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.
Just One More Day
Otis Redding Lyrics
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I keep wanting you, Lord, in so many ways
I can't get you off of my mind
But true love is so hard to find
I want yet another day
Ooh, I need another day
Darling, let me have another more day
The sweet things you used to do to me
Sometimes, Lord, you used to say them to me
I can't forget those lovely days
But this is the price I'm about to pay
Ooh, I want another day
You can let me have just one more day
Ooh, I need one more day
And I will do anything that you want me to do, now
I will do anything that you want me to do, now
Say anything that you want me to say
Buy you anything you want me to buy
And I can cherish you till the day I die
If you let me have another day
Please let me have one more day
Ooh, I want just one more day, Lord
And it could be anything that you want it to be
Ooh no, ooh
Just one more day now
You can let me have just another day, now
Please I want to stay and the day after and the day after
And I want all the days
I want all the days
I want you here
I want you here by my side
And I don't want you to leave me
And I can love you long for the rest of my life
I cry and cry and cry and cry and cry, oh my Lord
Please, let me have just one more day, oh my
Just another day, just another day
I want all the days
Let me have, let me have all my days, my days
I need 'em, I gotsta, I gotsta, I gotta
I gotta have just all the days, I need 'em
In Otis Redding's song "Just One More Day", the singer is expressing deep feelings of love and nostalgia for someone they have been missing for a long time. The singer wants the person to come back for just one more day so that they can be together again and relive the magic of their past relationship. The lyrics reveal the intensity of the singer's emotions as they beg for this opportunity, promising to do anything to make this happen. The singer is aware that finding true love is difficult, and they don't want to let go of the chance to be with their loved one once again. The lyrics also indicate that the price of this love could be high, but the singer seems willing to pay it.
This song is a classic soulful ballad that showcases Otis Redding's powerful and emotional voice. The song was released in 1965 as a single, and it reached number two on the R&B chart and number 15 on the pop chart. The song was written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper and was produced by Jim Stewart. The song was later included in Otis Redding's album, The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been missing you for so many days
It's been a long time since I've seen you.
I keep wanting you, Lord, in so many ways
I constantly long for you and desire you in various forms.
I can't get you off of my mind
I constantly think about you.
But true love is so hard to find
Finding genuine love is difficult.
I want yet another day
I desire one more day with you.
Ooh, I need another day
I desperately require another day with you.
Darling, let me have another more day
Please grant me an additional day with you, my love.
And I can be anything that you want me to be, now
I am willing to do anything you wish for me to do.
The sweet things you used to do to me
You used to do very lovely things for me that I miss.
Sometimes, Lord, you used to say them to me
You would also say sweet things to me on occasion.
I can't forget those lovely days
I can't stop thinking about the wonderful time we spent together.
But this is the price I'm about to pay
Unfortunately, I will soon have to accept the consequences of not being with you.
You can let me have just one more day
You have the power to permit me to have one more day with you.
And I will do anything that you want me to do, now
Once again, I am willing to do anything for you.
Say anything that you want me to say
I will even say whatever you ask me to say.
Buy you anything you want me to buy
I will purchase whatever you desire.
And I can cherish you till the day I die
I will treasure you endlessly.
Ooh no, ooh / Just one more day now
Oh no, I need one more day with you right now.
Please I want to stay and the day after and the day after
I want to stay with you not only today but for many days to come.
And I want all the days
I want every single day with you.
Let me have, let me have all my days, my days
Please allow me to have all of our days together.
I need 'em, I gotsta, I gotsta, I gotta
I need them, I have to have them.
I gotta have just all the days, I need 'em
I must have all of our days together, I require them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE CROPPER, OTIS REDDING, MCEVOY ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind