in Las Vegas in 1972, and saw Bobbie Gentry at one of the big casinos on the Strip (before Vegas was completely ruined). Anyway, she gave such an incredible performance and was so genuinely warm toward the audience. Everyone felt like they got way more entertainment than they had paid for. I wish you could have been there, Fil! Respect!
Brilliant, Fil. Your perceptions are truly wonderful. Perfect learning videos. Your take on both voice and guitar technique and how they blend are incredibly interesting.
I am a 60s and 70s generation musically. Born early 50s. Lots of unique voices then, indeed.
I compose and arrange harmony for Highland pipes, but I am interested in all kinds of music.
Thank you many times over, friend!
David from Israel.
David Siegel ~ Well said, David! I was born in ‘56, and I agree with your every word. 👍
The bridge pictured is actually the one mentioned in the song. I believe it had been closed to traffic by the time this was filmed, and collapsed sometime later.
It's rickety with rotten boards and technically closed but people still throw flowers off it in homage to the song.
They have built the new road next to it. Ive driven on the new road and have seen the old bridge, the Tallahatchee river flows beneath it.
I have to admit as a young boy that voice and that woman singing that song gave me feelings I had never before felt. I was standing in my great grandma's store, an old country store with a dirt road beside it, and was stopped dead in my tracks as she had an old black and white TV. It was very hot outside as I had been playing with friends. The smell of honeysuckles and tobacco. I'll never forget that moment. And that was over 50 years ago. I still think about that moment every 3rd of June...... And alot of times as we were eating supper passing the bisquits around... Home Sweet Home!!! :)