Customer Reviews

Bobbie Gentry - Greatest Hits

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Bobbie Gentry - Greatest Hits is yet another disappointing release from good ol' Curb Records. Sure, these are great hits by Bobbie Gentry; but how can they call this all-too-brief CD a "greatest hits" CD? That does a disservice to Bobbie Gentry and it misleads the public. This is really a short album that is geared toward the casual fan who just wants a brief smattering of some of Bobbie's hits. The quality of the sound is, however, quite good; and the artwork is also nicely done.

"Ode To Billie Joe" starts the CD with one of Bobbie's greatest hits ever. "Ode To Billie Joe" tells the rather mysterious story of some people living in a rural area. We get a story involving suicide, a relationship between a young man and woman which might have been so frowned upon that people needed to deny it existed; snobbery and much, much more. The guitar work is excellent and I guess we'll never know why Billie Joe jumped off that bridge because Bobbie Gentry says she won't be giving away the answer anytime while she's living! "Ode To Billie Joe" is an incredibly strong beginning song for this album.

"Fancy" has a fine country melody that swings and sways just right to make this stick in your memory for quite some while to come. The strings are used to great advantage and Bobbie Gentry never sounded better! I love "Fancy" and I'm sure that you will, too--this is classic Bobbie Gentry and that's quite all right by me! "Morning Glory" is a very sensitive ballad that features Bobbie Gentry squarely in the spotlight--great! Bobbie sings this as if she really did just wake up-and her voice, ever so slightly gravelly on this tune, works very well. The strings sound great and the percussion also works to mark the beat.

"Slow Cookin'" is a rather cool song about a woman who's clearly attracted to a man she wants to make her own. This ballad rocks softly and the country music effect combines with the soft rock to create a heavenly melody. "Slow Cookin'" is an excellent tune and Bobbie Gentry delivers this with lots of feeling. "Steal Away" is another fine song that ahs Bobbie supported by a chorus; the melody is beautiful and "Steal Away" holds its own very well. In fact, I consider "Steal Away" to be a highlight of this album.

"All I Have To Do Is Dream" is a wonderful cover song; Bobbie and Glen Campbell sing this to perfection--and beyond! Bobbie and Glen ace this easily--their talents led them through this rather effortlessly. Great! "Let It Be Me" is another fine duet that covers a song by The Everly Brothers. This all works very well as the woodwind instruments complement the vocals oh so well on "Let It Be Me."

"Mississippi Delta" showcases Bobbie Gentry's ability to rock a country tune really hard; and the album ends strong with Bobbie Gentry performing "Penduli Pendulum." I don't recall this song but it grew on me rather quickly and it makes an interesting ending for this album.

Bobbie Gentry could really sing out a tune with the best of them--and the fact that Curb Records reduces her to a mere eleven songs for their "greatest hits" package annoys me. This is a CD geared toward casual fans; more diehard fans will want more substantial albums for sale on this website.

Unfortunately, there are only two Bobbie Gentry CD's available in the United States. Aside from the enigmatic, mesmerizing hit "Ode to Billie Joe," it can undoubtedly be said that not many people know of Bobbie Gentry's true talent. She has a unique voice: part husky, part little girl. Her music has a country/pop flavor, and at times it is hard to discern which category a song falls under. Yet, this compilation will hopefully open the eyes and ears of everyone who has not yet experienced this great singer/songwriter.

"Ode to Billie Joe," still has the ability to captivate the imaginations of anyone who listens to it, due in part to Gentry's mysterious interpretation of her own-penned tune and the haunting string arrangement that accompany's her. The next song, "Fancy," isn't far behind and while it lacks mystery, the story-song approach is quite effective. The next three songs are more country than pop, but are all pleasing. Included in this compilation (as in the other one) are a pair of duets with Glen Campbell (who rose to fame at the same time as Gentry). Their covers of the standards "All I Have To Do is Dream" and "Let It Be Me" are excellent. The harmonies are intact and the arrangements fair. Try listening to the solo version of Gentry's song "Morning Glory," and compare this to the Gentry/Campbell duet of the same song on the other compilation. The difference is huge, but both versions are satisfactory, nonetheless. However, aside from "Billie Joe," the other standout track is the odd "Steal Away." Like "Joe," the arrangement is unique and adds effectively to the overall atmosphere of the song.

Those of us tuning into FM radio in the 70's were sure to hear her #1 hit. Now a days, her voice has been confined to AM Oldies stations and the occasional, COUNTRY CLASSICS ad. But if you ask me, Bobbie Gentry has far more than nostalgia to offer. Like early Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, & Tammy Wynette, Bobbie Gentry had a sound all her own. It's a little bit Country. A little bit Soul. Add dash of vintage FM Pop and dare I say, backwoods Funk and you have a sound that owes more to Dusty in Memphis than The Grand Old Oprey.

If you're looking for more infectious grooves like "Ode To Billie Joe", other self-penned ditties like, "Fancy" and "Okolona River" are sure to please. "Morning Glory" is not to be confused with Tim Buckley's maudlin epic. The strings may be sappy but her husky croon sounds as if she just woke up beside you, whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

"Louisiana Man" is a healthy dose of Cajun gumbo verging on Calypso while her duet with The Rhinestone Cowboy on "Let It Be Me" brings Gram Parsons & Emmy Lou to mind. Campbell guests again on the Every Bros. classic "Dream" and the result is sweeter than a butterscotch sundae in June.

"Mississippi Delta" not only proves she can spell the mighty river's name, but can be sexy as hell while claiming her prize. Still, "Slow Cookin" gets my vote for greatest "make-out" record of all time ( Next to Nina Simone's "Sugar In My Bowl").

Quite possibly the only dud in this collection is "Steal Away" which sounds like the cheesiest of 80's ballads. By far the strangest number is "Penduli Pendulum", which comes off like some kind of 60's Psychedelica version of "May The Circle be Unbroken".

Next to today's Neko Case, I'd have to say Bobby Gentry has be the sexiest voice in the Country section (Alternative or otherwise). Massively underated, she's much more than an "Ode To Billie Joe"

The brilliant early work of Bobbie Gentry was a great addition to the American and pop country scene. This is a welcome cd, although her great overlooked Patchwork lp should be unearthed. Where is this great lady today??More tracks would have made this more satisfying!

This is a good, if brief, overview for beginners, and the price is right, if all you want is "Ode To Billie Joe" and "Fancy." Longtime Bobbie Gentry fans such as I will still want to hold on to this, even as much better, lengthier collections finally become available. Why? Because this is the only place, so far, that the tunes "Slow Cookin'" and "Steal Away" can be found. The former is bluesy and sexy, and the latter is a slice of Dusty Springfield-style blue-eye soul. These are among Gentry's best songs. Liner notes are brief here, and I still have no idea where these two previously unreleased songs come from (they are not Gentry-penned originals). If you like this CD you may want to pick up Raven's new 'twofer," THE DELTA SWEETE / LOCAL GENTRY, her two finest full length albums on one disc. It's long overdue!

This collection only has ten of Bobbie Gentry's hits, but the sound quality is superior to other collections available. I would gladly trade "Morning Glory" for "Chickasaw County Die" (which is available on CEMA's collection), but the songs that are one CURB's release are clearer than on CEMA's collection.

"Ode To Billy Joe" was one of the most talked-about songs of 1967. Not only the mysterious events hinted at, but the clever lyrics and unique sound made it a masterpiece of its kind. Bobbie Gentry sang from a special point of view, and as a result, her country-folk-soul-Cajun music sounds like that of no one else. And she is not poking fun at Cajuns and "white trash" - she is singing of them with affection that comes from having lived among them. Her descriptions of people going to town by boat, seeing the cowboy show, catching a big fish to eat, and putting on a fancy dress to impress (and influence) a date are not over the top. I know, because I was born in southeastern Louisiana and have never lived anywhere else, so I know these people too.

So what else is good other than "Billy Joe"? Well, "Fancy" is certainly an entertaining song with an interesting moral point of view. "Mornin' Glory" is sweet, and could be addressed to a lover or a small child. "Louisiana Man" is just what you would expect: it has humor born of truth. "Slow Cookin" is hot and simmering, almost a slow disco song, with cooking as a metaphor for sex. "Steal Away" is another steamy song about secret encounters. "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and "Let It Be Me" are duets with Glen Campbell, so they sound closer to mainstream pop than the other tracks. "Mississippi Delta" is a companion piece to "Louisiana Man" - same humor, same truth, but it rocks harder than the other selections.

Bobbie's voice is deep and slightly hoarse, which to me suits her material. Same for her basic guitar work. She's no Celine Dion, but rather a definite part of the legacy of Americana.

If music history was wrote about Bobbie Gentry, she was in the right place, right time, right style of music and also good looking.

I was born 1944,
Like Frankie says:
'It Was A Good Year!'
Bobbie is The Proof.

Even though there are longer Gentry compilations available, this one has the best selection of songs, ie, no duds.