Redding's connection to the song is documented by music journalist Dave Marsh in his 1989 book The Heart of Rock and Soul. In 1966, Redding was visiting FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, when studio owner Rick Hall requested Redding help them with an upcoming session. Wilson Pickett was to record "You Left the Water Running", and Hall wished for Redding to record a demo to assist with the production. A simple recording was made and Redding made some overdub additions, and Pickett made his recording similar to Redding's version.
Ten years later, Marsh was mailed a promo copy of "You Left the Water Running" by Otis Redding on Stone Records (the flipside was an instrumental called "The Otis Jam", which was produced by John Fred, of "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)" fame). Marsh was fascinated by the song, and mentioned the new single to several friends, including his attorney, who also happened to represent the Otis Redding estate. He soon found out that Stone Records had not obtained the Redding family's permission to release the long-lost demo recording, and demanded the single be pulled from circulation.
When Marsh asked the label's distributor what was to become of the single, he was informed that they were to be destroyed. Instead, Marsh purchased the copies that remained, and gave them out as gifts, with the attorney's permission. As a result, the single (Stone 209) is now highly valuable.
Atlantic Records released "You Left the Water Running" for the first time legally on the compilation album The Otis Redding Story in 1987. Though that box set is no longer available, the song has appeared in similar collections in the years that have followed.
You Left the Water Running
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You turned out the light of love
You left with another guy
You turned off all your love for me
But you forgot to turn off the cry
You forgot to turn off the cry
You pulled the shades away down low
And disconnected the telephone
But these tears a running from my eyes
I can't turn them off and on
No, I can't turn them off and on
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You locked the door and left me outside
And then you threw the key away
But baby, you'll regret, baby you'll be upset
When you get your water bill to pay
When you get your water bill to pay
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
In Otis Redding's song, "You Left the Water Running," the lyrics tell the story of a man left behind by his lover. The water left running refers to the metaphorical flow of tears that the man cannot turn off after the woman leaves him. She turned off the light of love, left with another man, and disconnected the telephone to cut off communication with him. However, the man cannot turn off his tears, and they keep flowing from his eyes like water.
The song also mentions the woman locking the man out of the house, throwing away the key and suggests that the woman will soon come to regret her decision, that it might become costly for her when the water bill arrives, indicating that the man metaphorically left the tap running, allowing his tears to flow instead of turning them off. The song's lyrics not only capture the feeling of abandonment, but the repetition of the phrase "running from these eyes of mine" creates a sense of desperation and sorrow from being unable to control one's tears.
Overall, "You Left the Water Running" is a powerful depiction of heartbreak that lingers long after the breakup. The water metaphor is a poignant and effective way of expressing the depth of pain that comes with lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the tap open and water was flowing when you left me alone here.
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You left the tap open to run away from my tears that I shed after you.
You turned out the light of love
You extinguished the light of love in our relationship.
You left with another guy
You went away with someone else.
You turned off all your love for me
You stopped loving me.
But you forgot to turn off the cry
You left me with my tears without taking them away.
You pulled the shades away down low
You lowered the shades to avoid being seen by others.
And disconnected the telephone
You removed the connection of your phone, so I couldn't reach you.
But these tears a running from my eyes
But I can't stop my tears from flowing.
I can't turn them off and on
I can't stop my tears from flowing whenever I want.
You locked the door and left me outside
You locked me out and went away.
And then you threw the key away
And then you threw the key to the lock away, so I couldn't enter.
But baby, you'll regret, baby you'll be upset
But later, you'll feel bad about what you did and regret it.
When you get your water bill to pay
When you receive the water bill, you'll understand the cost of leaving the water running.
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the tap open when you abandoned me.
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You left the tap open to run away from my tears.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE HENRY JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Esther Gavillet
Paroles
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You turned out the light of love
You left with another guy
You turned off all your love for me
But you forgot to turn off the cry
You forgot to turn off the cry
You pulled the shades away down low
And disconnected the telephone
But these tears a running from my eyes
I can't turn them off and on
No, I can't turn them off and on
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
You locked the door and left me outside
And then you threw the key away
But baby, you'll regret, baby you'll be upset
When you get your water bill to pay
When you get your water bill to pay
You left the water running when you left me here behind
You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine
Source : LyricFind
Paroliers : George Henry Jackson
Paroles de You Left the Water Running © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Alberto J
This song is so special... love all the otis stuff but this is just brilliant!
By Ellis Johnson
Always good to find an Otis track I haven't heard!!!
Sherry ONeill
This is my favorite version of this. I love the horns that were added to the remix several years after Otis recorded the demo.
18KOFF19
he has such an energetic voice!!
Frank Zgrabik
i cant sing along to the final verse of this without weeping - perfect delivery nothing but SOUL
aiden connolly
All my life ive loved soul music and no one can deliver like the late great Otis Redding.
Lesley Craven
I meant to say see You one day...
Lesley Craven
Hi Ade, I hope that Your well. Ade I have stopped almost all Meds and it's great I would like
Stacy Lopez
Otis Redding ❤️ RIP King of Soul what a treasure it truly is to being able to have your amazing songs as “since you left youd left me(them) behind”!!
PowerDrunkMedia
Been looking for this for awhile. Seems to be a mostly forgotten Otis tune. Thank you for uploading!