About the song
Bobbie Gentry’s “Mississippi Delta” is a raw and powerful song that showcases her unique blend of country, blues, and rock. Released in 1967 as the B-side to her breakout hit “Ode to Billie Joe,” the song offers a glimpse into the gritty underbelly of the American South.
With its driving rhythm and Gentry’s gritty vocals, “Mississippi Delta” paints a vivid picture of a world marked by poverty, hardship, and despair. The lyrics evoke images of a desolate landscape, where the Mississippi River flows like a mournful serpent. Gentry’s poetic language captures the raw emotion and desperation of the characters she portrays.
The song’s musical arrangement is stripped-down and minimalist, allowing Gentry’s voice to take center stage. Her raw and passionate delivery conveys a sense of urgency and authenticity that is hard to ignore. The guitar work, provided by Gentry herself, adds a touch of grit and edge to the overall sound.
Despite its commercial success, “Mississippi Delta” has often been overshadowed by its more famous counterpart. However, it is a song that deserves to be celebrated in its own right. It is a testament to Gentry’s songwriting talent and her ability to capture the essence of a place and time.
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Lyrics
M, I, double S, I, double S, I, double P, I
M, I, double S, I, double S, I, double P, I
Right in the middle of the Cotton Belt
Down in the Mississippi Delta
Wearin’ last year’s possum belt
Smack dab in the Mississippi Delta
Have me a little that Johnny cake
A little bit o’ that apple pandowdy
Pickin’ them scuppernongs off that vine
Chigger bite, it’s goin’ to beat howdy
Ate me a bucket of muscadine
Sit on the riverbank after dark
And drop my line down a crawdad hole
Do him in with a scaly bark
One-ree-o-ree-ee-ree-ann
Fidderliss-farce-nickory-john-queery-quan
M, I, double S, I, double S, I, double P, I
M, I, double S, I, double S, I, double P, I
Right in the middle of the Cotton Belt
Down in the Mississippi Delta
Wearin’ last year’s possum belt
Smack dab in the Mississippi Delta
Sittin’ ‘n’ scratchin’ mosquito bites
Old fox done give him the slip
Watchin’ the mornin’ glories grow
In Biloxi on an overnight trip
I bet five dollars to win two bits
Eat a peppermint stick on Sunday
Ain’t no use in a-hurryin’ up
Can’t leave ’til a week from Monday
One-ree-o-ree-ee-ree-ann
Fidderliss-farce-nickory-john-queery-quan
In the Mississippi Delta
Mis-sis-sis-sis-sis-sip-pi Delta
Yeah
In the Mississippi Delta