Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at the age of 2, moved to Macon, Georgia. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962.
Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South. He later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
Shortly before his death in a plane crash, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Redding has been called the "King of Soul", an honorific also given to Brown and Cooke. He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax sound; he was said to be "the heart and soul of Stax", while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure. His open-throated singing, the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections (such as "gotta, gotta, gotta"), some of which came from Cooke. Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's shyness.
Artists from many genres have named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an inspiration for "Drive My Car". The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as a major influence. Other artists influenced by Redding include Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Doors, and virtually every soul and R&B musician from the early years, such as Al Green, Etta James, William Bell, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Conley. Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style, according to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She stated that she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing Redding.
The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for him to record. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert. They dedicated the song to his memory.
These Arms of Mine
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lonely and feeling blue
These arms of mine, they are yearning
Yearning from wanting you
And if you would let them hold you
Oh, how grateful I will be
These arms of mine, they are burning
Burning from wanting you
These arms of mine, they are wanting
Wanting to hold you
And if you would let them hold you
Oh, how grateful I will be
Come on, come on, baby
Just be my little woman
Just be my lover, oh
I need me somebody, somebody to treat me right, oh
I need your arms, loving arms to hold me tight
And I, I, I need, I need your, I need your, tender lips, to hold, hold me
Tell me when I'm right now, baby
The lyrics to Otis Redding's song "These Arms of Mine" convey a sense of loneliness and yearning for someone to love and hold. The singer explains that his arms ache to hold and embrace his love interest, and describes the intensity of his longing in phrases like "burning from wanting you." Through his lyrics, Otis Redding conveys a sense of desperation for companionship, and his soulful voice carries the emotion of heartache and hope.
The song's refrain, "Come on, come on, baby, just be my little woman, just be my lover," expresses the singer's need for a partner who can provide him with the love and affection he craves. He talks about needing someone to treat him right, and the softness of "tender lips" to "hold" him. Altogether, "These Arms of Mine" is a beautiful testament to the universal human need for companionship and love.
Line by Line Meaning
These arms of mine, they are lonely
My arms are empty and I am sad without you.
Lonely and feeling blue
My loneliness makes me feel sad and down.
These arms of mine, they are yearning
I long for you and want to hold you close.
Yearning from wanting you
My desire for you is strong and intense.
And if you would let them hold you
If you would allow me to hold you, it would mean everything to me.
Oh, how grateful I will be
I would be so thankful and appreciative.
These arms of mine, they are burning
My passion for you is so strong that it makes me feel like I am on fire.
Burning from wanting you
My desire for you is so strong that it consumes me.
These arms of mine, they are wanting
My arms ache to hold you.
Wanting to hold you
I want to hold you close and never let go.
Come on, come on, baby
Please come to me, my love.
Just be my little woman
Be my partner and lover.
Just be my lover, oh
All I want is to be close to you and love you.
I need me somebody, somebody to treat me right, oh
I am looking for someone who will treat me well and love me.
I need your arms, loving arms to hold me tight
I need you to hold me close and love me.
And I, I, I need, I need your, I need your, tender lips, to hold, hold me
I need your gentle kiss to make me feel loved and comforted.
Tell me when I'm right now, baby
Please reassure me that I am doing things right and making you happy.
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Otis Redding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind