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.
Don't Mess with Cupid
Otis Redding Lyrics
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You tried to spend it like a dollar
You got the right string, baby
But your yo-yo is the wrong color, honey I'm tellin' you
Don't you mess with cupid, no, no
Cupid, he's not stupid, baby
Don't you mess with cupid, no, no
You thought my love was just a rug on the floor, honey
Just to walk on and nothing more
You just don't seem to understand
That I'm a man, baby—a full-grown man, honey I'm tellin' you
Don't you mess with cupid, no, no
Cupid, he's not stupid, baby
Don't you mess with cupid, baby
Cupid, he's not stupid, no, no, no
When I look for you, you're never home
Like a lamp, you turn me off and on
But like a shade that dims the light
When it's opened, I can't do nothing right
I'm warning you, baby
Don't you mess with this cupid, no, no
Baby, he's not stupid
Baby don't mess with me
I-I'm just a man, baby, full-grown man, I don't want you to mess with
Don't ruin my life, honey
Don't play with cupid, baby
Hey, hey, hey, yeah
I got to tell you, babe
Hey, all right, honey
I-I gon' move for you
In the song Don't Mess with Cupid, Otis Redding is warning his love interest to not take his love for granted and to be cautious with how she treats him. He mentions how she must have thought his love was just for fun and that she has tried to spend it like a dollar. He then goes on to say that while she may have the right string, her yo-yo is the wrong color, meaning their relationship is not going to work out. He then warns her not to mess with Cupid, the god of love, as he is not stupid and will not let her take advantage of him.
The lyrics then go on to explain how she thought his love was just something to walk on, but that he is a full-grown man who deserves more respect than that. He warns her that when he looks for her she's never home, and he feels like she just turns him off and on like a lamp. He compares their relationship to a dimming light shade, implying that once it's opened, they can't do anything right. The song ends with Redding warning her one last time not to mess with Cupid, as he is not stupid.
Line by Line Meaning
You must have thought my love was for fun
You presumably assumed that my love was not genuine and just some form of entertainment
You tried to spend it like a dollar
You attempted to use my love as if it were a disposable and replaceable resource
You got the right string, baby
You picked the correct person to pursue
But your yo-yo is the wrong color
However, your approach is incorrect or inappropriate for the situation
Don't you mess with Cupid
Do not underestimate or try to deceive Cupid
Cupid, he's not stupid
Cupid is wise and shrewd in matters of love and affection
You thought my love was just a rug on the floor
You regarded my love as insignificant or unworthy of respect
Just to walk on and nothing more
You thought that it was something to be tread upon and did not realize its value
You just don't seem to understand
You are unable to comprehend the weight and genuine depth of my feelings towards you
That I'm a man, baby—a full-grown man
I am an adult male and my affection is not insignificant or unimportant
When I look for you, you're never home
I am unable to find you or reach you when I need to due to your absence
Like a lamp, you turn me off and on
Similar to a light switch, you control my emotions and feelings arbitrarily
But like a shade that dims the light
However, you suppress or diminish my love and enthusiasm
When it's opened, I can't do nothing right
When you finally start reciprocating, I become unable to act appropriately or effectively
I'm warning you, baby
I am cautioning you, it would be in your best interest not to pursue me recklessly
Don't you mess with this Cupid
Do not trifle with Cupid's power or the force of love that he represents
Baby, he's not stupid
Cupid is intelligent and honed in on matters of the heart
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDDIE FLOYD, STEVE CROPPER, WILLIA DEAN PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind