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.
Lovey Dovey
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree
Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time
Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
I tell you that I love you and you ought to know
I love the way your father slammed the back door
Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time
I get a high when you kiss me and I'm on the ceiling
My knees get weak, my heart beats, my head starts dreaming
I love you pretty baby, place no one above
Give it up, I can't wait because
You're the cutest thing that I ever did see
Love those peaches, got to have that tree
Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time
Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
I get a high when you kiss me and I'm on the ceiling
My knees get weak, my head starts dreaming
Give it up, I just can't waitÂ
You're the cutest thing that I ever did see
I really love your peaches, got to shake that tree
Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time
Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
And I'm walking and I'm talking but I feel alright
Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
Lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
The song "Lovey Dovey" by Otis Redding is a fun and flirtatious love song that celebrates the singer's attraction to his partner. The opening lines of the song set the tone, with the singer telling his lover that she is the cutest thing he has ever seen and that he loves her "peaches" and wants to "shake [her] tree." The use of fruit metaphors to describe her physical attributes and the playful tone of the lyrics make it clear that the singer is smitten with his companion.
Throughout the song, the singer's feelings are conveyed through his descriptions of physical sensations. He gets a high when she kisses him and feels like he's on the ceiling, and his knees get weak when he's around her. The repeated refrain of "Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time / Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind" reinforces the idea that he is completely infatuated with her.
Line by Line Meaning
I said you're the cutest thing that I've ever seen
I find you incredibly attractive
I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree
I really enjoy your body and want to engage in sexual activity with you
Lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time
I am always feeling affectionate towards you
Said lovey dovey, I can't get you out of my mind
I constantly think about you with love and affection
I tell you that I love you and you ought to know
I am expressing my love for you and want you to be aware of it
I love the way your father slammed the back door
I find everything about you to be lovable, even including your family members and their actions
I get a high when you kiss me and I'm on the ceiling
I become euphoric and feel extreme pleasure when we engage in physical intimacy
My knees get weak, my heart beats, my head starts dreaming
I become so overwhelmed with desire and emotion that my physical and emotional responses are intense
I love you pretty baby, place no one above
I love you deeply and value you above anyone else
Give it up, I can't wait because
I can't resist the urge to be intimate with you any longer
And I'm walking and I'm talking but I feel alright
Even though I am going about my day, thinking about you makes me feel happy and content
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AHMET ERTEGUN, EDDIE CURTIS, EDDIE MEMPHIS CURTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind