Search - Bobbie Gentry :: Bobbie Gentry - Greatest Hits

Sandra O. (rascalandmocha) from TERRYTOWN, LA
Reviewed on 10/15/2009...

Been looking for this CD for ages! Have even asked iTunes to offer it for download! All I wanted was Fancy and Ode to Billie Joe--the rest is just gravy! Really good gravy! Bobbie Gentry's earthy melodies are just as wonderful as I remembered them to be! Happy camper here! Thanks to the member that shared this CD with me!

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Underrated talent receives good compilation

J. Stearns | San Francisco, CA | 04/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Great--as far as it goes, that is (three and one-half stars)

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 06/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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.

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