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.
You
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you didn't want me, yeah
You didn't love me no more
But I know it was something, oh, that made me blue
But believe me, child, I've been a fool for you
I've been a big fool for you
You didn't want me around
And don't you have a big old man right there
In a port, man, away across town
And I know it's something that makes me blue
Believe me child, I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
Now did you ever wake up in the morning
Just about the break of day, yeah, uh
Reach over an feel your pillow, wow wow wow wow wow
Where that lil fine fox used to lay
Ever since I was five years old, baby
I've been a, a fool for you
Way down, deep down in my soul, oh
I've been a fool for you
Well I know it's something, oh, what makes me blue
Believe me child, I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been just so bad, yeah
I've been just so bad
You don't know what you're doing to me
Well, I just can't understand, yeah
No no no, baby, yeah
I've been a fool for you honey now
I've been a great big fool for you, baby
A fool for you mama
The song “A Fool For You” by Otis Redding is a soulful love song about a man who is hopelessly in love with a woman who doesn’t return his feelings. He knows that she told him a long time ago that she didn’t want him and that she was with another man, but he still can’t help but feel a strong attraction to her. He admits that he has been a fool for her and that he can’t shake the feeling, no matter how hard he tries.
The lyrics express the idea that love can make us do foolish things, even when we know that we shouldn’t. Despite the woman’s rejection, the man in the song can’t let go of his love for her. He wakes up every morning thinking of her and can’t stop himself from being a fool for her.
“A Fool For You” is a poignant reminder of the power of unrequited love and the way it can consume us. Otis Redding’s powerful vocals and emotive delivery give the song a depth of feeling that resonates with listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you told me, long time ago
That you didn't want me, yeah
You didn't love me no more
I remember when you told me that you didn't want me anymore and that you didn't love me anymore.
But I know it was something, oh, that made me blue
But believe me, child, I've been a fool for you
I've been a big fool for you
Even though you don't love me anymore, there's something about you that still bothers me and I can't help but be a fool for you.
I know you told me, yeah
You didn't want me around
And don't you have a big old man right there
In a port, man, away across town
You explicitly said that you didn't want me around, and besides, you already have another man in a distant part of the town.
And I know it's something that makes me blue
Believe me child, I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
Despite the fact that you don't want me, there's something about you that makes me sad and I just can't help but be foolish and love you anyway.
Now did you ever wake up in the morning
Just about the break of day, yeah, uh
Reach over an feel your pillow, wow wow wow wow wow
Where that lil fine fox used to lay
Ever since I was five years old, baby
I've been a, a fool for you
Sometimes I wake up in the morning and reach over to where you used to lay next to me, and it just reminds me how much of a fool I am for you. And I've been foolishly in love with you since I was just a child.
Way down, deep down in my soul, oh
I've been a fool for you
There's something deep in my soul that just can't help but love you and be a fool for you.
Well I know it's something, oh, what makes me blue
Believe me child, I've been a fool for you
There's just something about you that makes me sad, but I still can't help but be foolishly in love with you.
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been a fool for you
I've been nothing but a fool for you, over and over again.
I've been just so bad, yeah
I've been just so bad
I know that I've been acting poorly and not treating myself well by continuing to be foolishly in love with you.
You don't know what you're doing to me
Well, I just can't understand, yeah
No no no, baby, yeah
You have no idea how much it hurts me to keep loving you, and I can't understand why I keep doing it even when I know it's not good for me.
I've been a fool for you honey now
I've been a great big fool for you, baby
A fool for you mama
I've been a huge fool for you and there's nothing more to it, baby.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAY CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonytshabalala2380
LYRICS:
In the beginning you really loved me, oh
I was too blind, I could not see, now
But now that you left me
oh, how I cried out, I keep crying
You don't miss your water 'till your well run dry
I kept you crying, sad and blue, oh my, oh
I was a playboy, I just wouldn't be true
But now that you left me
Good Lord, how I cried, I keep crying, I keep crying
Ooh, I've been miss my water
No, I never miss my water 'till my well run dry
I sit here and wonder
How in the world this could be, my, oh my
I never thought, oh, I never thought you'd ever leave me
But now that you left me
Good Lord, good Lord, how I cried out
You don't miss your water
You don't miss your water 'till your well run dry
Ooh, You don't miss your water, oh
You don't miss your water 'till your well run dry
@__blessings123
Snowfall brought me here today but I LOVE the Motown generation. Oldies plays a huge role in my childhood. From a child to my late teens that’s all I listened to. 1920’s to 1970’s was definitely my go to music even now. It touches the deepest part of my heart and soul. Idk I attached myself that when I listen to some oldies I feel at peace. Otis Redding was PURE TALENT! The Temptations will be one of the most talented groups that would ever touch this earth. One of Motown golden artists.. not to take from the other artists from Motown days. Motown had many golden artists. Sorry I lost myself for a second took me back.. Ngl I cried listening to this because it reminded me of times when things used to be so simple in life.
@thruend2496
This is STAX Power baby.
@matthewsmith1941
They just played this on the new South Park Streaming Wars 2 and I had to hear it again. What an incredible song. Gave me chill bumps.
@fallingstar403
Otis Redding is guaranteed to pull your heart strings ❤️
@jamespowell2927
I had to listen to the entire album when I heard it again 🙂
@michelleshore9910
Agreed!
@dominiquejones3805
Dope!!!!
@dominiquejones3805
Snowfall also had it
@CCP12610
I can't believe he was only 26 when he died. Blows my mind. So many classic songs in such a short period of time. Thank you, Otis!!!!
@danielwilliams1932
in 50's and 60's all great singers died in plane crashes.