Bobbie Gentry's Ode to Billie Joe

Bobbie is fabulous. I love so much of her work.

Your answer is here. Great Kurt Anderson podcast.

Interesting comment on R2's link about licensing the song Fancy for a commercial.

I love that pause she does before "...oh, by the way.."

Terrific, classic song. Never get tired of hearing it. All done without drums or electronics.

I love her in this. It's weird and funky.

The first concert I attended was Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell. My whole family was into that song.

Love this song too!

bitch was awesome

loved her.

classic and eerie/homoerotic song

think she married rich....WE LOVE U BB

I loved "Morning Glory" - Bobbie and Glen.

I actually want her to stay hidden. I mean, she clearly wants a private life back. I have a lot of respect that she saw the writing on the way, as far as what people would expect from her and how they'd judge her as she got older, etc. She made her investments and was able to retire to a quiet life.

I remember some reporter found her, or thought he found her, a few years ago, but in the end, he doesn't reveal the info he found, and left her in peace.

Who saw Billy Joe jump off that bridge?

The movie is kind of strange but fascinating. I love the atmosphere and performances.

Southern Gothic!

Bitch has to be over 80. It's not hard to hide. Betty Page did it very well even as her fame grew 40 years later.

r15, she's only 61, the song was released in 1967.

1967 was 51 years ago....and Bobbie was 10 ?

She's a very elegant looking lady....

People have guessed that it was flowers, an engagement ring, a draft card, a bottle of LSD pills, and an aborted baby thrown off the Tallahatchie Bridge. I guessed Billie Joe McAllister's clutch pearls. He dove in after them.

Agree R18.

Bobbie was born July 27, 1944, so she's 73.

Jesus

^Christ, I'm glad she came to her senses.

Well damn, I was trying to link to a pic of Gest with Gentry in the 80's

she looks great !

and affluent....yay bobbie!

If that's really her living room, y'all be sure to wipe your feet.

That song encourages reckless and suicidal behaviour and glamorizes abortion, which we all know is what was tossed aside.

Bobbie and “Ode to Billie Joe” was like Harper Lee and “To Kill A Mockingbird”. All said and done.

Wow at R18's photo.

I don't think anyone's had a recent photo of her, but (a) that sure looks like her and (b) she looks fucking fabulous.

She threw her murdered child (or as liberals say, her 'bortion) of the bridge

Abortion isn't murder, dear.

I like her as a blonde, and that hairstyle is very age-appropriate.

Is that really her in that pic? She looks fantastic. She was talented, smart, sexy and did not have a tragic life. Quite the feat!

Hmmmm

Bobbie Gentry was a genius songwriter

She was/is fab.

If that's her at R29, she looks fucking amazing.

She's 77 now....I'm guessing the possibly recent photo above was maybe 5-6 years ago.

The article at R18/R29 is about Robert Streeter - wondering if that's her brother or cousin?

Bobbie's name is Roberta Streeter....hmmm.

One of the things that makes "Ode to Billie Joe" such a great song is how she doesn't spell everything out. She leaves it up to the audience to make up their minds about Billie Joe's relationship with the narrator, what exactly they threw off the bridge, and why Billie Joe killed himself. It can be about abortion, homosexuality, drugs, religion, etc... Basically, whatever you have going on in your life, the song can speak to you.

He killed himself because he was raped by a guy and liked it? In the movie.

R40 In the movie, yes. But, that is only one explanation for the song.

My butt hurts