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.
Sittin
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco Bay
'Cause I've had nothin' to live for
It look like nothing's gonna come my way
So I'm just gon' sit on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything, still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes
Sittin' here restin' my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone, listen
Two thousand miles, I roam
Just to make this dock my home
Now I'm just gon' sit, at the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
The song “Sittin’ in the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding describes a man who is sitting on the dock of the San Francisco Bay, watching the ships come in and go out during morning and evening. He feels lonely and has no hope for his future. The lyrics give the impression that he is waiting for something to happen in his life, but he is uncertain whether anything will change. The melancholic tone of the song reflects his overall hopelessness.
In the first verse, Redding uses imagery to describe the setting of the song: “sittin’ in the mornin’ sun,” “watchin’ the ships roll in,” and “watchin’ the tide roll away.” He expresses a sense of timelessness and boredom with the repetition of “wastin’ time” in the chorus. In the second verse, he sings about leaving his home in Georgia and traveling to San Francisco because he had “nothin’ to live for.” He implies that he has no purpose or direction in his life.
The lyrics suggest that the man is resistant to change and not interested in following the advice of others. In the final verse, Redding reveals that he has traveled two thousand miles just to reach the dock and make it his home. He concludes the song with the same line as the chorus, emphasizing his sense of stagnation.
Overall, the lyrics of “Sittin’ in the Dock of the Bay” convey a sense of melancholy and despair through vivid imagery, repetition, and a slow, contemplative tone. The song reflects the social and political climate of the 1960s, when many Americans felt disillusioned and uncertain about their future.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
Relaxing and enjoying the warmth of the morning sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Planning to stay put even as the day turns into evening
Watching the ships roll in
Observing the arrival of ships at the dock
Then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah
Seeing the ships depart from the dock
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Seated at the water's edge of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Watching the flow of the tidal waves as they move away from the dock
I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Simply spending time on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time
Passing time with no particular goal in mind
I left my home in Georgia
I departed from my hometown in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco Bay
I went to the Frisco Bay
'Cause I've had nothin' to live for
I had no meaningful reason to continue living
It look like nothing's gonna come my way
It seemed as if I wouldn't receive any good fortune
So I'm just gon' sit on the dock of the bay
Therefore, I decided to just sit on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Observing the ebb and flow of the ocean waves as they leave the dock
Look like nothing's gonna change
It seemed as if nothing in my life would improve
Everything, still remains the same
Life is monotonous and unchanging
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
I feel incapable of following the instructions of others
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes
Therefore, I assume I'll be stuck in my current situation
Sittin' here restin' my bones
Relaxing while sitting on the dock of the bay
And this loneliness won't leave me alone, listen
Feeling quite lonely and alone
Two thousand miles, I roam
Travelled exactly 2,000 miles
Just to make this dock my home
I arrived at this dock with the intention of staying there
Now I'm just gon' sit, at the dock of the bay
Therefore, I'll continue to sit here at the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Observing the movement of the water as the tide recedes from the dock
Sittin' on the dock of the bay
Sitting on the water's edge of the bay
Wastin' time
Spending time aimlessly with no specific purpose in mind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@classicalmusic1175
This song was finished up in the studio just 3 days before Redding was killed in a plane crash. What a parting gift from the king of soul.
@timtime9167
That's why the last verse is whistling he was supposed to come back and add a verse.
@beaconlight4720
Overrated
@timtime9167
@@beaconlight4720 that's your perspective.
@TF58582
Dudes a legend👏🏼
@SassaFrass28
Yes - a parting gift from Otis after his shocking death - so melancholy yet so much strength & determination despite all
@terryprice5720
It was my junior year in college. I had just signed on the dotted line to commit myself to Navy flight school and six years of active duty, right at the height of the Vietnam war. I signed the contract with the Navy recruiter while in the student center at college. After we shook hands, I walked away and sat down at a table alone. Now, I have to go home and tell my parents what I have done. This song came on the jukebox. It was September 14, 1968
@amberfillmore3517
Thank you for your service
@tawneeens436
Terry Price Thank you for your service 🇺🇸
@leebaker2588
Welcome home, Terry.