Sittin On the Dock of the Bay

Song meaning of Sittin On the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding

Redding remained on a houseboat in Sausalito, California, for a few days before performing at the Fillmore in San Francisco, California, a few days after his legendary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967.

The first lyric of "Dock of the Bay" was written by him when he was aboard the boat, and the song was finished in Memphis with the help of guitarist Steve Cropper.

A few days later, Redding's private plane crashed into Madison, Wisconsin's Lake Monona while he was on tour with the Bar-Kays.

Cropper pre-occupied himself by mixing "Dock of the Bay" as divers looked for Redding's body. The aircraft was removed from the lake in 1967, with Redding's body still fastened to the co-pilot's seat.

Sittin On the Dock of the Bay lyrics by Otis Redding

Sittin' in the morning sun

I'll be sittin' when the evening comes

Watching the ships roll in

Then I watch them roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh

I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

I left my home in Georgia

Headed for the Frisco Bay

'Cause I've had nothing to live for

And look like nothing's gonna come my way

So, I'm just gon' sit on the dock of the bay

Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

Looks like nothing's gonna change

Everything still remains the same

I can't do what ten people tell me to do

So I guess I'll remain the same, listen

Sittin' here resting 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 a bay

Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh

Sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time