| Ode to Billie Joe | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 21, 1967 | |||
| Recorded | c. February –July 28, 1967 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 30:18 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Kelly Gordon | |||
| Bobbie Gentry chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Ode to Billie Joe | ||||
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Ode to Billie Joe is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on August 21, 1967, by Capitol Records.
Despite performing regularly with her mother in the mid-60s, Gentry’s sole ambition originally was to write songs to sell to other artists, telling the Washington Post that she only sang on the recording of "Ode to Billie Joe" that she took to Capitol because it was cheaper than hiring someone to sing it. Gentry also brought "Mississippi Delta" to Capitol on the same demo tape and it was this recording, rather than "Ode to Billie Joe", that initially got her signed.
Gentry was officially signed to Capitol Records on June 23, 1967, and staff producer Kelly Gordon was given "Ode to Billie Joe" as his first full length production for the label. Both of Bobbie’s "demo" tracks became the album masters; the purchased recording of "Mississippi Delta" was the version issued, but "Ode to Billie Joe" had a string arrangement by Jimmie Haskell dubbed onto the original recording at Capitol. It was the day after the string session that Capitol’s A&R team decided definitively that "Ode to Billie Joe" would be the A-side.
Following the single's success, the rest of the album was quickly assembled from a selection of demos Gentry had already recorded guitar and vocal tracks for, with overdubs being completed in a matter of days at Capitol. The result was a unique combination of blues, folk and jazz elements, that furthered Gentry’s recollections of her home, and felt more like a concept album than a hastily assembled collection of songs. Capitol pre-ordered 500,000 copies – the largest pressing of a debut album in the label's history at that point. The album was in stores less than a month after it was completed. [4]
The initial sessions for what would become Gentry's debut album took place prior to her being signed to Capitol Records. These sessions were produced by Gentry and Bobby Paris and most likely took place at Paris' Whitney Recording Studio in Glendale, California. [5] "Mississippi Delta" and "Ode to Billie Joe" were recorded circa February and March 1967, respectively, with the string arrangement for "Ode to Billie Joe" being recorded sometime in June at Capitol Studios. "Lazy Willie", "Bugs", and "Chickasaw County Child" were recorded on May 24, and would be overdubbed at Capitol Studios on July 27.
Following the success of "Ode to Billie Joe", Gentry recorded acoustic demos of "I Saw an Angel Die", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Sunday Best", "Hurry, Tuesday Child", and "Niki Hoeky" on July 26. These demos would be overdubbed on July 27 and 28, forming the rest of the album.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
In the issue dated September 2, 1967, Billboard's review said, "This album, based on the phenomenal single, "Ode to Billie Joe", has got to be one of the top albums of the year. Bobbie proves to be much more than a flash in the pan. Each of her emotional ballads are standouts — especially the haunting "Hurry Tuesday Child". And Miss Gentry's uptempo jazz waltz, "Papa, Won't You Take Me to Town with You", could step out as a single." [9]
Cashbox also published a review on September 2, saying, "Bobbie Gentry follows up her No. 1 chart single, "Ode to Billie Joe", with an album of the same title. Included on the set, in addition to the title tune are, "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Chickasaw Country Child", "I Saw an Angel Die", and "Hurry, Tuesday Child". The disc figures to be a runaway best seller". [10]
Record World named the album as one of their Albums of the Week, saying that "Sensation Bobbie Gentry is as good in album form as she is in single form or just plain form on her Ode to Billie Joe album. She's quite a remarkable entertainer." [11]
Reviewing for AllMusic, critic Richie Unterberger wrote of the album, "Her vocals are poised and husky throughout the record, on which she was definitely on the right track — one that she was quickly diverted from, into more MOR-oriented sounds." [12]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result [13] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Bobbie Gentry | Best New Artist | Won |
| "Ode to Billie Joe" | Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals | Won | ||
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | Won | ||
| Best Contemporary Female Solo Vocal Performance | Won | ||
| Best Contemporary Single | Nominated | ||
| Ode to Billie Joe | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best Contemporary Album | Nominated | ||
| Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical | Nominated |
The album peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Top LP's chart. It was the only album to displace the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band from its 15-week reign at the top of the chart. It also peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Albums chart and at No. 5 on the US Billboard Top Selling R&B Albums chart.
The album's first single, "Ode to Billie Joe", was released in July 1967, and peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, No. 7 on the US Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening chart, No. 8 on the US Billboard Top Selling R&B Singles chart, and No. 17 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The single also saw international success, peaking at No. 1 in Canada on the RPM Top Singles chart, No. 6 on Australia's Kent Music Report Singles Chart, and No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart.
The album's second single, "I Saw an Angel Die", was released in September 1967, and failed to chart.
"Mississippi Delta" was issued as Gentry's debut single in Japan in October 1967, but did not chart.
In 2007, the album was made available for digital download.
In 2008, Australian label Raven Records released the album on CD, paired with 1969’s Touch 'Em with Love .
All tracks written by Bobbie Gentry, except as noted.
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mississippi Delta" | c. February 1967 | 3:05 |
| 2. | "I Saw an Angel Die" | July 26, 1967 | 2:56 |
| 3. | "Chickasaw County Child" | May 24, 1967 | 2:45 |
| 4. | "Sunday Best" | July 26, 1967 | 2:50 |
| 5. | "Niki Hoeky" (Jim Ford, Lolly Vegas, Pat Vegas) | July 26, 1967 | 2:30 |
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You?" | July 26, 1967 | 2:30 |
| 2. | "Bugs" | May 24, 1967 | 2:05 |
| 3. | "Hurry, Tuesday Child" | July 26, 1967 | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Lazy Willie" | May 24, 1967 | 2:36 |
| 5. | "Ode to Billie Joe" | c. March 1967 | 4:15 |
Adapted from the album liner notes.
Album
| Year | Chart | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | US Hot Country Albums (Billboard) [14] | 1 |
| US Top LP's ( Billboard ) [15] | 1 | |
| US Top Selling R&B LP's (Billboard) [16] | 5 | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Chart position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Ode to Billie Joe" | Australia ( Kent Music Report ) | 6 |
| Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) | 1 | ||
| UK Singles Chart ( OCC ) [17] | 13 | ||
| US Hot 100 (Billboard) [18] | 1 | ||
| US Hot Country Singles (Billboard) [19] | 17 | ||
| US Top 40 Easy Listening ( Billboard ) [20] | 7 | ||
| US Top Selling R&B Singles (Billboard) [21] | 8 |
Bobbie Gentry is a retired American singer-songwriter. She was one of the first female artists in America to compose and produce her own material.
"Ode to Billie Joe" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry released by Capitol Records in July 1967, and later used as the title-track of her debut album. Five weeks after its release, the song topped Billboard's Pop singles chart. It also appeared in the top 10 of the Adult Contemporary and Hot R&B singles charts, and in the top 20 of the Hot Country Songs list.
"Reflections" is a 1967 song recorded by American soul music group The Supremes for the Motown label. The single release was the first Supremes record credited to "Diana Ross and the Supremes", and the song was one of the last Motown hits to be written and produced by Holland–Dozier–Holland before they left the label.
Ode to Billy Joe is a 1976 American drama film, directed and produced by Max Baer Jr., with a screenplay by Herman Raucher, and starring Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor. It is inspired by the 1967 hit song by Bobbie Gentry, titled "Ode to Billie Joe."
Reflections is the twelfth studio album recorded for Motown by Diana Ross & the Supremes. Released in 1968, it was the first regular studio LP to display the new billing of the group formerly known as "The Supremes." It contains the singles "Reflections", "In and Out of Love" and "Forever Came Today". Also included are covers of songs made famous by Martha and the Vandellas and The 5th Dimension. Also present are songs written by other famous names, including "Bah-Bah-Bah" co-written by Motown singer Brenda Holloway with her younger sister, Patrice, an original Smokey Robinson composition titled "Then", and "What the World Needs Now Is Love" by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, which Motown planned to release as a single in the spring of 1968, but cancelled. It also contains a cover of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe," whose original recording kept the single #2 "Reflections" from peaking at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1967, and it hit #2 on Cashbox.
Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell is a studio album by American singer-songwriters Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell. It was released on September 16, 1968, by Capitol Records.
The Delta Sweete is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on February 5, 1968, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Kelly Gordon.
Local Gentry is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on August 26, 1968, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Kelly Gordon.
Touch 'Em with Love is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on July 7, 1969, by Capitol Records. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, and produced by Kelso Herston.
Fancy is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on April 6, 1970, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Rick Hall and recorded at his FAME Recording Studios, apart from Wedding Bell Blues and Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head which were produced by Gentry herself, and recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. The cover art for the album is an uncredited painting of Gentry, based upon a reference photograph. According to the liner notes for the 2004 compilation Chickasaw County Child: The Artistry of Bobbie Gentry, the painting is believed to have been done by Gentry herself.
Patchwork is the seventh and final studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry, issued by Capitol Records on April 26, 1971. Gentry completely retired from the music industry after making a final television appearance in 1981, ten years after the album's release; although she did record another album in the late 1970s, it was not released.
Kelly Gordon was an American singer, songwriter and record producer.
The discography of American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry consists of seven studio albums, one live album, one soundtrack album and thirty compilation albums. Gentry also released a total of thirty-one singles and fifteen extended plays.
The Girl from Chickasaw County: The Complete Capitol Masters is an out-of-print 8-disc box set compilation album by singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on September 21, 2018, by Capitol and UMe. It features Gentry’s entire recording career with Capitol Records, bringing together 7 studio albums, 75 previously unreleased tracks, including demos, alternate takes and live recordings from Gentry's BBC television series.
Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited is an album by American rock band Mercury Rev. The album, which is a re-imagining of Bobbie Gentry's 1968 album The Delta Sweete, was released on February 8, 2019 through Partisan Records. Song-by-song cover version of the album with "Louisiana Man" replaced by "Ode to Billie Joe".
"I Saw an Angel Die" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on September 11, 1967, as the second single from her debut album Ode to Billie Joe. The song was produced by Kelly Gordon and features a string arrangement by Jimmie Haskell.
"Mississippi Delta" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. The song was produced by Kelly Gordon and Bobby Parris. It was originally released as the B-side of Gentry's debut single "Ode to Billie Joe" on July 10, 1967. It was released as Gentry's debut single in Japan on October 5, 1967, with "Ode to Billie Joe" as the B-side. "Ode to Billie Joe" would be issued as single in Japan in May 1968 with "Niki Hoeky" as the B-side.
The Voice of Billie Jo Spears is a studio album by American country artist Billie Jo Spears. It was released in November 1968 via Capitol Records and contained 11 tracks. The disc mixed both new recordings with original material and featured her first charting single: "He's Got More Love on His Little Finger". It was the debut studio album of Spears's career and received positive reviews from critics.
Step to the Rear is a studio album by American singer Marilyn Maye. It was released in November 1967 via RCA Victor and contained 11 tracks. Its title song was taken from the Broadway musical How Now Dow Jones and was a single for Maye in 1967. It reached the top five of American adult contemporary chart. The album itself received a positive review from Billboard magazine following its release.
