About this song
“Ode to Billie Joe” is a haunting Southern Gothic ballad by Bobbie Gentry, released in 1967. The song tells the story of a rural Mississippi family’s casual conversation about the mysterious suicide of Billie Joe McAllister, who jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Gentry’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of small-town life, filled with intrigue and unanswered questions about what led to Billie Joe’s death.
The song became a major hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and remains one of Gentry’s most iconic and enduring works.
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