Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding

Another one of those songs that I've no idea where I first heard it, but as soon as I did hear it I was sat beside Otis on that dock. A brilliant lyric that takes you on a journey and helps you drift away to a happier place. The groove of this one so soothing and relaxing. I heard the story of how and where this song was written, Otis was actually sat on a house boat acting out exactly what he was describing in the words. Sat there in the morning sun just letting the day past him by, he thought to himself what's it all about? Love the fact it ends up by him just whistling over the backing, it's just what you would do as you were sat there contemplating life and let your mind wander.

 

Sadly this was recorded just days before his death in a plane crash. It was on the legendary STAX label and Booker T and the M.G's did the backing like most of STAXs songs.

Otis Redding was an amazing artist that broke new ground in music, Soul music was another genre that grew out of other influences. When stuff comes from other places it's almost like the lighting in the thunder clouds where great ideas and methods collide and produce a new spark. Then once the genre's up and running it then tends to break back down into the sum of it's parts with different artists focusing more on one or more of the influences. Songs like this aren't what would be held up as your typical Soul song, they usually have fast beats and lots of energy, but taking Soul to actually mean from the heart, you can't really question it.