Sittin On the Dock of the Bay

Song meaning & background 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.

Guitar Chords and Lyrics of (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding

[Intro]

G

[Verse]

G                      B

Sittin' in the morning sun

        C                C B Bb  A

I'll be sittin' when the evening come

G                       B

Watching the ships roll in

          C               C B Bb A

then I'll watch 'em roll away   again, yeah

[Chorus]

         G                          E

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

             G          E

watching the tide roll away

        G                          A

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

        G    E

wasting ti---ime

[Verse]

G                 B

I left my home in Georgia and I

C              C   B Bb A

Headed for the Frisco   bay

G                          B

'Cause I've got nothing to live for

C                         C    B Bb A

Look like nothing's gonna come my   way

[Chorus]

         G                          E

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

             G          E

watching the tide roll away

        G                        A

ooo I'm sittin' on the dock of a bay

        G    E

wasting ti---ime

[Bridge]

G  D         C

   Look like nothing's gonna change

G       D     C

   Everything seems to stay the same

G  D               C          G

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

F                    D

   So I guess I'll remain the same

[Verse]

G                       B

Sittin' here resting my bones

         C                C     B  Bb A

and this loneliness won't leave me a--lone

      G            B

These 2000 miles I roamed

        C         C    B Bb A

just to make this dock my   home

[Chorus]

    G                          E

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

             G          E

Watching the tide roll away.  ooo

G                          A

Sittin' on the dock of the bay

            G    E

I'm wasting ti---ime

[Outro]

G  E

G  E