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.
Knock On Wood
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I got 'cause if I do
I will surely,
Surely lose a lot.
'Cause your love is better
Than any love I know.
It's like thunder and lightning,
You better knock, knock on wood, baby.
I'm not superstitious about ya
But I can't take no chance.
I got me spinnin', baby,
You know I'm in a trance.
'Cause your love is better
Than any love I know.
It's like thunder and lightning,
The way you love me is frightening.
You better knock, knock on wood, baby.
It's no secret about it,
That woman is my loving cup
'cause she sees to it
That I get enough.
Just one touch from here,
You know it means so much.
In Otis Redding's song "Knock on Wood," he expresses his desire to maintain the good thing he has with his lover. He fears losing her and everything that comes with her love. Otis believes that his lover's love is the best kind he's ever experienced. Otis compares his lover's love to that of thunder and lightning, it's intense and scary, but also thrilling. He tells his lover to knock on wood, which is a superstitious way of wishing for good luck, possibly suggesting that he is still uncertain that they will last. He is in a trance, and he doesn't want to take any chances, but he loves her too much to let her go.
The lyrics of "Knock on Wood" were written by Eddie Floyd, and Steve Cropper, two songwriters who met while working for Stax Records. The song was first recorded by Eddie but later became more popular after Otis Redding recorded his version, which was released in 1967.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to lose you, this good thing
That I got 'cause if I do
I will surely,
Surely lose a lot.
I value this relationship too much and losing it would be a great loss.
'Cause your love is better
Than any love I know.
Your love outshines and exceeds that of any other person I've ever known.
It's like thunder and lightning,
The way you love me is frightening.
You better knock, knock on wood, baby.
Your passionate love is so intense and powerful that it's almost scary. I hope it continues, and I knock on wood and ask for it to last.
I'm not superstitious about ya
But I can't take no chance.
I got me spinnin', baby,
You know I'm in a trance.
I'm not superstitious, but I can't take the risk of losing you. Your love has me enchanted and captivated, leaving me disoriented and dizzy.
'Cause your love is better
Than any love I know.
Your love outshines and exceeds that of any other person I've ever known.
It's no secret about it,
That woman is my loving cup
'cause she sees to it
That I get enough.
Just one touch from here,
You know it means so much.
Everyone knows that you're my one and only love who satisfies my needs. You provide everything I need, and even a simple touch from you brings me enormous joy and satisfaction.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mimmoleonardi8643
Absolutely fantastic,β€πͺ great soul π₯
@elizabethmartiezavila5634
Everything Otis sang was gold ..one of our best ever BIG O
@ablackghostmyguy3741
2:08 the way otis says knock on wood just gets me so fired up
@charlescapozzi9440
Best duo version of Knock on Wood!
@butterflyingrid
What a wonderful pleasure. Thank you so much. βββββ Otis Ray Redding received the honorific "King of Soul". Among his most well-known songs are "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness". He is considered one of the greatest singers in popular music and a major artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. The idea to produce a duet album with Carla Thomas was Jim Stewart. Three singles were lifted from the album: "Tramp" was released in 1967, followed by "Knock on Wood" and "Lovey Dovey".
@ssmith583
Otis was a master. It seems all the great artist have the ability to take a song and interpret it their own style. I wish I had a chance to see him live.Β
@ivansanders8459
This was B I G in the 60s in U.K. night clubs. We are very lucky to have modern technology to enable us to hear it with the same freshness as all of those years ago. Imagine the Middle Ages - perhaps only hearing a song once from a travelling minstrel! We take so many wonderful things for granted.
@lisajanedegara9858
I really appreciated this comment. Oftentimes I stumble on older recordings and feel the same way. :)
@dontheguy1
Otis, truly one of a kind!
@shecky308
we miss you Otis!