Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Reminiscing Otis Redding’s Final Masterpiece, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Otis Redding sadly died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, just a month before his song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was released three days after he recorded it. 

The song became his biggest hit and was also the first-ever posthumous No. 1 single in the United States. The song also peaked No. 3 on the United Kingdom Singles Chart. It is unfortunate how the legendary soul singer never heard the finished version and witnessed his single breakthrough.

The Story Behind Redding’s Breakthrough Single

Otis Redding wrote “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” with his great friend Steve Cropper, who would not only finish the song but also come up with a melody to accompany them as well.

Redding was in the middle of a tour with The Bar-Kays when he wrote the song’s first verse on a houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California. He went on scribbling lines of the song on napkins and various bits of hotel paper.

Two months later, he joined Cropper at the Stax recording studio in Memphis to record the song.

In 1990, Cropper gave us a glimpse into the creation of the song. “Otis was one of those kinds of guys who had one hundred ideas,” he said. “The story that I got is that he was renting a boathouse or stayed at a boathouse or something, and that’s where he got the idea of the ships coming in the bay there. And that’s about all he had: ‘I watch the ships come in, and I watch them roll away again.'”

Cropper added that Redding has “always envisioned a ship going under the Golden Gate Bridge.” And Cropper “being a purist kind of guy I said, ‘Otis, did you ever think that if a ship rolls it’s going to take on water and sink,'” to which Redding answered, ‘Hell, Crop, that’s what I want,'”

Since Otis always got his way, Cropper took that and finished the lyrics.

The Most Famous Whistling In Music History

Interestingly, this song’s end came with what seemed to be the most famous whistling in music history, but most people did not know that this wasn’t planned. 

“If you’re an Otis Redding fan, you’d know that he’s probably the world’s greatest at ad-libbing at the end of a song. Sometimes you could go another minute or two with Otis Redding’s adlibs – they were so spontaneous and felt so great,” Cropper explained on his website. 

Redding had worked up “this little fadeout rap he was gonna do an adlib” for the song, but when it’s time for him to work his verbal magic, “He forgot what it was so he started whistling.” When Cropper and Stax Records’ engineer Ronnie Capone heard it, they knew it had to stay. As Redding had requested, the sound of seagulls and waves was also added to the song’s background. And the end result was one of the many instantly-memorable moments that stand out in the track.

“Sittin’ here restin’ my bones. And this loneliness won’t leave me alone, listen. Two thousand miles, I roam. Just to make this dock my home. Now I’m just gon’ sit, at the dock of the bay. Watchin’ the tide roll away, ooh yeah. Sittin’ on the dock of the bay, wastin’ time,” the song goes.

Redding’s untimely death is absolutely heartbreaking. He was a rising star moving toward mainstream success, and there could be a great chance he would have recorded several more hits if he had lived.

But for now, tune in and listen to Otis Redding’s memorable performance of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”

Latest Stories

Hannah Kay Honors Loretta Lynn in Powerful "Coal Miner's Daughter" Performance

Hannah Kay Honors Loretta Lynn in Powerful “Coal Miner’s Daughter” Performance

In a world where country music continually evolves, some voices remind us of its timeless roots. In 2019, then-18-year-old Texas singer Hannah Kay did just that with her moving rendition ...

Zach Top’s Journey from Farm Life in WA to Breakout Country Music Star

Zach Top’s Journey from Farm Life in WA to Breakout Country Music Star

Zach Top didn’t just stumble into country music fame; he built his way there from the ground up, starting on a modest farm in Sunnyside, Washington. Far removed from Nashville’s ...

Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody” Tackles Real Romance with a Fresh Sound

Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody” Tackles Real Romance with a Fresh Sound

Morgan Wallen’s new single, “Love Somebody,” has arrived, and it’s not just another love song—it’s an honest look at the complicated, often bumpy road to finding real connection. After years ...

Morgan Wallen Sets New Records Outshining Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift

Morgan Wallen Sets New Records Outshining Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift

Morgan Wallen’s career continues to reach impressive heights with his latest achievement. This historic milestone solidifies his place among country music’s most celebrated figures. His new single, “Love Somebody,” has ...

Jelly Roll Gets Emotional Sharing a First Look at His Expansive 500-Acre Dream Property

Jelly Roll Gets Emotional Sharing a First Look at His Expansive 500-Acre Dream Property

Country music star Jelly Roll recently shared an emotional video on social media, revealing his purchase of a sprawling 500-acre plot of land. The video, filled with raw emotion and ...

Morgan Wallen Donates $500,000 Worth of Musical Instruments to Students Across the Nation

Morgan Wallen Donates $500,000 Worth of Musical Instruments to Students Across the Nation

Country music superstar Morgan Wallen isn’t just wowing crowds on his One Night at a Time tour; he’s also rocking the world of music education. Through his Morgan Wallen Foundation, ...

Luke Combs and Eric Church's Concert Raises $24M for Hurricane Helene Victims

Luke Combs and Eric Church’s Concert Raises $24M for Hurricane Helene Victims

Country music superstars Luke Combs and Eric Church united for a powerful cause, headlining the “Concert for Carolina” to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene. The star-studded event, held at Bank ...

13 Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Brad Paisley

13 Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Brad Paisley

When you think of Brad Paisley, you probably picture the quick-witted country star with a guitar in hand and a string of chart-toppers behind him. But there’s much more to ...

Blake Shelton Honors Elvis Presley with "Suspicious Minds" Cover

Blake Shelton Honors Elvis Presley with “Suspicious Minds” Cover

Elvis Presley’s influence on music is undeniable, and his legacy inspires generations. His 1969 hit “Suspicious Minds” remains a signature track, capturing love, conflict, and heartbreak themes. Decades later, country ...

Alan Jackson Stops "Pop a Top" at CMAs in Honor of George Jones

Alan Jackson Stops “Pop a Top” at CMAs in Honor of George Jones

It’s always remarkable when country legends support each other, especially on music’s biggest stages. Alan Jackson’s unforgettable tribute to George Jones at the 1999 CMA Awards was one such moment, ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.