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 Love You More Than Words Can Say
Otis Redding Lyrics
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I've got something to tell you, you should know
I just couldn't wait for not another day
I love you, for more than words can ever say
Honey living without you is so painful
I was tempted to call it a day
You've got me in your hand, why can't you understand
I love you baby, for more than words can say
The thoughts of you babe, just linger in my head
Living without you is so painful
I was tempted to call it a day
You've got me in your hand, why can't you understand
I love you honey, for more than words can say
I love you honey, for more than words can say
Yes, I do
The lyrics of Otis Redding's song, "I Love You More Than Words Can Say" expresses the deep affection and love that the singer has for his partner. The singer requests to sit beside the partner and reveals that he has something important to tell her. He then declares his love for her and emphasizes that words cannot fully express the depth of his affection for her. He expresses how painful it is to live without her and how the thoughts of her fill his head. He confesses that he was considering giving up because he cannot imagine living without her. He is begging his partner to understand that he loves her beyond words.
The lyrics of the song show the depths of love and passion that the singer has for his partner. It is a testament to how much he needs her to survive and how much he is willing to do to keep her in his life. The singer is trying to communicate that his love goes beyond any language or expression - it is a love that he cannot fully explain or describe in words.
In summary, the lyrics express the powerful emotions of love, desperation, and the need to be with someone even when words are not enough to express how one feels. It is a song that speaks to the heart of anyone who has been deeply in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Please, let me sit down beside you
I need to talk to you and would like to do it sitting next to you.
I've got something to tell you, you should know
There's something important I need to tell you.
I just couldn't wait for not another day
This can't wait any longer, I have to tell you now.
I love you, for more than words can ever say
My love for you is so strong that words cannot accurately express it.
Honey living without you is so painful
Not being with you causes me great emotional suffering.
I was tempted to call it a day
At times I have considered ending this relationship.
You've got me in your hand, why can't you understand
You have power over me, I'm unable to control my love for you.
I love you baby, for more than words can say
I love you deeply and profoundly beyond what words can express.
I just can't sleep, when I lay down in my bed
Thoughts of you keep me awake at night.
The thoughts of you babe, just linger in my head
Your presence and memory consume me.
Living without you is so painful
The pain of not having you by my side is unbearable.
I was tempted to call it a day
I have been on the verge of giving up on us.
You've got me in your hand, why can't you understand
I am completely under your spell and cannot escape my love for you.
I love you honey, for more than words can say
My love for you is more profound than any words can express, my dear.
I love you honey, for more than words can say
I want you to know how truly and deeply I love you with every fiber of my being.
Yes, I do
I confirm that I love you deeply and without reservation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOOKER T. JONES, EDDIE FLOYD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind