Ode to Billie Joe
Bobbie Gentry Lyrics

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
On the third of June, the day was very warm and dusty in the Mississippi Delta.

I was out choppin' cotton, and my brother was balin' hay
I was cutting cotton in the field, while my brother was packing hay.

And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
We stopped working at noon and walked back home for lunch.

And mama hollered out the back door, y'all, remember to wipe your feet
My mother reminded us to clean our feet before entering the house.

And then she said, I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
My mother had heard some news this morning from Choctaw Ridge.

Today, Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Billie Joe MacAllister committed suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

And papa said to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas
My father talked to my mother as he passed around the black-eyed peas.

Well, Billie Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please
My father thought Billie Joe was foolish, and asked for the biscuits.

There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow
My father had five more acres to plow in the lower forty.

And mama said it was shame about Billie Joe, anyhow
My mother expressed her sorrow over Billie Joe's suicide.

Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
My mother believed that nothing good comes from Choctaw Ridge.

And now Billie Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
My mother repeated the news of Billie Joe's suicide.

And brother said he recollected when he, and Tom, and Billie Joe
My brother recalled a memory of himself, Tom, and Billie Joe.

Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
They played a prank on my brother by putting a frog down his back at the Carroll County picture show.

And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
I had talked to him after church last Sunday night.

I'll have another piece-a apple pie you know, it don't seem right
I requested another piece of apple pie, but the news of Billie Joe's suicide made everything feel wrong.

I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge
I had seen Billie Joe at the sawmill on Choctaw Ridge the day before.

And now ya tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Learning that Billie Joe had committed suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge surprised me.

And mama said to me, child, what's happened to your appetite?
My mother asked why I had lost my appetite.

I've been cookin' all morning, and you haven't touched a single bite
My mother had cooked all morning, but I hadn't eaten anything.

That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today
Brother Taylor, the preacher, had visited our house that day.

Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way
He had invited us to have dinner with him on Sunday.

He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge
Brother Taylor had seen a girl who looked like me on Choctaw Ridge.

And she and Billie Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge
He had seen the girl and Billie Joe throwing something off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

A year has come and gone since we heard the news 'bout Billie Joe
A year has passed since we heard about Billie Joe's suicide.

And brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
My brother married Becky Thompson and they purchased a store in Tupelo.

There was a virus going 'round, papa caught it, and he died last spring
My father caught a virus that was going around, and he died last spring.

And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything
My mother no longer has much energy or motivation to do anything.

And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge
I spend a lot of time gathering flowers on Choctaw Ridge.

And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
I drop the flowers into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge in memory of Billie Joe.