After graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October.
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions. She signed a contract with Epic Records' A&R executive Pete Giberga on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 was spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album.
Her debut major-label album Little Voice came out on July 17, 2007.
The Dock of the Bay
Sara Bareilles Lyrics
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I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watchin' the ships roll in
And then I'll watch 'em roll away again
I'm gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away
Sit on the dock of the bay wastin' time, ooh ooh
I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the Frisco bay
'Cause I've got nothing to live for
And nothing's gonna come my way
I'm gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away
Sit on the dock of the bay wastin' time
Looks like nothing's gonna change, no no
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'm gonna stay the same, ooh
Sittin' here restin' my bones
This loneliness won't leave me alone
Two thousand miles I roam
Just to make this dock my home, yeah
I'm gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
I'm a sit on the dock of the bay wastin' time
I'm gonna sit on the dock of the bay!
Wastin' time, wastin' time, wastin' time
In Sara Bareilles's cover of Otis Redding's "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay", the lyrics reflect the singer's feelings of isolation and aimlessness. The song begins with the singer sitting on the dock, watching the sunrise, and ending their day doing the same thing. The ships in the bay come and go, illustrating the transience of life.
The second verse explains why the singer left their home in Georgia and headed to San Francisco Bay. It's unclear what happened to the singer, but they claim to have nothing to live for, implying depression and hopelessness. The singer longs for a change but realizes that nothing appears to be different, and perhaps that they are unwilling to listen to other people's advice on how to change.
The song's final verse describes the singer's endless restlessness, having traveled two thousand miles to be by the dock. The singer remains alone in their thoughts, with time feeling like it's being wasted away. Overall, Bareilles's take on "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay" expresses a pervasive sense of loneliness and being stuck in a rut, with no clear way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I am sitting on this dock early in the morning when the sun is out
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
I will still be here sitting when the evening comes
Watchin' the ships roll in
I am observing the activities of boats that come to the dock and anchor there
And then I'll watch 'em roll away again
I will also be watching these boats go away as they leave the dock
I'm gonna sit on the dock of the bay
I plan on staying in this area near the bay where the dock is located
Watchin' the tide roll away
I am watching the movement of the water on this bay as it comes and goes
Sit on the dock of the bay wastin' time, ooh ooh
I am simply sitting here doing nothing and wasting my time
I left my home in Georgia
I moved away from my home state of Georgia
Headed for the Frisco bay
I came to the bay area surrounding San Francisco, California
'Cause I've got nothing to live for
I have no motivation or purpose in my life
And nothing's gonna come my way
I don't expect anything positive to happen to me
Looks like nothing's gonna change, no no
I feel like nothing in my life will improve
Everything still remains the same
My life is stagnant and unchanging
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
I don't want to follow instructions from other people
So I guess I'm gonna stay the same, ooh
So I will most likely retain my current state of being
Sittin' here restin' my bones
I am sitting here trying to find some physical comfort and relaxation
This loneliness won't leave me alone
I am struggling with feeling lonely, it is a consistent feeling
Two thousand miles I roam
I traveled a very far distance from where I used to live
Just to make this dock my home, yeah
I came this far just to find a place to stay and feel at home
I'm gonna sit at the dock of the bay
I am resolved to spending my time by the bay and the dock
Wastin' time, wastin' time, wastin' time
I will unfortunately be using up a lot of time without anything to show for it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind