In the winter of 1967, Otis Redding again recorded at Stax. One new song was written while on a houseboat in Sausalito. Redding was inspired by the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and tried to create a similar sound against the label’s wishes. His wife Zelma disliked its atypical melody. The Stax crew were also dissatisfied with the new sound; Stewart thought that it was not R&B, while bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn feared it would damage Stax’s reputation. However, Redding wanted to expand his musical style and thought it was his best song and correctly believed it would top the charts. Redding whistled at the end, either forgetting Cropper’s “fadeout rap”, or paraphrasing it intentionally.
Three days after recording the song, Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays were traveling in Wisconsin between gigs when the small plane they were in, crashed into Lake Monona. Only 2 members of the Bar-Kays survived the crash.
“(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was released in January 1968 and became Redding’s only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first posthumous number-one single in US chart history. It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays.
Johnnie Taylor – Who’s Making Love
Sam & Dave – Hold On, I’m Coming
OMG! This was the first time I listened to this song. Otis and Carla are hilarious!
Otis Redding & Carla Thomas – Tramp
Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally