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.
I've Got Dreams To Remember
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got dreams, dreams to remember
Honey, I saw you there last night
Another man's arms holding you tight
Nobody knows what I feel inside
All I know, I walked away and cried
I've got dreams
Dreams to remember
Listen to me
(I've got dreams) rough dreams (dreams to remember)
I know you said he was just a friend
But I saw him kiss you again and again
These eyes of mine, they don't fool me
Why did he hold you so tenderly?
I've got dreams
Dreams to remember
Listen, honey
(I've got dreams) rough dreams (dreams to remember)
I still want you to stay
I still love you anyway
I don't want you to ever leave
Girl, you just satisfy me, ooh-wee
I know you said he was just a friend
But I saw you kiss him again and again
These eyes of mine, they don't fool me
Why did he hold you so tenderly?
I've got dreams
Dreams to remember
Listen to me, mama
(I've got dreams) bad dreams, rough dreams, oh (dreams to remember)
Don't make me suffer, don't let me
(I've got dreams, dreams, dreams to remember) rough dreams, bad dreams, rough dreams
In "I've Got Dreams To Remember," Otis Redding is singing about the pain of seeing his lover with another man. Redding's lyrics show confusion, longing, and hurt. He knows that his lover has been seeing someone else but doesn't want to admit it, which is why he asks her why the man was holding her so tenderly. The theme of the song is about betrayal and heartbreak.
Throughout the song, Redding repeats the phrase "I've got dreams, dreams to remember" and "bad dreams, rough dreams" to emphasize his pain and sadness. Dreams are often used in music to represent the subconscious mind or the things that a person desires. Here, dreams represent what Redding wants: to be with his lover and for her to only have eyes for him. He describes his dreams as rough, meaning that they are not easy to forget and they cause him pain.
The chorus of the song shows Redding's desperate plea for his lover to stay with him. This shows that even though he is hurt, he is not ready to give up on the relationship. He still loves her and wants her to be by his side.
Overall, "I've Got Dreams to Remember" is a sad yet beautiful song about love and loss. Redding's soulful voice and poignant lyrics truly capture the emotions of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got dreams, dreams to remember
The singer has aspirations and experiences that he cannot forget.
Honey, I saw you there last night
The singer saw his lover with another man.
Another man's arms holding you tight
The other man was holding the singer's lover tightly.
Nobody knows what I feel inside
The singer is experiencing emotions that he is keeping to himself.
All I know, I walked away and cried
The singer left the situation and cried.
I know you said he was just a friend
The singer's lover told him that the other man was just a friend.
But I saw him kiss you again and again
The singer saw the other man kissing his lover repeatedly.
These eyes of mine, they don't fool me
The singer trusts his own senses and intuition.
Why did he hold you so tenderly?
The singer questions why the other man was holding his lover in such an affectionate way.
I still want you to stay
The singer still wants his lover to remain with him.
I still love you anyway
Despite the situation, the singer still loves his lover.
I don't want you to ever leave
The singer does not want his lover to part ways with him.
Girl, you just satisfy me, ooh-wee
The singer is content in the relationship despite the recent events.
Don't make me suffer, don't let me
The singer does not want to experience any more pain or heartbreak.
(I've got dreams) bad dreams, rough dreams, oh (dreams to remember)
The singer has had difficult experiences and memories that he cannot forget.
(I've got dreams, dreams, dreams to remember) rough dreams, bad dreams, rough dreams
The singer has had many challenging experiences that have made a lasting impact on him.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group
Written by: JOE ROCK, OTIS REDDING, ZELMA REDDING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aarontbradley1
If his music doesn't stir something up inside of you there might be a good chance you're already dead, he's one of the greatest
@rosaliemoss377
That is the god truth
@DaveE7171
Well said. :)
@amaliaamalia1112
Totally agreed
@yetiefer6935
Amen
@fuzzybutkus8970
A bit judgemental and harsh ya think. God made music subjective to soothes man’s ills no matter the genre.
@patriciadalton5526
. I AM 73 now and all I have now are my dreams of the wonderful life God has given me. I am so thankful I lived during this time with this music.
@RG-if4on
I not quite 70 but mid 60's and I thank God for helping me lead a smooth life and enjoy music sing to me by the late great Otis Redding
@lilfairycupcake
every day of your life should be christmas day.
@bloomingflowersoflove
I will never stop bragging about how I’m proud to be born Black, our frequency y’all 🥰🤞🏾