Otis Redding Band

Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee, and exemplify the sound of Stax.



Essential Albums; Otis Blue or The Dictionary of Soul probably would be the best albums to start with. The posthumous collection The Dock of the Bay is also very good too.

 

I LOVE his version of Tennessee Waltz, and I find it is a really interesting take on it, compared to Sam Cooke's version. Cooke's version is swinging and life-affirming and energetic, whereas Redding's interpretation is far more sorrowful and mournful. I think it's also my favourite vocal performance of his, too.

 

How this song wasn't a world-conquering hit, I will never understand:

 

Otis Redding

He was one of the seminal voices of soul music, despite the fact that he only really had five years before his tragic death. Otis's pleading, desperate quality in his voice was a benchmark that singers have been chasing and failing to reach for 50 years. As a songwriter (his most underrated talent), he wrote stone-cold classics like "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay)" and "Respect". And lest anyone say he couldn't bring it live, his live records and especially his performance on Monterey Pop will shut you up quickly. His friend and collaborator (and legend in his own right) Steve Cropper once said of him "When you hear something that's better than anything you ever heard, you know it", and it's hard not to agree when you hear him sing.

Recommended Listen:
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Crash Course:
1. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
2. Complete and Unbeievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
3. The Dock of the Bay

Compilation Replacement:
Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology

Signature Songs:
1. These Arms of Mine
2. I've Been Loving You Too Long
3. I Can't Turn You Loose
4. Try a Little Tenderness
5. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

Personal Note:
I could have gone Live in Europe, which is awesome, or The Soul Album which is more consistent over The Dock of the Bay, which is a posthumous album put together mostly from cuts he had lying around, but some of the songs on that just have to be something you hear if you only catch a little bit of Otis.

 

Otis's death might be the most tragic in music history. Not that you can qualify that sort of thing, but who can imagine the career that he could've had if he lived past 26

 

Awesome! I think I've heard all his studio records, but haven't checked out any live stuff yet, so Live In Europe will be on the list for this week.

 

probably tied with Buddy Holly for me, dude was 22 and had already become one of the most influential musicians of all time

 

I couldn't find the Live album I planned on listening to, so re listened to Otis Blue. The tracklisting on this is remarkable, pretty much all the songs are total classics in their own right. I forget how loaded it is until hit after hit keeps coming. We have Repect, Change is Gonna Come, Ole Man Trouble, Shake, My Girl, Wonderful World and I Can't Get No Satisfaction all in a little over half an hour!

Otis also stamps his personality on these songs too, they sound like his songs (and obviously some are his songs), not covers. In comparison to say, Sam Cooke or Aretha, these songs and album is a lot rougher and rawer. His voice is strained and raw, with the instrumentation being muddier and bluesier than those two would do it. It obviously really suits him, as he is just an extraordinary singer.

I listened to the full Extended edition of this album, which contains a dozen or so bonus tracks. While there is a little bit too much there, those bonus tracks contain some great live cuts, that I'm keen to track down more. He was an astonishing live presence and voice. The last few moments of "I've Been Loving you Too Long" with Otis just shrieking are incredible.

Will hopefully listen to something new to me soon. There's a few studio albums that I haven't heard, after checking Wiki, so keen to see what gems are buried in there that I've missed.

 

Listened to King & Queen which was a duet album recorded with Carla Thomas (who I don't know much about), and the last album Otis released before his death. It's good! It's a collection of ten soul staples, and then one original to round it out. It's definitely quite a light album, quite breezy, nothing as anguished as Otis' solo stuff. However, him and Carla work well as a team, playing off each other well with a good chemistry, particularly on Tramp.

The songs chosen are fun, with hits like Knock on Wood, When Something is Wrong with my Baby, and Bring it on Home to Me being my favourites. It's not remarkable, and to make a lazy comparison it's nowhere near as good as Marvin Gaye's duet albums with Tammi Terrell, but it's an enjoyable listen, with some strong songs and performances.

 

Turns out me saying that I've heard all his studio stuff was absolute nonsense. Haven't checked out any of his posthumous stuff, other than Dock of the Bay. So I listened to Tell The Truth, from 1970, featuring songs from 1967. It seems like a fairly minor album, little information or response to it on Wiki.

As with most posthumous collections, it doesn't really feel complete, and even though there's nothing on here that sounds new or essential for a casual fan, there's more than enough on here for it to be a rewarding and enjoyable half hour. Otis was so talented that he shines through even when singing over the most plain or uninteresting arrangements. It's full of that classic rough and raw stuff that he did so well, slipping seamlessly into a James Brown or Little Richard cover with confidence. There's nothing here that blows me away, like the best of Otis Blue, or The Dictionary of Soul do, but it's a very functional collection of songs from an immensely talented artist.

 

Absolutely smashing his discography today, basically all I've been listening to at work; listened to In Person at the Whisky a Go Go, which is a live album recorded in 1966 and released two years later.

It's absolutely raucous, you can practically hear the sweat from the opening track, just absolutely everything that's brilliant about rock n roll. Otis' voice is at its raspiest best, sounding out of breath from minute one, but still screaming. He's such an an energetic front-man, couldn't imagine how incredible it would have been to have been in attendance then. The band is tight and loud, showing their hand at a few styles.

The star is (obviously) Otis though, switching between hard and soft songs, and just continually nailing every single note. The energy doesn't drop at all throughout the forty minute set, with Otis playing some great tracks, including a fantastic cover of James Brown's Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, which brings the house down. I'm generally not a huge fan of live albums, but this is absolutely exceptional.

 

First time with The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads. He really did not take time to grow into being one of the greatest singers to ever live, did he? Even on album #2, he is fully formed with all the pleading, grasping growling and feel. For the most part, his delivery is elevating solid material that isn't necessarily among his best songs, but there are exceptions. He outright makes love to "Your Precious Love". I don't think it's ever been done better. "That's How Strong My Love Is" is expertly delivered. And "Mr. Pitiful" is a party. The overall record is another hit in a catalog with nothing but, though still a notch below Otis Blue or Complete and Unbelievable

 

Listening to Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul right now. This is so great. Thought I'd post this week since I didn't like last weeks artist. Love him singing "Respect".

 

Oh man "A Change Is Gonna Come" is killer.

 

Not sure if you know, he wrote "Respect"

 

First time with Pain in My Heart, it's a little perfunctory, as his albums go. It's more promise than achievement, as you expect from a debut album. Even still, The MG's tear it up all across the record and he's in excellent voice. "These Arms of Mine" and "That's What My Heart Needs", at the very least, are top-flite additions to his catalog of great songs, too.

 

Otis Blue was incredible. First album I've listened to by him. I had no idea that he wrote Respect, that's so badass.

 

"I Love You More Than Words Can Say" off of The Dock of the Bay has a legitimate claim at my single favorite soul song of all time.

 

Listened to some Otis Redding for the first time this weekend. He's incredible. I will be going through his discography asap.

 

Totally forgot to post about taking Otis Blue for another spin this weekend. The true tribute to Otis' greatness is that the songs on this have been done so definitively by others, and yet his stand entirely on their own two feet as essential versions.

 

Listening to The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul for the first time right now and I'll be moving onto his posthumous material next. One of the greatest vocalists ever.

 

There's been so much great new music this year, and not to belittle that, but tbh I think my greatest discovery this year has been Otis. I just can't stop listening to his music, haha.

 

Checking out The Soul Album for the first time. Very good