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.
Rock Me Baby
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can rock me all night long
Rock me baby, rock me baby, rock me baby, huh
Little girl, you can rock me all night long, now oh, now
Just keep on rockin' me little girl, girl
Honey 'till my back ain't got no bone, yeah, huh
Roll me, baby, ha
Keep on rollin', rollin', rollin' me baby
Just like they roll a wagon wheel, now oh my, oh my
Because when you throw the roll little girl, huh
Baby, you just don't know how good you make me feel, now oh
Yeah, play the blues Steve
Keep on rocking me baby, ha, good rockin'
Baby rock me, rock me so, now
Keep on rockin' me, baby, keep rockin' me, keep rockin' me
Baby you know how to rock me so, now oh my
I want you to just keep om rocking me babe
Rock me babe, rock me
'Til I just can't take it no more, oh my
I want you to rock, rock, rock, rock me babe
Rock me babe, rock me babe, rock me babe
You don't know what I need
I want you to keep rocking me
You don't know what I want
I want you to keep rocking me
Everything I love
I want you to keep rocking
Give it, give it, give it to me baby...
"Rock Me Baby" is a soulful ballad by American blues singer Otis Redding. The song is about a man who is romantically involved with a woman who knows how to please him in every way. The man is asking the woman to continue "rocking" him all night long until he can no longer take it. "Rock Me Baby" has a slow and sensual rhythm, accompanied by bluesy guitar and Redding's powerful and emotive vocals.
The lyrics are open to interpretation as it explores the different ways that the woman can "rock" the man. The phrase "rock me all night long" could be a metaphor for sexual pleasure or the woman's ability to provide comfort and emotional support. The repetition of the phrase "rock me" and the use of the word "baby" suggests a deep need for affection and intimacy.
Overall, "Rock Me Baby" is a song about desire and longing, with Redding's soulful voice conveying the intensity of those emotions. With its bluesy instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics, the song has become a classic in the R&B and soul genres.
Line by Line Meaning
You can rock me baby
I want you to comfort and please me.
You can rock me all night long
I want you to keep me satisfied for a long time.
Rock me baby, rock me baby, rock me baby, huh
I really want you to rock me, it makes me feel good.
Little girl, you can rock me all night long, now oh, now
You, my dear, have the power to keep me company and make me feel good all night long.
Just keep on rockin' me little girl, girl
Please don't stop, keep doing what you're doing, it feels great.
Honey 'till my back ain't got no bone, yeah, huh
Keep rocking me until I am completely spent and struggling to stand.
Roll me, baby, ha
I want you to move me, take control of my body.
Roll me like a wagon wheel, now, huh
Roll me in a smooth and rhythmic way, like a wagon wheel rolling on a dusty road.
Keep on rollin', rollin', rollin' me baby
Keep moving and working my body to bring me satisfaction.
Just like they roll a wagon wheel, now oh my, oh my
Similar to how those wagon wheels keep moving, I want you to keep me going.
Because when you throw the roll little girl, huh
When you 'throw the roll' (rock my body), it feels amazing.
Baby, you just don't know how good you make me feel, now oh
You truly don't understand how much pleasure you bring me.
Yeah, play the blues Steve
Play some soulful music to set the mood and enhance our experience.
Keep on rocking me baby, ha, good rockin'
Continue to fulfill my desires and bring me pleasure, it's so satisfying.
Baby rock me, rock me so, now
Rock me in a way that makes me feel like it's just us in the world.
Keep on rockin' me, baby, keep rockin' me, keep rockin' me
I want you to keep doing what you're doing, it's such a blissful experience.
Baby you know how to rock me so, now oh my
You are so skilled at pleasing me, it's truly impressive.
I want you to just keep om rocking me babe
Please don't stop, you're bringing me immense pleasure.
Rock me babe, rock me
Keep moving my body in a way that makes me feel alive.
'Til I just can't take it no more, oh my
Keep going until I am completely spent and can't handle any more pleasure.
I want you to rock, rock, rock, rock me babe
I want you to keep moving and pleasing me again and again.
Rock me babe, rock me babe, rock me babe
Keep me satisfied and fulfilled, it's such an amazing feeling.
You don't know what I need
Only I know what I need and right now it's for you to rock me.
I want you to keep rocking me
Please don't stop, keep going until I am fully satisfied.
You don't know what I want
Only I know what I want, and right now it's for you to keep rocking me.
Everything I love
This experience is everything that I love, it's perfection.
I want you to keep rocking
Please don't stop, I never want this to end.
Give it, give it, give it to me baby...
Keep giving me pleasure, I want it all night long.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Riley B. King, Joe Bihari
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Wall
Otis is an excellent blues and bluesy soul singer. Him, Sam Cooke and Ray Charles are the masters of this great genre.
murp h
Sam sang a different approach to the blues __ his way was much different___ great but much different __ Otis sang the blues with major STANK ___many of Ray's recordings displayed STANK ____ Sam---- cant think of a single song
Cody Ping
@murp h you and him forgot elmore james
David Jackson Jackson
I am 65 years old I have had this album for 50 years and I still love it .
FuzzyDancingBear
Why would anyone stop loving this album?
ret yen
I would be 168 years old this year and I really love this. Being from the 19th century this music came too late for me, but it so much better than what we had.
Josh Rennow
Goodness Bless your heart sweetness ๐ค glad your still here with us to enjoy !!
sarah jane slater
They dont make music this good anymore. Its criminal
Calvin Pressley
GREAT SONG. OTIS IS TRULY SOULFUL
prof32
Nobody like Otis! Just amazing soul voice!