Otis Redding
The Dock of the Bay (1968)
Otis Redding, Steve Cropper
Recorded just days before his tragic passing, this track represents Otis Redding's transition toward a more folk-influenced 'Memphis Soul' sound. It remains one of the most iconic songs in music history, serving as the first posthumous number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
This song is a masterclass in the 'Stax Soul' harmonic vocabulary, primarily utilizing major triads even where the G major scale dictates minor chords. By using III7 (B7), VI (E), and II (A), the harmony avoids the 'sad' quality of diatonic minor chords, creat…
Otis Redding began writing the lyrics to the song in August 1967, while sitting on a rented houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California, following his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. He later completed the song in Memphis with the help of Stax…
“The whistling at the end of the song was originally intended to be a placeholder for a verse Redding hadn't finished yet or a vocal ad-lib, but he died before he could record an al…”
This song is a masterclass in the 'Stax Soul' harmonic vocabulary, primarily utilizing major triads even where the G major scale dictates minor chords. By using III7 (B7), VI (E), and II (A), the harmony avoids the 'sad' quality of diatonic minor chords, creating a bittersweet tension against the melancholic lyrics. The progression is driven by Steve Cropper's guitar work, which treats these chords as shifting tonal centers rather than strict functional dominant resolutions.
Otis Redding began writing the lyrics to the song in August 1967, while sitting on a rented houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California, following his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. He later completed the song in Memphis with the help of Stax guitarist and producer Steve Cropper, who contributed the bridge and the iconic guitar licks.
Recorded just days before his tragic passing, this track represents Otis Redding's transition toward a more folk-influenced 'Memphis Soul' sound. It remains one of the most iconic songs in music history, serving as the first posthumous number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
R&B
Era
60s
Mood
Melancholic
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Vocal-focused
Feel
Groovy
27K
Plays
5K
Listeners
431K
Genius Views
8
Annotations
89%
Popularity
2:42
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Rock
Harmony This song is a masterclass in the 'Stax Soul' harmonic vocabulary, primarily utilizing major triads even where the G major scale dictates minor chords. By using III7 (B7), VI (E), and II (A), the harmony avoids the 'sad' quality of diatonic minor chords, creating a bittersweet tension against the melancholic lyrics. The progression is driven by Steve Cropper's guitar work, which treats these chords as shifting tonal centers rather than strict functional dominant resolutions. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Request Full Analysis
No musician information available for this song yet.
Composition Otis Redding began writing the lyrics to the song in August 1967, while sitting on a rented houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California, following his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. He later completed the song in Memphis with the help of Stax guitarist and producer Steve Cropper, who contributed the bridge and the iconic guitar licks. Inspiration: The song was inspired by the sense of isolation and change Redding felt while watching ships come and go in the San Francisco Bay. It marked a significant stylistic departure from his previous high-energy soul hits, moving toward a more contemplative, folk-influenced sound. Recording Studio: Stax Studios Producer: Steve Cropper The whistling at the end of the song was originally intended to be a placeholder for a verse Redding hadn't finished yet or a vocal ad-lib, but he died before he could record an alternative. The sounds of seagulls and crashing waves were added by Steve Cropper during the post-production process after Redding's death. The song was Redding's last recording and was considered a significant risk by Stax Records management due to its mellow, 'pop' direction.
Chord Sheet Chords Used Hide functions G I T B7 III7 T C IV P A II7 P E VI T D V D F bVII D Progression by Section Bridge G I T D V D C IV P G I T D V D C IV P G I T B7 III7 D C IV P G I T A II P G I T F bVII D V D Chorus G I T E VI T G I T E VI T G I T A II P G I T E VI T Verse G I T B7 III7 D C IV P A II7 D Chord Fingerings G Standard B7 Standard C Standard A Standard E Standard D Standard F Standard Harmony Analysis This song is a masterclass in the 'Stax Soul' harmonic vocabulary, primarily utilizing major triads even where the G major scale dictates minor chords. By using III7 (B7), VI (E), and II (A), the harmony avoids the 'sad' quality of diatonic minor chords, creating a bittersweet tension against the melancholic lyrics. The progression is driven by Steve Cropper's guitar work, which treats these chords as shifting tonal centers rather than strict functional dominant resolutions. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Search tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
🎶 Similar Tracks Spanish Harlem (1961) Ben E. King Shake a Tailfeather Ray Charles I Thank You Sam & Dave La La Means I Love You The Delfonics Mustang Sally Wilson Pickett Working in the Coal Mine Lee Dorsey 🎤 More by Otis Redding (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay 8.5M plays Try a Little Tenderness 3.0M plays These Arms of Mine 2.4M plays Hard to Handle 1.6M plays Cigarettes and Coffee 1.8M plays Stand by Me 1.4M plays View all Otis Redding songs → Lyrics View Lyrics on Genius
Spanish Harlem (1961)Ben E. KingShake a TailfeatherRay CharlesI Thank YouSam & DaveLa La Means I Love YouThe DelfonicsMustang SallyWilson PickettWorking in the Coal MineLee Dorsey(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay8.5M playsTry a Little Tenderness3.0M playsThese Arms of Mine2.4M playsHard to Handle1.6M playsCigarettes and Coffee1.8M playsStand by Me1.4M playsView all Otis Redding songs →