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Country Music
Posted >1 y ago
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Thank you my friend CW5 Jack Cardwell for sharing the classic music video of Bobbie Gentry performing "Ode to Billie Joe" on Bobby Gentry's British TV program in 1968.
In 1968/9 Bobby Gentry hosted her own series on BBC-TV in London.
Background on the flip-side tune that launched Bobby Gentry into international musical acclaim.
"In 1967 Gentry produced her first single, the country rock "Mississippi Delta". However, the flipside, "Ode to Billie Joe", with its sparse sound and controversial lyrics, started to receive airplay in the U.S. Capitol's shortened version added to the song's mystery. Questions arose among the listeners: what did Billie Joe and his girlfriend throw off the Tallahatchie Bridge, and why did Billie Joe commit suicide? Gentry herself has commented on the song, saying that its real theme was indifference:
Those questions are of secondary importance in my mind. The story of Billie Joe has two more interesting underlying themes.
First, the illustration of a group of people's reactions to the life and death of Billie Joe, and its subsequent effect on their lives, is made.
Second, the obvious gap between the girl and her mother is shown, when both women experience a common loss (first, Billie Joe and, later, Papa), and yet Mama and the girl are unable to recognize their mutual loss or share their grief.
The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, starting on 26 August 1967, and placed No. 4 in the year-end chart.[3] The single hit No. 8 on Billboard Black Singles and No. 13 in the UK Top 40] and sold over three million copies all over the world. Rolling Stone magazine listed it among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2001. The album, Ode to Billie Joe, replaced Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the top of Billboard Albums Chart and reached No. 5 of the Billboard Black Albums chart. Gentry won three Grammy Awards in 1967, including Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She was also named the Academy of Country Music's Most Promising Female Vocalist.]"
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
In 1968/9 Bobby Gentry hosted her own series on BBC-TV in London.
Background on the flip-side tune that launched Bobby Gentry into international musical acclaim.
"In 1967 Gentry produced her first single, the country rock "Mississippi Delta". However, the flipside, "Ode to Billie Joe", with its sparse sound and controversial lyrics, started to receive airplay in the U.S. Capitol's shortened version added to the song's mystery. Questions arose among the listeners: what did Billie Joe and his girlfriend throw off the Tallahatchie Bridge, and why did Billie Joe commit suicide? Gentry herself has commented on the song, saying that its real theme was indifference:
Those questions are of secondary importance in my mind. The story of Billie Joe has two more interesting underlying themes.
First, the illustration of a group of people's reactions to the life and death of Billie Joe, and its subsequent effect on their lives, is made.
Second, the obvious gap between the girl and her mother is shown, when both women experience a common loss (first, Billie Joe and, later, Papa), and yet Mama and the girl are unable to recognize their mutual loss or share their grief.
The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, starting on 26 August 1967, and placed No. 4 in the year-end chart.[3] The single hit No. 8 on Billboard Black Singles and No. 13 in the UK Top 40] and sold over three million copies all over the world. Rolling Stone magazine listed it among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2001. The album, Ode to Billie Joe, replaced Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the top of Billboard Albums Chart and reached No. 5 of the Billboard Black Albums chart. Gentry won three Grammy Awards in 1967, including Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She was also named the Academy of Country Music's Most Promising Female Vocalist.]"
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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