Bobbie Gentry: ‘Ode To Billie Joe’. (Single from 1967, and also from the album ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ (1967)). Lyrically, this is one of my favourite songs of all time. It’s a work of subtle literary genius; a master class in the art of telling a story by saying almost nothing at all about it… It’s all implied, suggested and hinted at. All we get to know up front is that some guy called Billie Joe McAllister jumped off a bridge… It’s loosely mentioned at the dinner table, and throwaway comments are made about it – mingled with what seem to be the more important issues of ploughing, and even passing the biscuits… Yet, from comments, made and from the very ‘everyday’ talk and tone of the lyrics we can fill in exactly what kind of family this is, and what kind of community they live in, and where they live: Mississippi. Even more subtle is that the only person at the table who says nothing is the narrator – the daughter of the family. We get the sense that she is sitting mute with shock and grief – even guilt? – and this inane chatter is swirling and echoing in her mind as she tries to come to terms with this casually referred to news: Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge… The listener has to work this out – but is led to it by the cleverness of the lyrics, and is pulled in, to try to piece together the whole story by him / herself… It’s a work of sheer lyrical genius. It is said that Bobbie Gentry was questioned by the police after this song was released – as some believed that it had something autobiographical about it. I don’t know if that is true, or if it’s an urban myth – but it’s another example of the power of the lyricism in this song… (M). Textual content: ©Copyright MLM Arts 14. 09. 2014 youtu.be/CZt5Q-u4crc
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 16:05:35 +0000