["ODE TO BILLIE JOE"{8}] Written by: Bobbie Gentry Arranged by: Jimmie Haskell Produced by: Kelly Gordon & Bobby Paris Performed by: Bobbie Gentry{9}{10} First released:{11} Single: July 1967 Album: June 1967

{1}A low triangular area of silt, mud or other such accumulations, made by flowing river water and deposited where the river widens just before entering a larger body of water. These deposits usually form a triangular "island" of deposits and are thus named because of their shape, which resembles the Greek letter, Delta.

{2}Choctaw Ridge is a long, narrow elevation of land, in Webster County, Mississippi, U.S.A. It is located a bit north and east of the center of the state and has an elevation of 133 meters, or 436 feet.

{3}Tallahatchie is from the Native-American, Choctaw language, meaning "rock of waters." The bridge in this song actually exists and its name was inspired by the Native-American meaning.

{4}Lower 40 refers to 40 acres of land in a low-lying area.

{5}Caroll County is the next county to the west of Webster County (see note 2).

{6}There have been endless speculations as to the meaning of this song. In fact a movie, books, and countless websites are devoted to to these discussions and interpretations. However, the fact remains that Bobby Gentry, who wrote the song, maintains to this day that she made the story up and does not know why Billie Joe committed suicide, or why everyone is so indifferent to the suicide, or what the young people were throwing off the bridge.

{7}Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.A., a city in the northeast section of the state, has one claim to fame -- it is known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley.

{8}"Ode to Billie Joe" was a #1 hit in the U.S., and became a big international seller. The song is ranked #412 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It generated eight Grammy nominations, including three wins for Gentry and one win for arranger Jimmie Haskell. Sometimes spelled "Billy Joe," the album covers and most of the single sleeves are printed, "Billie Joe." If Bobby Gentry wrote it as "Billy Joe," it has been permanently and irrevocably co-opted.

{9}Roberta Lee Streeter (born July 27, 1944, Chickasaw County, Mississippi), professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is one of the first female country artists to write and produce her own material. Her lyrics are drawn from her Mississippi roots and they compose vignettes of life in the southern United States. Typically her songs have autobiographic characteristics.

{10}Covered by: Ronnie Aldrich & His Two Pianos, Liz Anderson, Chet Atkins, Patricia Barber, Blowzone, Booker T. & the MG's, Ray Bryant John Butler, Jaki Byard, Ray Charles, Carla Cook, Floyd Cramer, Sonny Criss, Jimmy Dawkins, Lou Donaldson, Julia Douglass, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Eric Essix, Fantastic Stings, The 5th Dimension, Flatt & Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Danny Gatton, Earl Grant, Urbie Green, The Gene Harris Quartet, Lee Hazelwood, Willis "Gator" Jackson, Henry Kaiser, King Curtis, Ramsey Lewis, Patti Littlefield, Tommy McCook, Jimmy McGriff, Ellen McIlwaine, Al McKibbon, Sarah McQuaid, Roy Meriwether, Buddy Merrill, Megan Mullally, Fausto Papetti, Joe Pass, Jaco Pastorius, Lucky Peterson, Oscar Peterson, Phranc, Pop Defect, Pam Purvis, The Racket Squad, Buddy Rich, Howard Roberts, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Satan & Adam, Leslie Satcher, Earl Scruggs, Margie Singleton, Jimmy Smith, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Billy Jo Spears, Cal Tjader, The True Historians, Ike & Tina Turner, The Ventures, Susan Voelz, Tricia Walker, Clarence White, Barney Wilen & His Amazing Free Rock Band, Stephanie Beck Williams, Jackie Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Tammy Wynette, Tania Yegelwel, et al.

{11}Appears on:{*} Single(s): (1)Bobbie Gentry A-side: "Ode to Billie Joe" B-side: "Mississippi Delta" 1. Capitol, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #5950, US-1967. 2. Capitol, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #CL-15511, UK-1967. 3. Capitol, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #CP-1700, Australia-1967. 4. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #F-5950, Spain-1967. 5. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #K-23587, Germany-1967. 6. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #F-5950, Norway-1967. 7. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #F-5950, Netherlands-1967. 8. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #F-5950, Italy-1967. +9. Capitol-EMI, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #F-5950, Japan-1967. 10. Capitol, Re-released, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #4294, US-1976.(#54-Top 100.) +A and B sides are reversed on the Japanese pressing.

(2)A-side: Bobby Gentry, "Ode to Billy Joe" (Soundtrack version.) Produced by: Larry Shayne Music, Inc. B-side: Michael LeGrand, "There'll Be Time" 1. Made for the movie, Ode to Billy Joe, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #WBS-8210, US-1976.(#65-Top 100.)

EP(s): (1)Bobby Gentry Track 1: "Ode to Billie Joe" Track 2: "Mississippi Delta" Track 3: "Papa, Won't You Take Me to Town With You" 1. Vadeca, 3-Track EP, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #EAP5-2830, Portugal-1967.

(2)Bobbie Gentry Track 1: "Ode to Billie Joe" Track 2: "Bugs" Track 3: "Mississippi Delta" Track 4: "Niki Hoeky" 1. Capitol-EMI, 4-Track, EP, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm, #EAP4-1680, Spain-1967.

Album(s): (1)Bobby Gentry: Ode to Billie Joe 1. Capitol, 10-Track, Mono LP, #T-2830, US-1967. 2. Capitol, 10-Track, Stereo LP, #ST-2830, US-1967. 3. Capitol-EMI, Alternate Cover, 10-Track, Stereo LP, #F-2830, Germany-1967. 4. Capitol, Reissued, Alternate Cover, 10-Track, Stereo LP, #ST-2830, US-1976.

(2)Bobby Gentry: Ode to Billie Joe 1. Capitol, 12-Track, Stereo CD, #471206-2, US-1992{12}. et al. {*}This list is not intended to be the complete discography on which this song appears.

{12}Transcribed from the track on this album.