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.
Your One And Only Man
Otis Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you were only, meant for me, now
Our love will be free
And I'll be your destiny
Destiny, destiny, right, now, now, now, babe
If I can make you only understand
Treat me right and love me
Your one and only man
These are the words
That I have to say
Live by them each and every day, now
And as the time pass
I know our love will last, our love will last, our love will last
Now, now, now babe
Take me blue
Understand them
Live by them and love me
Then I will be your man
Your one and only man
These are the words
That I have to say
Just live by them each and every day, now
And as the time pass
I know our love will last, our love will last, our love will last
Now
Take me blue
Understand them
Live by them and love me
Honey I will be your man
I said your one and only man
Yes your truly lovely man
Yes your lovely lovely man
You don't need nobody to do nothing for you baby
I said I could just love and be just one guy that you need
I could say I could be one guy that you love
I could just be anyone you want me to be, now, now
I said I could be just anyone you want me to be
Darling, baby, my, my, my, my baby
Na, na, wow
In "Your One and Only Man," Otis Redding sings about his desire to have a committed and exclusive relationship with the object of his affections. The song is a plea for his lover to see him as the man who will love her and be there for her always, making her his only priority. Redding sings, "If I can only make you see, that you were only meant for me now, our love will be free, and I'll be your destiny." He is telling his lover that they are destined to be together, and he wants her to recognize that and commit to him.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "If I can make you only understand, treat me right and love me, then I will be your man, your one and only man." Here Redding is reiterating his desire for a monogamous relationship, asking his lover to be kind and loving towards him and him alone. He believes that if she can do this, he will be the man that she needs and wants, her "one and only man."
Throughout the song, Redding makes it clear that he is willing to be whatever his lover needs him to be in order to win her heart. He sings, "I could just be anyone you want me to be, darling, baby, my, my, my, my baby." He is telling his lover that he will be flexible and accommodating in order to make her happy and be the man she needs.
Line by Line Meaning
If I can only, make you see
If I can make you only understand
That you were only, meant for me, now
Treat me right and love me
Our love will be free
Then I will be your man
And I'll be your destiny
Your one and only man
Destiny, destiny, right, now, now, now, babe
Yes your truly lovely man
These are the words
Take me blue
That I have to say
Understand them
Live by them each and every day, now
Live by them and love me
And as the time pass
I know our love will last
I will be your man
Honey I will be your man
Yes your one and only man
I said your one and only man
You don't need nobody to do nothing for you baby
I could say I could be one guy that you love
I could just love and be just one guy that you need
I could just be anyone you want me to be, now, now
I said I could be just anyone you want me to be
Darling, baby, my, my, my, my baby
Na, na, wow
Na, na, wow
Lyrics © Royalty Network
Written by: OTIS REDDING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
staxmantim
Thank God for this man's voice, The Memphis Horns, & the MGs! Dig Steve Cropper's guitar!
staxmantim
Oh yeah! And you hit the nail on the head by referring to Motown as a Pop label. They had some soulful artists (Gladys Knight, Jr. Walker & the All-Stars), & Stevie Wonder and The Temptations did some funky stuff in the '70s, but they were really Pop. That's not an insult. The sign outside Motown read, "Hitsville U.S.A." which was appropriate because other than Dylan, The Beach Boys, & the British Invasion, Motown artists were racking up the most hits. The sign outside Stax read, "Soulsville U.S.A.". Black & white musicians & songwriters cutting the funkiest, hard hitting deep Soul ever!
Grendelmonster8u
Yep. Is your name in regards to Stax Records? Stax put out a lot of good stuff, all the soul and more funky stuff versus Motown Records or the other pop labels. I think I said below to someone that Otis really reached his fame at the Monterey Pop Festival where he was one of the best acts along with Jimi Hendrix. Then he died later in that year 1967. I love watching those videos of him. His cover of the Stones' "Satisfaction" is great. He really enjoyed singing. Thanks for watching. (:
Hartwell Harrison
nothing at all wrong with this video! Otis was not Soul, Soul was Otis!
Weldon Harper
Otis Redding sang pure soul music from the heart!!!
Lexus Clark
I have always loved Otis Redding. I grow up listing to him through my mother and when I became a adult I fell more inlove with his music. I thought I had heard all his music but by my surprise I haven't. And I feel so lucky to have found this song. Now my kids are grown up and they love him also through me.
imperialpop
Otis never did bad records.
aj anderson
Yes, I love this song! Definitely a fav although not his biggest hit. Thanks!
rok alwar
Dock of the Bay and Your 1 and Only Man... the two best Otis' songs.... Good voice, rhythm and Lyrics.....ra
Maxwell Mccracken
Voice from the gods