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It was the third of Juhe
another sleepy,

dusty, delta day
I was out choppin' cotton
and my brother was
bailin' hay

And at dinnertime we
stopped and walked back
to the house to eat
And Mama hollered at the
back door,

Ya'll remember to wipe
your feet
And then she said, I got
some news this morning
from Choctaw ridge.

Today Billy Joe McAllister
jumped off the
Tallahatchee bridge.
Ahd Papa said to Mama as
he passed around the

5laCk-eyed peas,
Oh, Billy Joe never had a
lick of-sense,pass thue
 biscuits, please.

I.

There's five more acres in
the lower forty I've got
to plow. .
Seems like nothin' ever
comes-to no good upuon
And Mama said it was a
shame about Billy Joe
L  anyhow.
Seems like nothin' ever
comes-to no good upuon
 ' Choctawridge

And now Billy Joe
McAllister's jumped off the
Tallahatchee bridge.
And brother said hes
recollected when he and

tom and Billy Joe
He put a frog down my back
at the Carroll County
 ' picture show

I.

And wasn't I talkin'--to him
after church last
Sunday night'
I'll have andther'pieceuz of
apple pie, you know it don't

L seem right.
I saw him at the sawmill
yesterday up on ..
' Choctaw ridge,

I I

I.

And now you tell me Billy
Joe has jumped off the
Tallahatchee bridge.
Why, I been cookin' all
morning and you haven't
 touched-a'single bite. 1

I.

That nice young preacher,
Brother Taylor dropped
' by today,' .'
Said he'd be pleasedto l.
have dinner on Sunday, 1
Oh, by the way,he said'he
saw a girl that looked a lot
like you up on Choctaw
tdge,
Said he'd be pleasedto l.
have dinner on Sunday, 1
Oh, by the way',he said'he
saw a girl that looked a lot
like you up on Choctaw
tdge,
And she and Billy Joe was
throwin'-- somethin' off the.
 Tallahatdh'ee bsidge.

I

A year has come and gone
since we heard the news
'bout Billy JOe'.
There was a virus goin'
'round, Papa-cavght it'uand
Ahd Brother married Becky1
Thompson, they'bought a

Lstdre in Tupelo.
There was a virus goin'
'round, Papa-cavght it'uand
 he died-1ast. spring, 1

I.

And now Mama doesn't
seem to wanna do much
'of anything..'
There was a virus goin'
'round, Papa-caught it'uand
 he died-1ast. spring, 1

I.

And now Mama doesn't
seem to wanna do much
'of anything..'
'

I . I
And mm! spendaa lotuof 
time picl8mfl'owers'

upon Choctaw ridge,

'

l.
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Title
Ode To Billie Joe
Artist
Bobbie Gentry
Brand
Idol Makers
(19 Other Versions)
Code
IMPK18-15
Genre
country