Bobby Gentry: Ode to Billy Joe

This song was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. Still is.

I always wondered why Billy Joe killed himself. Apparently, Bobbi Gentry had no idea when she wrote the song. It was about how the family was non-chalant talking about a tragedy over supper. A movie was made about the song 9 years later, but it had a lame premise for why the guy kills himself.

We all knew what it was about, and that Gentry was fibbin’.

Girl and boy have wild monkey sex.

Girl gets pregnant.

Girl has miscarriage.

Boy has massive guilt trip.

Boy offs himself because he’s young, immature, and feeling as guilty as hell.

Gentry claimed she had no idea when she wrote the song why Billy Joe killed himself because it was none of our damn business. Those who know the region, the people, and the local morality will figure it out. The dang foreigners (in the neighboring counties for the most part) could go bugger chickens.

She knew why, she told us why, but only a fool would insist on hearing it plain when allusion and simile suffices for grownups.

Posted by mythusmage  on  01/09  at  07:17 PM

Well, that’s what I thought it meant, but you would think her parents, whom she lives with (in the song) would have noticed if she was pregnant. I suppose it could have been early when she miscarriaged.

The movie had the guy kill himself over homosexual guilt. Pfft!

Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  01/09  at  07:23 PM
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