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From: shirlgirlwhirl
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  • shes known more for the stories she sings, they speak for themselves. reba does an amazing amazing cover, but it came from bobbie.

  • FANCY!!!!....you ain't Nuttin boy

  • She is just "talking" the lyrics. Reba put "life" into this song and gave it a soul. Thank you Reba for giving this song the "life" it is worth and for giving Bobbie Gentry a nice royalty.... Bobbie says thank you Reba...

  • she performs with all the soul of block of concrete. Also, those are some top notch dance moves. Love the "FANCY!!!" at the end...sounds like rocky yelling Adrienne

  • I like this, but Reba's is SO much better. <3

  • She was (is) an incredible writer.

  • This makes me feel older than death, wow, back in that time.

  • Man that was pretty hot for the 70s. Always liked this song. My Mom listened to this type and soul music when I was a teen in the 70s.

  • What in incredable curvy figure. Not too many women can bost that great a body.

  • I love Reba, but sorry, she'll never be as "fancy" as this little Southern Hottie.

    ♥mmm♥mmm♥mmm♥ she put the "chick" in Chickasaw County. What a beauty!

  • Well i knew that "The Nights Went in Georgia' was a cover.

    Had no idea Reba's version of this was a cover.

  • She's doing the mashed potato!!

    

  • @attaboy01: how cool.... which part of the dance is the "mashed potato?" u have me curious now....

  • That's about when the Skate was big and she does it better than my teacher did.

  • I was surprised that this version got past the censors when Johnny Cash had hell with 'em for singing "Sunday Mornin' Coming Down"....

  • I really love all these old school "story" songs, it takes me back to when my mom had the radio on while she was getting ready for work and singing along. Good Memories, thanks for putting this up.

  • I think the reason some people don't like the original is that it's not the kind of music they grew up with. Reba's version just sounds more modern and upbeat yet the story still comes through. And I prefer Reba's voice with this song. It just works for me. When Bobbie sings it, she doesn't attack the song the way Reba does. And Bobbie's song has a, idk hippie-ish vibe to me and that's not the music I grew up listening so I do prefer Reba's version more.

  • @cuongoff the idk..hippie-ish vibe....THAT was the song's intrigue....still think originals are best!!!

  • GODDESS

    

  • wow!!!!

  • I didn't know fuck socks came in red, interesting.

  • worst version i have ever heard

  • @Gaysupport69 Honey, its not a "version" its the original by the artist who wrote it. Bobbie's single also had the biggest impact on the Billboard charts. #31 pop,#26 country #8 adult contemporary and #65 r&b. In Canada, #1 country,#26 pop and #8 adult contemporary. It spent four months on the hot 100 and earned Bobbie a grammy nomination for pop female vocalist and an A.C.M nod for top country female.

  • @danielrdrown: very well said. This stupid ass prick has no taste and is prolly in the 4th grade..... 

  • @Gaysupport69 dude even though i LOVE the Reba version - and more than this one- This Was the original and Bobbie Gentry was and still is one bad ass chick show some respect!

  • Nice pants.

  • Could this be the first "RAP" song?

  • Is it just me, or does she have that moonwalking thing down?

  • @con8iv exactly what i thought about.

  • @con8iv no actually that's where Axel Rose got his little side step thing that he used to do..

  • Lip synching on television was not the sin back then that it is now. It was often done on these types of shows. Considering that I don't see a microphone anywhere, it's likely in this case too. Of course, it's possible there's a mic on a boom above her but I doubt it.

  • @dreamregent I have owned a bootleg copy of this Johnny Cash show for a decade; you can see a a tiny piece of the boom ceiling mic in the clip. Its obvious to me this was a live performance.

  • I think Rebas cover of this is WAY WAY better im sorry!! she just runs all the lyrics together!!! it makes it sound like shes behind with the music!!

  • @tjamesdrag. Your listening to audio from a forty year old tv show and its live, she is not lip synching. If you want to here Bobbie's studio recording of her hit,Fancy, its posted on YouTube. Its a far grittier reading than Reba's almost church choir choice. Bobbie recevied a pop female grammy and acm nomination for this song. It spent four solid months on the pop 100 singles chart and sold a million copies in a year span. Reba has stated that Bobbie's big hit was one of HER favorite songs

  • I never even knew that Reba's version was a cover! Remarkable. And also said that someone with a voice like Bobbie's had such a short career.

  • Jennifer Lopez...eat your heart out... ;)

  • How many of you guys remember the prologue song 'Fancy's Got Feelings Too'. that was part of Bobbie's stage act in Vegas? It was an emotional build up before she would go into her main performance of the song that would always bring the house down. I remember how slow and dramatic it was. Bobbie ALWAYS commanded the stage.

  • I've loved this song for a while and someone said to me the other day "Reba covers this". I listened to it. I threw up sh*t in my mouth. This version swings sooo hard. Reba covering this song is like having lady gagme cover billie holiday. o wait... i'll give that another month before she does and then everyone will say "I thought lady gaga did this. That billy lady sounds old"

  • omg why is she dancing like that.. and wearing that.. and her hair.. this is embarrassing as hell lol

  • didnt know she sang this.. just reba's version

  • No one can sing it like Bobbie! I was a little girl but I knew she sing!

  • is she still alive what a body and full camel toe too

  • is she still alive what a body

  • In my opinion.. Reba's version kicks ass. Sorry y'all. Just stating the facts.

  • @RebaLyrics amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • love Reba's version of this song but this is just absolutely amazing!!! in this case the original is the best!!!!!! :)

  • @dramagurl505 amen!!!!!!!

  • HE IS LGEND VERSHUN IS TEH BEST

  • Miss Gentry is wearing out that skintight pantsuit!  DAMN!

  • She's just beautiful!

  • Dang shes all fine hands down shes my favoret country singer

  • i like Reba too but after she redone a beyonce song i was just like , shame on Reba.

  • this lady is a gorgeous natural

  • Bobbie faced a huge obstacle in the late 1960's;her single, Fancy, was banned on several hundred radio stations throughout her base.Inspite of this, the song had strong airplay and big sales. Single sales were over 750,00 and album sales were 300,000 in North America. Still, comparred to the 5 million records she sold in 1967 for her massive debut, it fell short in some industry mindsets.

  • Bobbie Gentry 's Oct 1969 single release of Fancy was a fixture on the pop hot 100 singles chart for four months, peaking at #31 pop for two weeks.It also charted #26 country,#65 r&b and #8 adult contemporary. In Canada, Bobbie' hit went#1 country,#26 pop and #8 adult contemporary. Reba went #8 country in the U.S and Canada.

  • Its a damn shame we don't have shows like what Johnny Cash had on back in the day. It used to be about the music now its about the money.

  • My favorite Bobbie record, even more so than "Ode." Such a talented lady.

  • my self i think reba's verson is better!!! she puts more emotion in the song then bobby does

  • @halfalanche yes, overproduced, overwrought emotion...egads!

  • GIRL HAD ATTITUDE [ YES SHE DID ] FABULOUS *****

  • Reba McIntyre's covers of this song and 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia' were tributes to both Bobbie Gentry and Vicki Lawrence. 

  • @lkgrave

    You sure got that right!

  • @lkgrave Really? Really? Not! Reba took this song and did this version cuz she loved it. And since everyone was Reba crazy at the time, it became her song!! Her first manager wouldn't let her do the song. When she got a new manager it was one of the first songs she did.

  • @juliannaza So are you telling me she wasn't a Gentry fan? I really find that hard to believe.

  • A lady before her time. Many copy her, but none can duplicate her.

  • This is awesome. I really like this song.

  • Even though there have been many cover versions of this particular song, it is always important to remember who wrote it and made it a hit single first. I first heard Reba's version and liked it a lot, but when I found out Bobbie Gentry wrote it, I had to see her perform it. Bobbie's version is more subdued, but she interprets the story in her own way. Reba is very good, too and I can't think of a better person to cover it. Both women feel the song and as a musician, you must do this.

  • She looks so hot at 3:00. This song is southern soul music and Bobbie does it so well. Love the dance moves too!

  • I have just recently discovered Bobbie Gentry and am completely in love with her music. I was wanting to start learning to play guitar and Ode To Billie Joe just made me want to do it even more. And if I am to start playing I need a guitar, which brings me to my question... Does anyone know what type of guitar she plays in most of her songs? Looks almost like a ukelele. I have looked it up and can't find it anywhere so I hoped someone on here might know. Please reply if you know! Thanks! :)

  • Saw here perform this 41 years ago. Loved it then, love it now.

  • She is a soul singer. Her dance moves show she wants to break loose but would probably get in trouble for it.

  • @sanjoe86 Yeah I saw that, talk about reigned in, shame bet she loves a good party :) & such a beautiful figure.

  • Classic!!!! Love her moves and that sweetly-raspy,

    sexy voice. Jes' look at her HAR!!!

  • I remember learning the Skate move, but Bobbie does it best...............

  • Lord forgive for what I'm thinking. Hotter than two squirels screwing in a wool sock. What a beauty!

  • She was a hottie, but I've always dislike this song, or at least the premise, Yea, sell Your daughter into prostitutuion. Be nice to the gentlemen, and they'll be nice to You. And Your pimp will knock You around, and hook You on drugs. Why do songs and movies make being a whore glamourous ?

  • @jhzab666 They don't call it the oldest profession in the world for nothing. Bobbie is making a statement here. The poor are forced into desperate acts by by an indifferent , apathetic society. I admire the fact that Bobbie placed no moral judgment on her song character. Totally refreshing even forty years later.

  • @danielrdrown I understand that, but songs and movies ( Pretty woman for example ) always make success stories out of prostitution. There were tow movies/documentarys called "Whore" these show the real side to prostitution.

  • @logawful Kellie Pickler sang Fancy on American Idol .You can see the clip on YouTube.

  • @logawful Actually it was was sung on American Idol a couple of years ago . Kenny Rogers coached the finalist singing it.

  • Bobbie Gentry is getting close to 100 million world wide sales of her song compositions Leading the way is Ode to Billie Joe with over 40 million in record sales on over 100 recordings and Fancy with sales nearing 25 million. Mornin' Glory has sales approaching 4 million. Bobbie's own record sales are near the 20 million mark- great stats for an artist who has not set foot in a recording studio in over 30 years.

  • This is awesome

  • You go into a room and say to random people Reba and Bobbi I bet you people will know Reba will be the most popular answer

  • I love that song! But most of all I would to make love to her!!! I love you Bobbie!

  • Mississippi Queen. Guys check out Bobbies "Niki Hoeky" video, it's on here. So hot.

  • Bobbie are you ever gonna give me my heart back?

  • Reba is so much better

  • @rebanell13 Bobbie's classic Ode to Billie Joe video on YouTube has just overtaken Reba's#1 YouTube video of Fancy with 1.5 million viewers. Bobbie Gentry has been reclusive for over 3 decades and yet she keeps pace with Reba on YouTube viewer interest.. The fact is, after 40 years, Bobbie Gentry is as relevant as ever.

  • @danielrdrown I guess things have changed quite a bit. At the time I'm writing this, Bobbie Gentry's above-mentioned video was at 1.8 million views while Reba's video was over 2 million. In fact, when I searched "reba" I found four videos on the first page of results that had more views than the Bobbie Gentry video, one of the being the music video for "Because of You," which had over 9 million views!

  • @sawtells I think its great Reba did cover it. She pushed sales of Fancy to over 20 million and played an important role in keeping Bobbie's great legacy vital. New records are getting their exposure via You Tube. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have songs with over 100 million hits. Unfortunatley a lot of the stuff is bombastic drevil.

  • @rebanell13

    Reba aint a pimple on Bobbies BUTT! If she stood too close to the fire she'd MELT with all her plastic ............No Plastic on Bobbies fine self!! WOW!

  • Back when songs told a story! I miss that.

  • In spite of the obvious serious nature of the lyrics, Bobbie's version is far more upbeat than Reba's. 

  • I have money for your food and rent Bobby. Your so talented I'll just give it to you.

  • "... criticized my momma for turning me out no matter how little we had..." I wonder if she means, turning her out, like turning her into a hooker, or turning her out, like putting her out of the house? I guess maybe it was a little of both.

  • @ChrissieE5 When she asks her Mama what to do and Mama says "Just be nice to the gentlemen Fancy, and they'll be nice to you..." I don't think Mama was talkin' about giving the gentlemen a compliment.

  • I was born the week Ode to Billie Joe was number one on the charts...one of the coolest songs to come into the world.

  • That sexy little dance ain't easy to do in high heels, but it makes me try real hard. (;

  • Lets see: Ode to Billie Joe, over 100 recorded covers and over 200 total counting cover performances garnering royalty income and 40 million in record sales. Fancy: a dozen covers and over 20 million in record sales. Mornin' Glory covered by jazz master pianist Bill Evans on several albums and a staple on all his 70's concert performances. Why isn't Bobbie Gentry in The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of fame???

  • She has built class with her music and moves - great MS girl!

  • Now I know where Axl Rose got his Snaky Dance thing!

  • @mae12561 oh really ! what about the dude on School of Rock? He does some axel stuff too...

  • Todays performers can thank Bobbie Gentry for her help in making a Las Vegas career respectable. Even at the height of her record sales, 1967-71,she headlined a major review at Howard Huges casinos and hotels becoming the first woman to sign a million dollar contract. She is said to have loved the artistic freedom headlining a major Vegas act gave her. She was in complete control and her only major rival in this era was Ann Margret..

  • 25 PEOPLE NEED THEIR FUCKING HEAD CHECKED! LOL I REMEMBER THIS SONG WHEN I WAS A KID.

  • "She was great looking fantastic,outspoken but she was more like one of the guys, a star in her own right" My favorite quote about Bobbie from Tom Jones, Mojo Magazine, 2003.

  • For me, it's a hard choice between the two. Both great singers, both fantastic renditions. But...since the first time I heard this was when it came out by Bobby Gentry, I guess this one, for me, is the one I prefer.

  • @sinneadfert Me too.

  • To argue over whose version is better is ridiculous. It is the same song but different presentations delivered in different decades to audiences with different tastes and production values and demands. Both versions are brilliant within the context of the time they were produced and performed. Can't both of these women be great? Reba would not have had such a great song to display her talents had it not been for the talents of Ms. Bobbie Gentry.

  • Everyone knows Bobbie's two iconic ballads, 'Ode to Billie Joe' and 'Fancy' but what was Bobbie's third most popular composition? I believe the answer is'Morn'in Glory' which has been covered by four other artists(three of them jazz influenced.) One instrumental is posted on YouTube.

  • Personally, I think Reba's version is better. Just my opinion, though.

  • Yay! Bobbie Gentry!

  • Bobbie is great for writing this amaising song, but her voice isnt nothing special.... Reba could blow her off the stage with her powerfull voice!!... voice of an angels Rebas is...... Bobbie's..... eh.

  • @brycerau this is audio from a 40 year old show. She has a great blues inflected sultry voice that suited many generes of music. Her range was simply breathtaking,( folk, blues,r&b, country, pop)she charted on all the major Billboard charts and she was a true pioneer for writing,producing and publishing her own glorious songs, starting in the 1960's

  • @brycerau yeah, but bobbie's fits this song better.

  • in her prime she was the hottest. face hair figure...pure sex appeal...yea yea i know she could sing too...but dam she was hot!!!!

  • I'm a HUGE Reba fan but... God damn Bobbie blew her out of the water.

  • @libertylovescience And she didn't have the benefit of the production people we have today

  • WOW!!!! I had NO clue this song was a remake!!! Thanks!! I love this song even more now!

  • that outfit!!! 

  • reba is better, bobbie doesnt really sound like shes singing the song

  • shes got a nice booty!

  • she danced like a worm....lol, but true sexy!

  • Bobbie Gentry, Jeannie C. Riley & Rita Cooldige... Trifecta of 70's mmMMmm!

    Thanks for sharing this video.

  • That is a tight little outfit, I thought outfits like that were illegal during that time period. =)

  • I don't know why I love her, and love this song and vid, but I do. It's a great one!

  • I like He Is Legend's version best. <3

  • Reba's is better. duh.

  • @xs3icyfd Reba was in grade school when Bobby did this. Reba doesn't hold a candle to Bobbie

  • @TheRickr69 The older is not necessarily the better. Reba gives it the haunt no one else could. Bobbie's is too jazzy-sounding, it's not like she has any sort of amazing voice, and her version was not named the #27th greatest country song of all time.

  • @xs3icyfd First of all Bobbie had a bigger hit single of Fancy. #31pop,#26 country and #8 adult contemporary. Her peers preferred her original too with a grammy nomination for pop female vocal and her third straight acm nomination for top country female.(In Canada Bobbie went #1 country and #26 pop) While I far prefer the blues and grit of the Gentry original,I like Reba's cover which infact was done as a tribute to the Gentry original and has made Bobbie a huge sumof songwriter royalties.l

  • @TheRickr69

    Ah - May-en!!

  • @TheRickr69 technically Reba would've been in high school not grade school. She was born in the 50s not the 60s. Both versions a re really good though:)

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  • It is hard to find her music. Someone please upload her cover of Bonnie Parker's "Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" Please, please, please.

  • Not like this woman had an exceptional voice but she could deliver a story song like few could. Her Ode to Billy Joe was a magnificent story song. This is great too.

  • @Tonithenightowl She has an exceptional voice. In the 1960's most female singers had the same plain Jane high pitched alto. Along comes Bobbie, with a meat and bones, grits and gravy, medium to lower register suited to many musical generes. Not sense Billie Holiday, had I heard a female voice capable of displaying such a vital range of depth,power and emotion.

  • @danielrdrown She is a great singer all I meant was her range was limited but she could tell a song story like no other. He voice was soothing yet sultry, but more like a Jim Stafford style in female version if that makes sense. I'm not sure she could be compared with Billie Holiday, that woman was pure silk and could make you cry when she sang. Thanks for responding.

  • @Tonithenightowl Comparrisons to Jim Stafford aside,she remains one of only a handfull of white female singers to chart top ten r&b. Indeed she sang so soulfully many people thought at first she was black. I find her range breathtaking. Listin to the high notes she can hit on songs like' Niki Hoeky' and the low husky growl on 'Tobacco Road'. Capitol Records has in their vaults Bobbie's un -released cover of 'God Bless The Child'. It is magnificant. I hope it eventually gets released.

  • @danielrdrown I will check out her videos, I was a fan with her cross over music, same as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn but I don't follow country music. I didn't know she hit the R& B charts. That's interesting.

  • @Tonithenightowl I think you would like her album, 'PatchWork. It is part of her crowning glory in a recording studio. She wrote and produced the entire album. The PatchWork songs:'Beverly', 'Belinda', 'Sombody Like Me' are on YouTube. While the music industry labled her as a modern country artist, she considered herself more of a blues singer. Her ability to transend musical generes was a blessing and a curse. There was a backlash against her in country music by the purists.

  • @danielrdrown Thanks for the info, yes she was a pioneer in a male dominated field. I will check out that album.

  • @danielrdrown Thanks for the info. Never ever thought of her as anything but mostly country, it will be interesting to hear some of her other stuff.

  • Eat your heart out, Shania--just kidding. Shania may well have been inspired by Bobbie Gentry:)

  • You think this is hot watch Bobbie singing Niki Hoeky.

  • It is personal opinion as to whose version is better. Both can be brililiant in their own right and niether version has to be the best except to the insecure listener. Both interpretations are a product of their own particular time and audience listening/production values. .If you appreciatte Reba's interpretation then you are appreciating a great song, and therefore are appreciating the talents of Ms. Bobbie Gentry.

  • I think Reba's version is a billion times better...

  • @Countrylalaland I AGREE...

  • @DERedhead65 Reba herself stated that Bobbie's 1970 hit single of Fancy was one of HER favorite songs, that's why she recorded it. She stated in print she "wore out " the Gentry single playing it so much and covered it to pay homage to Bobbie Gentry the artist. Bobbie's peers rewarded her too. She received her third straight A.C.M nomination and a pop female grammy nod for top female vocal 1970.

  • @danielrdrown yes I am a LONGTIME Reba fan from day #1, her early early days and I KNOW that already... I thought Bobbies' version, of course was good too, a classic, I never said I didn't like it, but since I love EVERYTHING that Reba does, I "personally" NO OFFENSE like Reba's version better... not in any way taking anything away from Bobbi, it is her song originally and she did a fine job as well... we are ALL entitled to OUR OWN opinions, that IS what makes this old world go 'round...

  • @DERedhead65 . I agree but the comment you agreed with that Reba's performance was"a billion times better" is the one that got my goat. I'm a Reba fan too. Interestingly enough, BobbieGentry's Vegas review was one of the first high powered female acts in Vegas. She signed the first female million dollar contract inthe early 1970's She use to come down from the ceiling exactly like Reba does in her stage act today. Its been reported Reba has actually met the reculsive Bobbie in California.

  • @danielrdrown UM although I do appreciate any and all comments, AGAIN, we all have OUR OWN opinions... enuff said! Take care... lol.

  • I love that walk step she does at the end... she has such a great bod...and moves so sexily...enough to turn a man straight! lol

  • @tyjeffries lol awwwww

  • if anyone danced like that these days...

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  • Any mother who pimps out her own daughter is ok in my book.

  • Quite a but-her-face, don't you think?

  • @amoskowitz0103 I believe it's butterface.

  • @technopatheticx3 Just wanted to make sure that everyone knew what I meant!!!!

  • I didn't know that someone other than Reba had done this song. This isn't bad at all.

  • @TakaMayaGoliFan bobbie wrote it and had the first hit with it back in 1970.

  • Can't stop staring at her hips...

  • Ma goodness, dis is terra-bul! LOL

  • gosh , you can almost see her "you-know-what"! in that cat suit. Wow! But I love me some Bobbie Gentry, Ode to Billie Joe most likely her famous. Haven't seen that movie in ages, is it on video or dvd?

  • She writes these classics..............she did do covers, but how many pop style singers these days write anything? True class!

  • This version is good. But I have to agree with some of you. I like Reba's version best...

  • I don't like this version at all. It sounds almost as if she's singing about a mother wanting to put her daughter into prostitution so that the daughter can give her money. When Reba's singing it, it sounds like the mother had no choice and was forced to.