Search - Bobbie Gentry :: The Very Best of Bobbie Gentry

Fine compilation CD--BRAVO, BOBBIE GENTRY !!!

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 05/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Very Best of Bobbie Gentry showcases ever so nicely the fine, exceptional talents of the great Bobbie Gentry. Although Bobbie sang many a country tune, she was far more than gifted enough to score multiple crossover hits that resonated well with so many people and communities. Her music is singularly beautiful and this CD proves it amply!



"I'll Never Fall In Love Again" starts the CD off with a wonderful melody; and Bobbie Gentry sings this with lots of feeling--and she never sings a superfluous note, either! The drums and percussion enhance the natural beauty of this ballad; and the female backup chorus harmonizes well, too. "Something In The Way He Moves" is a beautiful love song with a country twist that makes it absolutely stunning. "Something In The Way He Moves" is a touching love ballad and I like that percussion, too! In addition, Bobbie Gentry does great on "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head;" "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" comes from Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, if I recall correctly. Bobbie's voice is as clear as a bell and the keyboard work is wonderful for this classic ballad. The ballad is relentlessly positive and the lush musical arrangement is just wonderful.



"All I Have To Do Is Dream" is one of the duets Bobbie Gentry does with Glen Campbell on this album; together they sing beautifully and the strings fit in just right with their vocals, too. Moreover, listen for a steamy, electric rendition of "Son Of A Preacher Man;" Bobbie Gentry sings this with passion, heart and soul. Bobbie delivers this with a fine female chorus to back her up--and it all works very well. "Son Of A Preacher Man" is clearly a major highlight of this fine album.



Then there's THAT song. "Ode To Billie Jo" tells quite a story--but it leaves just a bit of information out so that the listeners can puzzle out for themselves as to just what really happened. "Ode To Billie Jo" has always been my very favorite Bobbie Gentry song and she sings this with panache. "Ode To Billie Jo" is sure to be a great number for quite some while to come--this is anything but elevator music! "The Fool On The Hill" is a creative cover of this Beatles song; and the musical effects are terrific! Bobbie sings this without a flaw--excellent! "Gentle On My Mind" is another major highlight of this album; Bobbie Gentry sings this brilliantly with Glen Campbell and together they sound perfect!



"Little Green Apples" has a great but brief musical flourish at the beginning; and when Glen Campbell starts to sing this number takes off like a jet! "Little Green Apples" is a charming number that moves me whenever I hear it. There's also "Mornin' Glory;" this last duet with Glen Campbell features Bobbie doing her best while Glen Campbell helps out to make this a strong ending for this album.



Bobbie Gentry should never be forgotten. With CDs like this I hope people everywhere will always know just how special a singer Bobbie Gentry really was. This is great for her fans and newcomers to her artistry will like this album, too.

"

A nice compilation

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bobbie Gentry did not record many albums but several compilations have been released. Because Bobbie only had a few big hits that have to be included, the remainder of each compilation often differs significantly. This UK compilation includes plenty of cover versions, some of which were duets with Glen Campbell. There are very few original songs here but other compilations of Bobbie's music (particularly those compiled and released in America) feature Bobbie's original material heavily.



Of course, this compilation includes Ode to Billie Joe (an American number one and British top twenty hit) and I'll never fall in love again (a British number one hit). Perhaps these two songs, more than anything else, show the difference in tastes between British and American listeners. Ode to Billie Joe is a Bobbie Gentry original - a classic country song with a bluesy edge. Contrast that with I'll never fall in love again, a mainstream pop song written by Bacharach and David, first recorded by Dionne Warwick (and not to be confused with the Tom Jones hit of the same title). Following her British success, Bobbie became a TV presenter and this affected her recordings - she sometimes selected material that would appeal to her TV audience.



Bobbie had a minor international hit with Raindrops keep falling on my head, but B J Thomas had the big American hit with this song while Sacha Distel had the big UK hit, so Bobbie's version is generally regarded as a cover. Among the other covers here are four Beatles classics, these being Something in the way he moves, The fool on the hill, Eleanor Rigby and Here there and everywhere. Son of a preacher man was a huge hit for Dusty Springfield. You've made me so very happy was originally written and recorded by Motown's Brenda Holloway, but it was Blood sweat and tears who had the hit. In the ghetto was a transatlantic hit for Elvis Presley. Tobacco Road was a UK top ten hit for the Nashville Teens (a British R+B group despite their name). Two Everly Brothers covers feature among the Glen Campbell duets, one of which (All I have to do is dream) became a UK top three hit for Glen and Bobbie.



This is a great collection of Bobbie's music despite being somewhat short of original material. Nevertheless, this collection was compiled for the British market and the presence of so many familiar songs will help UK sales."

Good, but not quite up there with "Bobbie Gentry-The Capitol

Gene R. Cobb | scoobydoo | 09/18/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Being a Bobbie Gentry fan, I've NEVER came across a release (greatest hits or otherwise) that I DID NOT like. However, while reaching it's mark, including 'Tobacco Road' and a few others, which include more Glen Campbell duets, the remaining tracks do not strike me personally, as one of her 'best' Greatest Hit's CDs. The tracks featured, do not 'hit home' as do the ones on 'The Capitol Years.' However, it does without doubt, surpass many of the previous 'Greatest Hits' CDs that were available. A personally missed song, 'Steal Away' a beautiful number rarely included in her Greatest Hit's work, and I would have liked to have seen this one on this CD, but you win some and you loose some. Overall, I give this CD a '4' not quite getting 'all' the songs on one compilation, most like to hear. Unbelievably, 'Fancy' (another HUGE Gentry hit, secondary only to 'Ode To Billy Joe' in the US) is not included - a song associated with 'Gentry' even if they remember Reba McEntire's excellent remake) 'The Girl From Cincinatti' is another desperately missed ditty which adds longivity to ANY 'best of' CDs of which it is inculded. My suggestion is: If you are going to make a 'very best of' CD, and NOT include the 'greatest hits' then go for MANY, and not just a couple of 'elusive' songs mixed with a few of the largly known songs. That no doubt, would make for a better recieved work.

Gene C.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

(Keep us in prayer, we are still in termoil over this KaTrina thing..... GOD BLESS YOU ALL)"