Singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry brought a soulful, southern delta sound to country-pop in the late 1960s, when she exploded onto the country music scene with her self-penned “Ode To Billie Joe”. The song won Gentry three Grammy awards. Throughout her whole career, Bobbie has actually only released six studio albums in total, plus one duets record with Glen Campbell. Bobbie is most notable as one of the first female country artists to compose and produce her own material. Her songs typically drew on her Mississippi roots. Southern Gothic: The Definitive Collection is a 50 track collection featuring not only the hits, but also some of the most interesting album cuts from Gentry’s career, along with several duets. Gentry’s soulful, earthy vocals are absolutely stellar, and a pure and perfect representation of what southern gothic music is all about.
The collection opens with what is unarguably Gentry’s most famous song, “Ode To Billie Joe”. The track serves as an excellent example of superb songwriting. “Ode To Billie Joe” is sparse in its production and ultimately in its answers to the listener’s questions surrounding the lyrical content. Originally released in 1967, the song was highly controversial due to its lyrical content, about a boy committing suicide and a family’s reaction to the news. But the real power behind the song is what isn’t said through the lyrics. The track leaves the listener with questions like: What did Billie Joe and his girlfriend throw off the Tallahatchie Bridge? Why did Billie Joe jump off the bridge? According to Gentry, those questions are of secondary importance in her 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, and yet the mother and the girl are unable to recognize their mutual loss or share their grief. It’s an excellent song and one that has made a place for itself in music history.
The Definitive Collection also features Gentry’s second most famous song, “Fancy”. Originally released in 1970, “Fancy” received recognition, notably a Grammy nomination, and rose to #26 on the charts. Gentry calls “Fancy” her strongest statement for women’s lib. The song depicts its heroine overcoming poverty to become a successful courtesan. Most may not be as familiar with Gentry’s version of the song, but they sure as heck know Reba McEntire’s version. McEntire took the song to the Top 10 of the charts, breathing new life and more power into the song through a more dramatic vocal delivery and production. The song became a career standout for McEntire, a signature hit.
The country-rock “Mississippi Delta” was Gentry’s debut single, originally released in 1967. The track shows off a grittier, edgier Gentry, but alas “Mississippi Delta” faded into the background after the flip-side of the record, “Ode To Billie Joe” became an instant hit. “He Made A Woman Out Of Me” is another well-known Gentry track, and also happens to be one of my favorites. The song tells the story of a young woman of 16 meeting “Joe Henry James”, falling in love with him (and ultimately sleeping with him), only to have him up and leave her. But she credits him with “making a woman out of her” and claims that because of Joe Henry, she’s been set free, no longer worried about being let down by another man. The song is pure delta blues, and has secured a place for itself in the music record books. Recently, country singer, Julie Roberts covered (and did an excellent job) the song for her 2013 album, Good Wine & Bad Decisions.
As I stated before, this collection also features several duets that Gentry did with Glen Campbell for their 1968 record, Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell. The standouts among the duets on the collection are “Gentle On My Mind”, “Little Green Apples”, and “Scarborough Fair/Canticle”. The duo’s version of Glen’s original “Gentle On My Mind” is beautiful, with their voices melding together beautifully. “Little Green Apples” is a sweet and quiet track, simple in its beauty. “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” is absolutely stunning! Featuring a Celtic, dreamy feel to it, both Campbell and Gentry’s vocals are emotive and blend expertly together. The song is intriguing and arresting, with a hint of foreboding and melancholy to it. It’s just a stellar song.
Southern Gothic: The Definitive Collection is an excellent collection of the best of Gentry. It is a must have for not only Bobbie Gentry fans, but also music fans period. These are songs that every music fan needs in their collection. Excellent songwriting, vocals, and production. Good music at its purest.
Originally posted here.
