Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · March 7 at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
18-Bobby Gentry-Ode to Billie Joe.
1967-Number 13 single.
Best Bit-At 4.22.Sometimes it’s more fun if the reason why it happened always remains a mystery, rather than find out and have all the mystique removed.
‘Ode to Billie Joe’ tells the story of Billie Joe McAllister who commits suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge in Money, Mississippi. The songs narrator had been observed on the bridge previously with McAllister, and they had been seen throwing something in to the water below.
These two incidents captured the imagination of the general public so much to the extent that ‘Warner Bros.’ commissioned the author Herman Raucher to expand and adapt the story as a novel and screenplay in 1976. Gentry when asked for input was asked why McAllister committed suicide, she answered by saying she didn’t know, which left Raucher free to write his own adaption. In the film and the book McAllister has a homosexual encounter which he enjoyed, but later was overcome with guilt. It is also revealed that it was a rag doll that the couple threw from the bridge in to the water, signifying the narrators transformation from a child in to an adult.
Booby Gentry(see also best songs 740) has been quoted as saying that most people miss the really important messages in the song. She has said’ The song revolves around the nonchalant way the family talks about the suicide, the song is a study in unconscious cruelty. 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 recognise their mutual loss or share their grief.’
‘And Papa said to Mama as he passed around the black eyed peas, well Billy Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits please.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.YOUTUBE.COMBobbie Gentry – Ode To Billie Joe