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.
2
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two can make a dream so real.
One can talk about being in love.
Two can see how it really feels.
One can wish upon a star.
Two can make a wish come true, yeah.
One can stand alone in the dark.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby.,
just me and you.
You know it takes two.
One can have a broken heart
living in misery.
Two can really ease the pain
like a perfect remedy.
One can be alone in a bar,
like an island he's all alone.
Two can make just any place
seem just like bein' at home.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby.,
just me and you.
You know it takes two.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby,
just me and you.
You know it takes two.
Yeah.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby,
just me and you.
You know it takes two. Ha!
One can go out to a movie
looking for a special treat.
Two can make that single movie
something really kind of sweet.
And one can take a walk in the moonlight
thinking that's it's really nice.
But two lovers walking hand in hand
is like adding just a pinch of spice.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby.,
just me and you.
You know it takes two.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby,
just me and you.
You know it takes two.
Ooh doo doo doo doo.
Ooh doo doo doo doo.
Ooh doo doo doo doo.
Ooh.
It takes two, baby.
It takes two, baby,
just me and you.
You know it takes two. Ha!
It takes two, baby, yeah yeah,
Me and you, just me and you.
It takes two, baby.
The lyrics of Otis Redding's "It Takes Two" convey a message about the power of two people working together to make things happen. The song suggests the idea that one person alone can dream or talk about being in love or wish upon a star, but it takes two people to truly realize those dreams and turn them into a reality. The second verse of the song focuses on how two people can make things better, specifically in the context of relationships. Where one person may be alone and miserable with a broken heart, two people can ease the pain and make it feel like a perfect remedy. Similarly, while one person may be alone at a bar, two people have the power to make any place feel like home.
Line by Line Meaning
One can have a dream, baby.
An individual can have a dream.
Two can make a dream so real.
A pair of people can collaborate to turn a dream into a reality.
One can talk about being in love.
An individual can speak about experiencing love.
Two can see how it really feels.
A couple can truly understand the feelings of being in love by experiencing it together.
One can wish upon a star.
An individual can make a wish upon a star.
Two can make a wish come true, yeah.
Working together, a couple can make their wishes come true.
One can stand alone in the dark.
An individual can be alone and feel lost in the darkness.
Two can make a light shine through.
Two people can come together and bring light back into darkness.
It takes two, baby.
The song emphasizes the importance of having two people in a relationship.
It takes two, baby,
Reiteration of the importance of two people in a relationship.
just me and you.
A simple phrase to emphasize the focus on the couple in a relationship.
You know it takes two.
A reminder that a relationship requires two people to work.
One can have a broken heart
An individual can experience heartbreak.
living in misery.
Their heartbreak can cause them great pain and suffering.
Two can really ease the pain
A couple can work together to alleviate the pain of heartbreak.
like a perfect remedy.
Their love can act as a cure for the pain of heartbreak.
One can be alone in a bar,
An individual can be lonely while out at a bar.
like an island he's all alone.
Their loneliness can make them feel isolated and detached from others.
Two can make just any place
A couple can create a sense of belonging and connectedness anywhere they go.
seem just like bein' at home.
Their love can make any place feel familiar and welcoming like home.
Ooh doo doo doo doo.
A simple interjection with no particular meaning.
Ooh.
A word used to express excitement or pleasure.
And one can take a walk in the moonlight
An individual can go for a walk in the moonlight.
thinking that's it's really nice.
They can appreciate the beauty of a walk in the moonlight.
But two lovers walking hand in hand
A couple holding hands while walking in the moonlight.
is like adding just a pinch of spice.
Their love adds an extra element of excitement and enjoyment to the experience.
Ooh doo doo doo doo.
A simple interjection with no particular meaning.
It takes two, baby.
The importance of two people working together is reiterated once again.
It takes two, baby,
Reiteration of the importance of having two people in a relationship.
just me and you.
Emphasis on the couple as the primary focus of the song.
You know it takes two. Ha!
A playful reminder that a relationship involves two people.
It takes two, baby, yeah yeah,
The importance of two people working together is the central theme of the song.
Me and you, just me and you.
The focus on the couple is reiterated once more.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SYLVIA MOY, WILLIAM STEVENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind