Neville charted again, in 1989, when he collaborated with Linda Ronstadt on three consecutive duets: Don't Know Much, All My Life, and When Something Is Wrong with My Baby, the first two reached Number One on the Adult Contemporary charts. Neville has released more than 20 singles, including three Number Ones on the Adult Contemporary format, and a fourth on the R&B format.
His other hits have included Everybody Plays the Fool, his successful 1991 cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, that reached #8 on the Hot 100; Don't Take Away My Heaven, Hercules and Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song). Neville's biggest solo successes have been on the Adult Contemporary chart, where "Don't Know Much," "All My Life," and "Everybody Plays the Fool" all reached Number One.
Aaron signed to SonyBMG's new Burgundy Records label in late 2005 and recorded an album of songs by Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and others for Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics, released on September 19, 2006. The album, produced by Stewart Levine, features collaborations between Neville and Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and others. The album's first single was a remake of The Impressions' 1963 classic It's All Right.
On October 27, 2006, Neville made a guest appearance on an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He sang Stand By Me" and Ain't No Sunshine, from his album, Bring It on Home … The Soul Classics. In 2008 he released Gold, which includes a double album of his hits.
http://www.aaronneville.com
The Dock of the Bay
Aaron Neville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oh, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
'Cause I've had nothing to live for
And look like nothin's gonna come my way
So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oh, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes
Sittin' here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home
Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oh-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
The lyrics to Aaron Neville's rendition of "The Dock of the Bay" speak of a sense of aimlessness and desolation. The song's narrator sits at the San Francisco Bay, watching the ships come and go, and contemplating his own purposeless existence. Despite having left his home in Georgia in search of something more, he feels disillusioned and trapped in his current state.
The repetition of the phrase "sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time" emphasizes the singer's sense of ennui and helplessness. He is resigned to his lot in life, unable to change his circumstances or find meaning in his existence. The lines "look like nothing's gonna change, everything still remains the same" reflect the feeling of being stuck in a rut, with no way out.
The last verse reveals that the singer has traveled two thousand miles to reach the dock where he now sits. This emphasizes the depth of his disillusionment and the hopelessness he feels in the face of his situation. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of emptiness and despair, highlighting the difficulty of finding purpose and meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I am sitting in the morning sun.
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
I will still be sitting when the evening arrives.
Watching the ships roll in
I am watching the ships come into the dock.
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah
And then I watch them leave the dock again.
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
I am sitting on the dock by the bay.
Watching the tide roll away
I am watching the tide go in and out.
Oh, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Oh, I am just sitting on the dock by the bay.
Wastin' time
I am wasting my time here.
I left my home in Georgia
I left my home in Georgia.
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
I am headed towards the San Francisco Bay area.
'Cause I've had nothing to live for
Because I have nothing to live for.
And look like nothin's gonna come my way
It looks like nothing good will come my way.
So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
So I am just going to sit on the dock by the bay.
Lookin' at the tide roll away
Looking at the tide come in and out.
Ooo, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Ooo, I am sitting on the dock by the bay.
Wastin' time
I am wasting my time here.
Look like nothing's gonna change
It looks like nothing will change.
Everything still remains the same
Everything is still the same.
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
I cannot do what ten people tell me to do.
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes
So I suppose I will still be the same.
Sittin' here resting my bones
I am sitting here, resting my bones.
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
And this loneliness will not leave me alone.
It's two thousand miles I roamed
I have roamed two thousand miles.
Just to make this dock my home
Just to make this dock my home.
Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Now, I am just going to sit on the dock by the bay.
Watching the tide roll away
Watching the tide come in and out.
Oh-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay
Oh-wee, I am sitting on the dock by the bay.
Wastin' time
I am wasting my time here.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind