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.
The Huckle-Buck
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the lights are down low
Grab your baby then go
Do the hucklebuck, do the hucklebuck
If you don't know how to do it, boy you're out of luck
Push your partner out then you hunch your back
Start a little movement in your sacroiliac
That's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck
There's a dance you should know
When the lights are down low
Grab your baby then go
There's a dance you should know
When the lights are down low
Grab your baby then go
Do the hucklebuck, do the hucklebuck
If you don't know how to do it, boy you're out of luck
Push your partner out then you hunch your back
Start a little movement in your sacroiliac
Wiggle like a snake, wobble like a duck
Now that's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck
The Huckle-Buck is a classic dance song by Otis Redding. It is a fun and upbeat tune that is perfect for parties and dancing. The song starts with the instructions to the listener to learn this dance. The lyrics go, "There's a dance you should know when the lights are down low. Grab your baby then go, do the hucklebuck." The significance of the dance, however, is not clarified in the lyrics.
When Otis Redding sings, "If you don't know how to do it, boy you're out of luck," he sets the tone that this song is about something that everyone should know about. The chorus of the song goes on to describe the steps of the dance, including pushing your partner out and hunching your back, starting a little movement in your sacroiliac, wiggling like a snake, and wobbling like a duck. These instructions make the dance fun to watch and even more fun to participate in.
Overall, the Huckle-Buck is a classic American song that calls upon the listener to learn this fun and upbeat dance. It is a reminder of simpler times when people enjoyed good company, music, and dancing together.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a dance you should know
This song is about a certain dance that the listeners may not be familiar with.
When the lights are down low
It is best to do the dance in dimly lit environments to set the mood.
Grab your baby then go
Find a partner and hit the dance floor.
Do the hucklebuck, do the hucklebuck
The name of the dance is the hucklebuck.
If you don't know how to do it, boy you're out of luck
If you are not familiar with the dance, you will not be able to join the fun.
Push your partner out then you hunch your back
To do the hucklebuck, one must push their partner away and then arch their back forward.
Start a little movement in your sacroiliac
The dance requires movement in the sacroiliac joint, which is in the lower back.
Wiggle like a snake, wobble like a duck
The dance involves movements similar to a snake or a duck.
Now that's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck
These are the specific steps and moves that make up the hucklebuck dance.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ROY ALFRED, ANDY GIBSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind