Hit Rewind & Remember When Jeannie C. Riley Socked It To The Harper Valley PTA
on Feb 23, 2018 • Updated Feb 22, 2019
Watch this sassy and smart mother take on her child’s own PTA association in a moment that addresses hypocrisy during the late ’70s when that was a common theme folks were fed up with.
Portrayed by the legendary actress, Barbara Eden, this widowed single mother is just trying to make a living and enjoy her life while providing for her child, but when the members on the local high school’s PTA board start talking about her, she decides to put them in their place.
Sockin' it to the Harper Valley PTA! – Barbara #TBT pic.twitter.com/3NWnVONTZi
— Barbara Eden (@Barbara_Eden) June 26, 2014
Inspired by Jeannie C. Riley‘s iconic song of the same name, Harper Valley PTA, was a great success across the nation and drew a re-release of Riley’s hit single.
Both the movie and the song tell the same story, but when you see the scene played out on screen while listening to the full recording play in the background – it comes together like you’ve never seen before!
This week in 1968, #JeannieCRiley was busy socking it to the “Harper Valley PTA.” Number One on the singles charts. pic.twitter.com/O8LGc02TcV
— Air Nashville (@airnashville) September 21, 2018
How the song came to be is a tale of pure fate and it all happened one Friday night in 1968. Riley closed up shop at work and headed over to the recording studio where her producer had picked out a song that he thought was “perfect” for her voice. That song was “Harper Valley PTA”.
'Harper Valley PTA’ by Jeannie C. Riley #1 in USA 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 21 1968) https://t.co/gGP4h7hNxI pic.twitter.com/hFiV5JxqCs
— RetroNewser (@RetroNewser) September 21, 2018
After 15 minutes of recording in the studio, Riley had cut the first tape of what would soon be her signature song and a major hit across the nation. Before she knew it, her song would be playing everywhere and millions of people would know her name.
A shot of Barbara in the movie, #HarperValleyPTA. Right before her character socked it to the PTA! pic.twitter.com/iAhKkTsOhu
— Barbara Eden (@Barbara_Eden) March 20, 2014
Watch this stunning clip from the movie, Harper Valley PTA, that shows her entire song acted out as it plays in the background! It’s sure to bring the memories flooding back!
