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.
Treat Her Right
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every man ought to know
If you want a little loving
You got to start real slow
She's going to love you tonight now
If you just treat her right now
Squeeze her real gentle
Tell her that you love her
Like you know you should
So if you don't treat her right
She won't love you tonight
If you practice my method
Just as hard as you can
You're going to get a reputation
As a loving man
And you'll be glad every night
That you treated her right
The lyrics of Otis Redding’s song “Treat Her Right” present a valuable message to every man who wants to enhance his romantic relationship. The song starts with the artist sharing his intention of telling a story. He then proceeds to give a piece of advice that every man should know. Otis advises that, to receive love from a woman, a man needs to start slowly, making her feel comfortable and loved. He then states that when a woman is treated right, she will love you in return.
The following verse emphasizes Otis’s advice to handle a woman with care. He narrates the need to squeeze her gently, focus on making her feel good, and tell her that you love her as you should. The chorus warns about the consequences of not treating a woman right, which is a loss of her love. Otis advises men to follow his method and practice it as hard as possible, resulting in a reputation as a loving man. The song concludes, guaranteeing the satisfaction of treating your woman right every night.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to tell you a story
Listen up, I'm about to share some important advice
Every man ought to know
This is something every man should be aware of
If you want a little loving
If you're looking for some romance
You got to start real slow
You need to take your time and be patient
She's going to love you tonight now
If you follow my advice, this woman will be into you tonight
If you just treat her right now
If you treat her respectfully and kindly
Squeeze her real gentle
Be gentle and tender with her
Got to make her feel good
Your goal should be to make her feel happy and satisfied
Tell her that you love her
Express your love and affection for her
Like you know you should
Don't hold back on showing her how much you care
So if you don't treat her right
If you don't treat her respectfully and kindly
She won't love you tonight
She won't be into you tonight
If you practice my method
If you follow my advice
Just as hard as you can
As passionately as possible
You're going to get a reputation
You'll become known for
As a loving man
Being someone who is caring and affectionate
And you'll be glad every night
You'll be happy every night
That you treated her right
Knowing that you treated her respectfully and kindly
Lyrics © THE MUSIC FORCE LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gene Kurtz, Roy Kent Head
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind