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.
That's What My Heart Needs
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You told me, he was your lover
So I'm begging and I'm pleading
And I'm down on any knee, ooh baby
That's what my heart needs
Baby, ooh baby
I'm calling you out loud and clear, baby
I love you, yes I do
And I want on meeting you, ooh baby
That's what my heart needs
Darling, my my darling
I need you here right by my side, baby, darling
If you hadn't left that day
Then my love wouldn't be this way, ooh baby
That's what my heart needs
Come on baby
I said I need you right here by my side
I said I need you baby
I need you here to protect me and be my guide
And ooh, baby, yeah baby
I know you don't know what I mean, baby
Ooh, baby, yeah, hey baby
Hey hey baby
Come on, come on and love me, baby, lord
Come on, come on and be right by my side
Hey, come on
These lyrics are a lament from the perspective of someone who has been left by their lover for another person. The singer is pleading and begging for the person to return to them, because they have a deep need in their heart for their love. The repetition of the phrase "ooh baby" underscores the emotional intensity of the situation, as the singer continues to call out to and profess love for the absent partner. The refrain of "that's what my heart needs" is a clear declaration that, despite the pain and betrayal of being left, the singer's love and need for their partner remains unchanged.
Line by Line Meaning
You left me, for another
You abandoned me for someone else.
You told me, he was your lover
You explained to me that you were romantically involved with him.
So I'm begging and I'm pleading
I am requesting and imploring you.
And I'm down on any knee, ooh baby
I am so humble and desperate that I will kneel to persuade you.
Baby, ooh baby
My dear, oh my dear
I'm calling you out loud and clear, baby
I am attempting to reach you in the most direct and effective way possible.
I love you, yes I do
I have genuine feelings of affection for you.
And I want on meeting you, ooh baby
I yearn to be reunited with you.
Darling, my my darling
My beloved, my dearest love
I need you here right by my side, baby, darling
I require your proximity and support, my beloved.
If you hadn't left that day
If you had not abandoned me on that particular day
Then my love wouldn't be this way, ooh baby
I would not be so distressed and heartbroken without you.
Come on baby
Please come, my dear
I said I need you right here by my side
I reiterate my urgent need for your presence and support.
I know you don't know what I mean, baby
You may not understand the depth of my emotions.
Come on, come on and love me, baby, lord
Please come and express your affections towards me, my dear.
Come on, come on and be right by my side
Please be close to me, my love.
Hey, come on
Please come, my dear.
Lyrics Β© Royalty Network
Written by: OTIS REDDING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bubs D
[Verse 1]
You left me for another
You told me he was your lover
So I'm begging and I'm pleading
And I'm down on bended knee, oh baby
That's what my heart needs
[Verse 2]
Baby, oh baby
I'm calling you out loud and clear, baby
Oh baby
I love you, yes I do
And I want to be with you, oh baby
That's what my heart needs
[Verse 3]
Darling, my my darling
I need you here right by my side, baby, darling
If you hadn't left that day
Then my love wouldn't be this way, oh baby
That's what my heart needs
[Outro]
Come on, baby
I said I need you right here by my side
I said I need you, baby
I need you here to protect me and be my guide
And oh, baby, yeah, yeah, baby
I know you don't know what I mean, baby
Oh, baby, yeah, hey baby
Hey, hey baby
Come on, come on and love me, baby, Lord
Come on, come on and be right by my side
Hey, come on, yeah, yeah, baby...
Steve
He set the bar so high nobody gets close to it!!
buttons&gadgetsdr1
many did in the 60s and 70s, otis,ray charles, james carr, william bell, wilson pickett, sam cooke, bobby blue bland, garnett mims, the four tops, the temptations, o.v. wright, donny hathaway, luther vandross , timmy thomas, bill withers, bob marley, dennis brown, cornell campbell, pat kelly, marvin gaye, little milton, Johnnie taylor, i could go on and on lol, may many greats that todays music does not even remotely come close
Randall Garland
Bless poor otis. He was an old soul. That voice is healing. I wish he could have lived .
smk62684
He sang with such passion. He was perfection.
keezy Ahomana
My favorite otis masterpiece.. his voice is what my voice needs
wss
50 years since he died and still he remains the king of soul.
Eric Parham
π REDDING
Patricia Terry
Yes, he's the king
Josh Lewis
Dont think you'll hear a voice as soulful as this again. The emotions just pour out of his tones
Gregory Weiner
Damn, that scream at the end just tears me apart. It's the purest expression of human / animal pain I've ever heard... just... breathtaking... What an amazing artist.