Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee. Read Full BioOtis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee.
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.
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.
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Mr. Pitiful
by Otis Redding
Call me Mr. Pitiful
Baby, that's my name now, oh
Call me Mr. Pitiful, that's how I got my fame
But people just don't understand, now
What makes a man feel so blue
Ooh, they call me Mr Pitiful 'cause I lost someone just like you, yeah
They call me Mr. Pitiful
This, everybody know now
They call me Mr. Pitiful most every place I go
But nobody seems to understand now
How can a man sing such a sad song, now
Ooh, when he lost everything, when he lost everything that he had
How can I explain to you
When somebody had been so very blue?
How can I tell you about my past
If all things won't end?
Mr Pitiful
That's my name now
They call me Mr. Pitiful, that's how I got my fame
But nobody seems to understand now
Ooh, what make a man feel so blue
They call me Mr. Pitiful 'cause I'm in love with you
Can I explain to you?
Everything is going wrong
I've lost everything I had
And I have to sing these sad songs to get back to her
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want to tell you everything that, everything that's going through my mind
Sing, and I want to sing
And I want to sing this song with you
And I'm gonna sing this song to everybody
'Cause I want them to understand what I talkin' about
I want you to understand what I'm sayin'
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: OTIS REDDING, STEVE CROPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Otis Redding
Call me Mr. Pitiful
Baby, that's my name now, oh
Call me Mr. Pitiful, that's how I got my fame
But people just don't understand, now
What makes a man feel so blue
Ooh, they call me Mr Pitiful 'cause I lost someone just like you, yeah
They call me Mr. Pitiful
This, everybody know now
They call me Mr. Pitiful most every place I go
But nobody seems to understand now
How can a man sing such a sad song, now
Ooh, when he lost everything, when he lost everything that he had
How can I explain to you
When somebody had been so very blue?
How can I tell you about my past
If all things won't end?
Mr Pitiful
That's my name now
They call me Mr. Pitiful, that's how I got my fame
But nobody seems to understand now
Ooh, what make a man feel so blue
They call me Mr. Pitiful 'cause I'm in love with you
Can I explain to you?
Everything is going wrong
I've lost everything I had
And I have to sing these sad songs to get back to her
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want to tell you everything that, everything that's going through my mind
Sing, and I want to sing
And I want to sing this song with you
And I'm gonna sing this song to everybody
'Cause I want them to understand what I talkin' about
I want you to understand what I'm sayin'
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: OTIS REDDING, STEVE CROPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Aaron
The one person who disliked this song is "Mr. Pitiful".
Aretha White
@kristina nie Preach girlfriend 👍🙌!!! I love this song, and my mom has the album with this song on it 👍. Rest in peace 👼 Otis Redding!!! Don't pay them any mind, they're just a bunch of haters 😈!!!! I was born in the 60's and I love this music 😉👍👍👍👍👍. Take care of yourself and your family during this coronovirus pandemic 😷 ok. Much love from Bunn NC.👋💖💖💖😊.
kristina nie
It’s so sad that you ALL think that 😔
Ronald Mondrey
More like Mr. Pathetic.
Cynthia Hawkins
U got that right!!!
a oneiill
it may be Mrs Pitiful...
Matt Phebus
"Mr. Pitiful" was recorded in December 1964 at the Stax studios. The song was written by guitarist Steve Cropper and singer Otis Redding, his first collaboration with Cropper, as a response to a statement made by radio disc jockey Moohah Williams, when he nicknamed Redding as "Mr. Pitiful", because of sounding pitiful when singing ballads. Cropper heard this and had the idea to write a song with that name when taking a shower. Cropper then asked Redding in a car how he felt about this idea, and soon after they recorded the song in about 10 minutes.
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I love when you learn the background of a song and it takes on a whole new meaning
Randall Garland
Otis was an OLD soul. I listened to him religiously from 2nd grade on up and only as an adult learned just how you g be was
kristina nie
Dragonrdh ❤️👍
Dragonrdh
Yes Indeed! Otis's sang with such feeling.