Harper Valley PTA movie clip / singer Jeannie C. Riley
Jeanne Riley had cut a demo record for one of her songwriter friends, Royce Clark called "The Old Town Drunk." It was a sarcastic ballad of the old drunk that everyone in town made fun of until one day when they found his hat floating in the river and his shoes next to the river bank. The whole town got concerned and started dragging the river looking for his body. All the while the old town drunk was on the hillside, overlooking the entire scene, laughing. He finally came down and told the folks he was glad he was so well thought of. When the song was played for producer Shelby Singleton of Plantation records. He wanted to know, "who's that girl doing the singing?" Shelby had been presented a song from a struggling songwriter named Tom Hall called "Harper Valley PTA" but he was not sold on the song due to the arrangement and the voice of the singer on the demo. It was a definite copy of the song "Ode to Billy Joe" which was a hit a year prior. The voice of the singer was just too smooth, he thought. This song need punch and sarcasm. But once he heard Jeannie's rendition of "The Old Town Drunk," it clicked. And he said, get me that girl and a song I've got called "Harper Valley PTA" and I will cut you a million seller. On friday, July 26, 1968 Jeannie had been working for Passkey Music on Music Row as a receptionist. She closed the door to the office at 5 o'clock and walked next door to Columbia Studio. It was a hot, humid evening. The producer, Shelby Singleton, kept <b>...</b>
Movie Hit Song Pop County PTA Jeannie C. Riley Harper Valley kanabel
