JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS
OTIS REDDING
 "Beatthief: Otis Redding""Otis Redding Historical Tour""Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Inductee Otis Redding""Otis Redding Web Site" |
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"Beatthief: Otis Redding""Otis Redding Historical Tour""Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Inductee Otis Redding""Otis Redding Web Site" |
One of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s, Otis Redding exemplified to many listeners the power of Southern "Deep Soul" -- hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads. He was also the most consistent exponent of the Stax sound, cutting his records at the Memphis label/studios that did much to update rhythm and blues into modern soul. His death at the age of 26 was tragic not just because he seemed on the verge of breaking through to a wide pop audience (which he would indeed do with his posthumous #1 single, "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay"). It was also unfortunate because, as "Dock of the Bay" demonstrated, he was also at a point of artistic breakthrough in terms of the expression and sophistication of his songwriting and singing.
Although Redding at his peak was viewed as a consummate, versatile showman, he began his recording career in the early '60s as a Little Richard-styled shouter. The Georgian was working in the band of guitarist Johnny Jenkins at the time, and in 1962 he took advantage of an opportunity to record the ballad "These Arms of Mine" at a Jenkins session. When it became an R&B hit, Redding's solo career was truly on its way, though the hits didn't really start to fly until 1965 and 1966, when "Mr. Pitiful," "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "I Can't Turn You Loose," a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction," and "Respect" (later turned into a huge pop smash by Aretha Franklin) were all big sellers.
Redding wrote much of his own material, sometimes with the assistance of Booker T. and the MG's guitarist Steve Cropper. Yet at the time, Redding's success was primarily confined to the soul market; his singles charted only mildly on the pop listings. He was nonetheless tremendously respected by many White groups, particularly the Rolling Stones, who covered Redding's "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Pain in My Heart." (Redding also returned the favor with "Satisfaction.")
One of Redding's biggest hits was a duet with fellow Stax star Carla Thomas, "Tramp," in 1967. That was the same year he began to show signs of making major inroads into the White audience, particularly with a well-received performance at the Monterey Pop Festival (also issued on record). Redding's biggest triumph, however, came just days before his death, when he recorded the wistful "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," which represented a significant leap as far as examination of more intensely personal emotions. Also highlighted by crisp Cropper guitar leads and dignified horns, it rose to the top of the pop charts in early 1968.
Redding, however, had perished in a plane crash in Wisconsin on December 10, 1967, in an accident that also took the lives of four members from his backup band, the Bar-Kays. A few other singles became posthumous hits, and a good amount of other unreleased material was issued in the wake of his death. These releases weren't purely exploitative in nature, in fact containing some pretty interesting music, and little that could be considered embarrassing. What Redding might have achieved, or what directions he might have explored, are among the countless tantalizing "what if" questions in rock'n'roll history. As it is he did record a considerable wealth of music at Stax, which is now available on thoughtfully archived reissues. -- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
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01. Pain in My Heart 02. Dog 03. Stand by Me 04. Hey Hey Baby 05. You Send Me 06. I Need Your Loving |
07. These Arms of Mine 08. Louie, Louie 09. Something Is Worrying Me 10. Security 11. That's What My Heart Needs 12. Lucille |
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01. That's How Strong My Love Is 02. Chained and Bound 03. Woman, a Lover, a Friend 04. Your One and Only Man 05. Nothing Can Change This Love 06. It's Too Late |
07. For Your Precious Love 08. I Want to Thank You 09. Come to Me 10. Home in Your Heart 11. Keep Your Arms Around Me 12. Mr. Pitiful |
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01. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 02. I'm Sick Y'all 03. Tennessee Waltz 04. Sweet Lorene 05. Try A Little Tenderness 06. Day Tripper |
07. My Lover's Prayer 08. She Put The Hurt On Me 09. Ton Of Joy 10. You're Still My Baby 11. Hawg For You 12. Love Have Mercy |
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01. Just One More Day 02. It's Growing 03. Cigarettes And Coffee 04. Chain Gang 05. Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And out) 06. Good To Me |
07. Scratch My Back 08. Treat Her Right 09. Everybody Makes A Mistake 10. Any Ole Way 11. 634-5789 |
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01. Ole Man Trouble 02. Respect 03. Change GOnna Come 04. Down In The Valley 05. I've Been Loving You Too Long 06. Shake |
07. My Girl 08. Wonderful World 09. Rock Me Baby 10. Satisfaction 11. You Don't Miss Your Water |
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01. I've Been Loving You Too Long 02. Try A Little Tenderness 03. These Arms Of Mine 04. Pain In My Heart 05. My Lover's Prayer 06. Shake |
07. Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa 08. Respect 09. Satisfaction 10. Mr. Pitiful 11. Security 12. I Can't Turn You Loose |
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01. Respect 02. Can't Turn You Loose 03. I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop now) 04. My Girl 05. Shake |
06. Satisfaction 07. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 08. These Arms of Mine 09. Day Tripper 10. Try a Little Tenderness |
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01. Knock on Wood 02. Let Me Be Good to You 03. Tramp 04. Tell It Like It Is 05. When Something Is Wrong with My Baby 06. Lovey Dovey |
07. New Year's Resolution 08. It Takes Two 09. Are You Lonely for Me, Baby? 10. Bring It on Home to Me 11. Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis |
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01. I Can't Turn You Loose 02. Pain in My Heart 03. Just One More Day 04. Mr. Pitiful 05. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction |
06. I'm Depending on You 07. Any Ole Way 08. These Arms of Mine 09. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag 10. Respect |
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01. (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay 02. I Love You More Than Words Can Say 03. Let Me Come on Home 04. Open the Door 05. Don't Mess with Cupid 06. Glory of Love |
07. I'm Coming Home to See About You 08. Tramp 09. Hucklebuck 10. Nobody Knows You (When You're Down and out) 11. Ole Man Trouble |
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01. I've Got Dreams To Remember 02. You Made A Man Out Of Me 03. Nobody's Fault But Mine 04. Hard To Handle 05. Thousand Miles Away 06. The Happy Song (Dum-Dum-De-De-De-Dum-Dum) |
07. Think About It 08. A Waste Of Time 09. Champagne And Wine 10. A Fool For You 11. Amen |
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01. I'm a Changed Man 02. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me)Higher and Higher) 03. That's a Good Idea 04. I'll Let Nothing Separate Us 05. Direct Me 06. Love Man |
07. Groovin' Time 08. Your Feeling Is Mine 09. Got to Get Myself Together 10. Free Me 11. Lover's Question 12. Look at That Girl |
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01. Demonstration 02. Tell the Truth 03. Out of Sight 04. Give Away None of My Love 05. Wholesale Love 06. I Got the Will |
07. Johnny's Hearbreak 08. Snatch a Little Piece 09. Slippin' and Slidin' 10. Match Game 11. Little Time 12. Swingin' on a String |
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01. Trick or Treat 02. Loving by the Pound 03. There Goes My Baby 04. Remember Me 05. Send Me Some Lovin' 06. She's All Right 07. Cupid 08. Boston Monkey 09. Don't Be Afraid of Love 10. Little Ol' Me 11. Pounds and Hundreds |
12. You Got Good Lovin' 13. Gone Again 14. I'm Coming Home 15. (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay 16. (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay 17. Respect 18. Open the Door 19. I've Got Dreams to Remember 20. Come to Me 21. Try a Little Tenderness 22. Stay in School |
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01. She's All Right 02. Gettin' Hip 03. Shout Bamalama 04. Hey Hey Baby 05. These Arms of Mine 06. That's What My Heart Needs 07. Mary's Little Lamb 08. Pain in My Heart 09. Security 10. Come to Me 11. Don't Leave Me This Way 12. Little Ol' Me 13. Don't Be Afraid of Love 14. Your One and Only Man 15. Chained and Bound 16. That's How Strong My Love Is 17. Mr. Pitiful 18. For Your Precious Love 19. I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop now) 20. I'm Depending on You 21. Ole Man Trouble 22. Change Gonna Come 23. Down in the Valley 24. Shake 25. Respect 26. You Don't Miss Your Water 27. Satisfaction 28. I Can't Turn You Loose 29. Cupid 30. Just One More Day 31. Good to Me 32. Cigarettes and Coffee 33. Chain Gang 34. My Lover's Prayer 35. It's Growing 36. I'm Coming Home 37. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 38. I'm Sick Y'all 39. Sweet Lorene 40. Try a Little Tenderness 41. Day Tripper 42. Tramp 43. Knock on Wood 44. Lovey Dovey 45. New Year's Resolution 46. You Left the Water Running 47. Trick or Treat 48. Merry Christmas, Baby |
49. White Christmas 50. Things Go Better with Coke 51. Announcement 52. Glory of Love 53. I Love You More Than Words Can Say 54. Let Me Come on Home 55. Open the Door 56. Hucklebuck 57. Happy Song (Dum Dum) 58. Hard to Handle 59. Amen 60. Gone Again 61. I've Got Dreams to Remember 62. I'm a Changed Man 63. Direct Me 64. Love Man 65. Free Me 66. Look at That Girl 67. Pounds and Hundreds (Lbs & 100s) 68. Tell the Truth 69. Johnny's Heartbreak 70. Match Game 71. Little Time 72. Slippin' and Slidin' 73. (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay 74. Introduction 75. Shake 76. Pain in My Heart 77. These Arms of Mine 78. Can't Turn You Loose 79. I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop now) 80. My Girl 81. Your One and Only Man 82. Good to Me 83. Day Tripper 84. Just One More Day 85. Mr. Pitiful 86. Satisfaction 87. I'm Depending on You 88. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 89. Chained and Bound 90. Ol' Man Trouble 91. Any Ole Way 92. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag 93. Security 94. Hard Day's Night 95. Respect 96. Try a Little Tenderness |
