Bobby Gentry - Ode to Billy Joe | Reaction

Billy Joe is a character in the song. Not to be confused to Billy Joel.

It’s about the casual indifference to tragedy.

Billy Joe was her boyfriend, but nobody at the dinner table knew it.

1967 -- i remember right where i was when i first heard it -- we all loved it

This reminds so much of my mom back in the day! Thanks for the memories!!

The artist Bobbie Gentry grew up in The Mississippi Delta, this is an area not to far from Greenwood, MS, my Mom was born in that area, and I found out recently that I am a distant relative of Ms Gentry, a cousin twice removed whatever that means, lol. She studied philosophy in college then released this song thereafter. She is also known for releasing "Fancy", a song covered by Reba McEntire. She produced her own music, then appeared on variety shows, before retiring from the celebrity life just a few years after she released "Ode to Billy Joel". I heard you say you need to watch the movie, for reference about why Billy Joe jumped, Ms Gentry liked to leave that mystery open for everyone to come up with their own thoughts. I've always been fascinated by her.

Your reactions are always FANTASTIC!!!

Oh my goodness. I loved this back in the day.

I live about 30 miles from the Tallahatchie River. The original bridge is gone. Fans were constantly taking pieces of the bridge after it was closed. Bobby Gentry quit singing at the peak of her career and disappeared from public life.

My dad dated Bobbi gentry when they were teens. They even got kicked out of a theater together. He said she wore the tightest jeans that he ever saw. Lol

Sometimes you can overthink and overresearch a reaction.

There was a lot of chatter about what her song was about back in the day. Many wanted to know what was thrown off the Tallahatchie bridge 🤣 but I think she said that was not the message. I think it was to do with our humanity and how we respond to tragedy like ‘pass the Black Eyed Peas!’. Casual, indifferent. But there are so many theories still floating around out there.

Did you hear that? It was sound of this song whizzing over hius head. That was painful to watch.

I've had this LP since back in the day. Enjoy! 😎

You should try her Fancy, that she also wrote. This song is about a share cropper's family that is too poor to think about anything but their own survival. This took place before Roe, and teen pregnancies could be a big scandal, a for what it's worth thought.

What an incredible reaction. 3 OKs, and an all right in the first 30 seconds. Confusing Billy Joe with Billy Joel. You certainly missed this one!

This is great story telling. It captures your imagination and makes you think

This is the theme song from the movie Ode to Billy Joe from 1976❤

OHMYGOSH! Just listen and enjoy the song for heaven's sake!! You can research the song later.

She is a great storyteller. Great reaction.