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.
Chain Gang
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They are working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men
They are working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men
They are working on the chain gang
All day long they work so hard
Till the sun's comin' down
Workin' on the highways and biways
And wearin' a frown
I hear them moanin' their lives away
And then you hear somebody say
[Chorus]
Hear someone sayin'
Whoa I work, work so hard
See my woman, who I love so dear,
But I, I've got to work right here.
[Chorus]
My, my, my, my, I work so hard
Give me water, I'm thirsty
Whoa I, I work so hard
You hear them moanin' their lives away,
And then you hear somebody say
[Chorus: x2]
The lyrics of Otis Redding's "Chain Gang" paint a picture of the grueling work and hardship faced by prisoners working on chain gangs. The sound of the men working on the chain gang is described in the chorus as a haunting and melancholy moaning, which can be heard all day long until the sun sets. The men are working tirelessly, both on highways and byways, leaving them exhausted and downtrodden. The lyrics express the pain and sorrow of individuals who are forced to sacrifice their lives and freedom for the sake of hard labor.
The song also highlights a longing for loved ones, as one man expresses that he works so hard in order to provide for and maintain his relationship with his woman. This adds to the emotional weight of the song, emphasizing the human toll that is taken by the prison system and the chain gang system in particular.
Overall, "Chain Gang" is a powerful and poignant commentary on the brutal and unjust treatment faced by individuals who are incarcerated in these types of labor programs.
Line by Line Meaning
That's the sound of the men
The sound that you're hearing is the men who are working and bearing their hardships.
They are working on the chain gang
The men are forced to work strenuously and continuously with their fellow prisoners.
All day long they work so hard
Throughout the whole day, these people persistently strive to complete the task at hand.
Till the sun's comin' down
They keep working tirelessly until the time of day when the sun is setting.
Workin' on the highways and biways
They are given the task to work on the busy roads and passageways that connect several places.
And wearin' a frown
Despite being tired and overworked, they put up a stern expression on their faces.
I hear them moanin' their lives away
I hear the men groaning and complaining about how they have to spend their lives in such labor conditions.
And then you hear somebody say
Suddenly, you can hear someone speaking out loud.
Whoa I work, work so hard
I work relentlessly and exhaust myself to the maximum extent.
See my woman, who I love so dear,
Although I have feelings for my beloved woman, I can't be with her to express my love due to the systemic constraint of the chain gang.
But I, I've got to work right here.
Even though I have to bear with the hardships, there's no other option for me than to keep working here.
My, my, my, my, I work so hard
The tremendous amount of work I have to do drains me emotionally and physically.
Give me water, I'm thirsty
I need water because my work is dehydrating me.
You hear them moanin' their lives away,
The men continue to complain about their life situation as they work.
And then you hear somebody say
Someone speaks again, and you can listen to them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: SAM COOKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
myswatts
I love the way Otis puts his own swing on it! Sam is good but Otis put a touch on it that no one can touch! Otis was truly the man!
Warren Doris
Still the greatest soul singer.And that voice! Listen to the groove on the track! And the brass! Best backup band ever!
Stefan Heintjes
found a 'best of otis redding' record for 1Euro in a local secondhand shop. This track has been on repeat for 3 days now. Thanks Otis!
Kerry Rolle
I love both versions
elamite66
No doubt they're both great! I guess maybe it's just a personal choice
Michele Monroe
This man could sing the alphabet and it would sound awesome. I'm so glad...so glad....so glad I had the pleasure of seeing you perform in person. Gone to soon. Love and miss you Mr. Redding. GOD Bless. RIP.
Louisa Debaes
the King of soul
Tyrell
I love this song..
Joan Gabriel
My one and only OTIS ❤🙏🙏🙏
Super Power Math
this is a great rendition: Great!