Percy Sledge worked in the fields in Leighton before he worked as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield. By the mid-1960s, Sledge was touring the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends and working at the hospital. A former patient who was a friend of producer Quin Ivy introduced the two, an audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract.
Sledge's smooth voice was perfect for the series of soul ballads produced by Ivy and Marlin Greene, which rock critic Dave Marsh called "emotional classics for romantics of all ages."
"When a Man Loves a Woman" was the first song recorded under the contract (released in 1966), and it became not only an international hit (it reached #1 in the US) but was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records. The magnificent soul anthem became the cornerstone of Sledge's career and was followed by "Warm and Tender Love," "Take Time to Know Her," and "Cover Me."
Sledge charted with "I'll Be Your Everything" and "Sunshine" during the 1970s, and has become an international concert favorite throughout the world, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and on the African continent.
His career enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s when "When a Man Loves a Woman" re-entered the Top 10 in the UK after being used in a Levi's commercial.
Sledge was an inaugural Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award honoree in 1989. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sitting On the Dock of the Bay
Percy Sledge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Watchin' the ships roll in
Then I watch 'em roll away again
(Yeah,) I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away,
(Ooh, I'm just) sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin'
Time
Headed for the Frisco Bay
I had nothin' to live for
Looks like nothin's gonna come my way
(So,) I'm just gonna sittin'on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away,
Oh, I'm (just) sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin'
Time
Looks like nothin's gonna change;
Everything, everithing remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same
Looks like nothin's gonna change;
Everything, everithing remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same
I'm sittin' here restin' my bones
And this loneliness won't leave my alone
Two thousand miles, I roam
Just to make this dock my home
Now, I'm just gonna sit, on the dock of the bay
Oh, I watch the tide
No, I'm gonna watch the tide roll away
On the dock of the bay
Ooh wastin', wastin', Ooh no, no no no
The lyrics to Percy Sledge's iconic song "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay" express feelings of loneliness, frustration, and resignation while the singer sits on the dock in San Francisco Bay, watching the tides roll in and out, and ships coming and going. He left his home in Georgia with no plan or purpose in mind, and he was uncertain about what he would find in San Francisco. The singer seems to be experiencing a sense of disconnection, perhaps from society or a lack of direction in his own life. He repeats that everything remains the same and says that he cannot do what ten people tell him to do, suggesting that he feels trapped or controlled.
Sledge's melancholic vocals combined with the understated instrumentation make the song a classic. The melody is simple and the lyrics poignant, as the listener can empathize with the singer's feeling of helplessness. The melancholic tone of the song is beautifully captured in the whistling tune at the end, which adds an air of nostalgia and longing for what has passed. The song almost became a eulogy for Sledge after his death in 2015 as it still resonates with the audience years after its original release.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I am sitting in the morning sun.
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
I plan to continue sitting when the evening comes.
Watchin' the ships roll in
I am watching the ships arrive.
Then I watch 'em roll away again
I see the ships leave again.
(Yeah,) I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Yes, I am sitting on the dock by the bay.
Watchin' the tide roll away,
I am watching the ocean's tide roll out.
(Ooh, I'm just) sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin'
I am just sitting here doing nothing, wasting time.
Time
Time is passing by.
Left my home in Georgia
I left my home in Georgia.
Headed for the Frisco Bay
I am on my way to the Frisco Bay.
I had nothin' to live for
I had nothing left to live for.
Looks like nothin's gonna come my way
It seems like I won't receive anything good.
(So,) I'm just gonna sittin'on the dock of the bay
Therefore, I will just continue to sit on the dock by the bay.
Oh, I'm (just) sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin'
Oh, I am just sitting here doing nothing, wasting time.
Time
Time is still passing by.
Looks like nothin's gonna change;
It seems like nothing will change.
Everything, everithing remains the same
Everything, everything stays the same.
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
I cannot do what ten people ask me to do.
So I guess I'll remain the same
Therefore, I suppose I will stay the same.
Looks like nothin's gonna change;
It seems like nothing will change.
Everything, everithing remains the same
Everything, everything stays the same.
I'm sittin' here restin' my bones
I am sitting here relaxing.
And this loneliness won't leave my alone
But, unfortunately, my loneliness won't leave me alone.
Two thousand miles, I roam
I traveled two thousand miles.
Just to make this dock my home
Just to sit here on this dock and make it my home.
Now, I'm just gonna sit, on the dock of the bay
Now, I will just continue to sit here, on the dock by the bay.
Oh, I watch the tide
I am still watching the tide roll out.
No, I'm gonna watch the tide roll away
I will keep watching the tide roll away.
On the dock of the bay
Here on the dock by the bay.
Ooh wastin', wastin', Ooh no, no no no
Oh, wasting time, wasting time. Oh, no!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kristina Kay
First time hearing this
Amazing. I absolutely love the "oldies"
Makes me think of when times were simpler and family and love actually meant something
Tonjol House
Great performance i liked very much, thanks
Morne Otto
Last year, when I hit rock bottom, I literally spend 3 days sitting at the docks looking over the waters feeling helpless until I was dragged out of my misery.
ReddCrow
love this cover
Kat Campbell
Beautiful.
AXEL gaming and vlogging
He could've sang the phone book!!
Robert Martin
Real Music
Brian Graham
for real ? thats Percy . Better than otis redding ever thought .
robcockay ne
Not maybe, definitely.
keisha williams
this is music