snuh ([info]snuh) wrote,
@ 2009-09-14 01:43:00
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remembering otis


If his twin engine Beechcraft airplane hadn't plunged into the frigid waters of Wisconsin's Lake Monona in Madison on December 10th, 1967, Otis Redding would have celebrated his 68th birthday last September 9th. His body was recovered from the lake bed the day after the crash, he was just 26 years old when he died.

This isn't meant to be a detailed overview of Otis' career, more of a note to remind what an amazing musician he was, though his life had enough twists and turns to make for an engrossing biography. He was Joe Frazier to Marvin Gaye's Muhammad Ali - while Marvin could precisely take a song apart like Ali an opponent, Otis would bowl one over with the shear strength of his voice, much the bulldog Frazier was in the ring.

In 1962, while a member of Chitlin' Circuit regulars, Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers (where he did double-duty as a driver), Redding used left over studio time to record These Arms of Mine, which climbed to #20 on the national R&B charts. His church choir days evident, it was the first of a series of 6/8 time Gospel-tinged ballads his record company released, setting the tone for his early career.

After a few successful tours of Europe, Otis finally moved from just another circuit soul shouter to superstar in the eyes (and ears) of the American public after his riveting appearance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, where he brought the house down.

Ironically, Redding finally landed that number one hit he spent a career chasing, (Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay, one month after the plane crash. Below you'll find his first recording, a few choice songs with some live cuts from the Whiskey a Go Go and Monterey albums, along with an alternative take of Dock Of The Bay - a bit more sparse, changed vocal phrasings, along with a different whistle on the fade out. I hope you enjoy the tunes as much as I do, to these ears they sound as fresh as the first time around.



Monterey Pop Festival: I've Been Loving You Too Long & Satisfaction


Otis Redding: These Arms Of Mine

Otis Redding: Mr. Pitiful

Otis Redding: Respect

Otis Redding: Satisfaction

Otis Redding: I Can't Turn You Loose [live]

Otis Redding: I've Been Loving You Too Long [live]

Otis Redding: Try A Little Tenderness [live]

Otis Redding: Hard To Handle

Otis Redding: (Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay

Otis Redding: (Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay (Alt Take 2) tnx LS
web hit counter

(24 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Howdy..
(Anonymous)
2009-09-14 11:40 am UTC (link)
Long time no see..Hope things are ok..
Otis is The Man..
Michael/MMRules.. :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Howdy..
[info]snuh
2009-09-14 11:42 am UTC (link)
Hanging on by a thread! The economy is still kicking my ass hard, thanks for the well wishes.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Otis
(Anonymous)
2009-09-14 03:52 pm UTC (link)
A nice set, even though "Champagne and Wine" didn't make the cut... :(

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Otis
[info]snuh
2009-09-14 06:23 pm UTC (link)
Otis Redding: Champagne And Wine

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]mehetabel
2009-09-14 04:46 pm UTC (link)
normally, I'm not one to give Beatles covers one whiff of interest but his "Day Tripper" burns the place down.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]snuh
2009-09-14 06:28 pm UTC (link)
Could there have been an Otis Redding without Al Jackson's pounding snare? He was the engine that pushed it all along, that snare tuned lower than John Bonham's. This song is a great example of that.

Otis Redding: Day Tripper

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[info]retrofire
2009-09-14 08:48 pm UTC (link)
It's the snuh man! - how you been bro. My beloved Obama had better get this country moving again soon. I keep hearing positive reports but I think they're just playin us. Wishing you the best, as always.

Great and awesome music from Otis Redding - looks like I'll be having an Otis Redding festival tonight courtesy of Dr. snuh, the music professor. hehehehe Thanks.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]snuh
2009-09-14 10:02 pm UTC (link)
I'm glad the summer is just about over, I'll tell you that. I'm going to withhold coming to any conclusions about healthcare until I see this all shake out on the next few weeks. All I know is there better be coverage for those without money. I don't think I'll ever get over seeing the media convince people they don't need healthcare or that this is all about insurance companies caring about Americans freedom to overpay and be denied coverage. Hope is all well with you and your family.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]retrofire
2009-09-15 04:25 am UTC (link)
Yeah. I find it all very disheartening - depressing - disturbing. Rove and the low lives are chewing on our throats. They don't respect us and hopefully the group of people stupid enough to fall for their crap is shrinking down to the looniest loons. I was hoping they would bring guns and shoot each other. It's not too late.

We are doing fine - my daughter and I painted the entire basement. There is plenty to keep me busy!

I hope your mom is well and that you are having fun and things get better and better!



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[info]snuh
2009-09-15 05:33 am UTC (link)
The violence going on out there disturbs me, it's an indication there's some serious breakdowns of society going on, the flame being fanned by the likes of Glenn Beck and his crowd of fringe lunatics. All you need to do is remember what happened to the Morton Downey Jr's and Wally George's of the world, the same will eventually happen to them.

Glad you and your daughter are getting along. I hope life gets better, but I'm going to try and not worry about it as much.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]retrofire
2009-09-15 05:15 pm UTC (link)
I was looking around and discovered this website

http://912dc.org/

It's a who's who of nut groups. They have created a dick army (forgive me) by packaging health reform as something else entirely. Freedom is their code word for bigot, I think. On the bright side, the fringe nutbags are all they have left and the only thing their loud incessant farting will accomplish is leaving a terrible stink.

There was a talk guy I used to watch on tv - late at night - during the college years - I found him fascinating - it is hard to remember - he had a little pointed goatee (maybe) - and was a turtle neck wearing sort of guy - and I followed him and found him fascinating. I can't think of his name and have been trying for a while - I am just curious about where my head was at back then. Does that ring a bell?

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[info]snuh
2009-09-15 06:57 pm UTC (link)
When I first came to California, I got to know people that were involved in all sorts of fringe groups, from racial to survivalists. The GOP are using them to their advantage now, but I guarantee that shortly, they will be an albatross around their necks. Something bad will happen soon and the Republican Party will be backpedaling so bad they'll be tripping over themselves to get away. You might like this site: http://lookatthisfuckingteabagger.tumblr.com/

I'm pretty good with old teevee shows - the late night guy, what station was he on?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]retrofire
2009-09-15 09:44 pm UTC (link)
oh I LOVE that link and the movie - Thank You! I have to repost it. It's brilliant.

I think he was on 5 or 11 but it could have been 9. He was on very late - I don't remember the station really or even the year. I looked at the wiki long list of talk hosts and cant find him. I think he may have been in the time slot on wpix 9 before Joe Frankin. I keep hoping his name will jump out of one of my brain creases but it's hopeless. Just for fun look at these tv listings

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=151365.msg1279319

Here's a name out of the past, "Long John" Nebel.



ah the good old days

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[info]snuh
2009-09-16 03:47 am UTC (link)
Was it David Susskind? Have we talked about Long John before?

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[info]retrofire
2009-09-16 04:01 am UTC (link)
No, not David Susskind - nice try though. I looked at lists and lists of names and nothing rings a bell. He is more obscure. I will come up with it eventually.

I don't think we talked about Long John before.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]snuh
2009-09-16 04:33 am UTC (link)
I have to check cause I can go on and on about him. Like many other children of the day, I used to fall asleep at night with a transistor radio under the blanket tuned to WOR. It started with Jean Shepherd who handed it over to Nebel and his guests, whom he would ask about the race of men living in the trees.

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[info]retrofire
2009-09-16 04:52 am UTC (link)
It's interesting to compare old time crazies to modern crazies - it helps to put them into the proper context.

I saw a license plate in Pennsylvania that said, "America Love It or Leave It." Of course I yelled, "I Love America, You Leave It!" But was left feeling completely confused :)

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[info]snuh
2009-09-16 05:35 am UTC (link)
How about Nat Hentoff?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]retrofire
2009-09-16 05:54 am UTC (link)
ooh nice try. I just searched another half hour - but no luck. Time to go to sleep instead of going nuts. A wise choice :) nite.

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[info]carless_sam
2009-09-15 12:36 am UTC (link)
Yeow, nice post. I'd forgotten how young he was.

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[info]snuh
2009-09-15 12:41 am UTC (link)
After I'd read about the anniversary of his birth, I went to Wikipedia to check the math and couldn't believe it. Maybe that he started out so young gives that impression, plus the fact he worked his ass off. Back then, it wasn't unusual to do more than one show a day.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]ilovehpl
2009-09-15 02:20 am UTC (link)
Whoah, I had no idea he died so young! He had so many amazing songs.

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[info]snuh
2009-09-15 03:19 am UTC (link)
Most of these were part of his live set, there's a whole slew of great under-heard tunes spread out on his albums. That would make a great post, the best Otis songs most probably never heard before.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]leftykmonahan
2009-09-19 02:17 am UTC (link)
That MP3 of 'Dock Of The Bay' is atrocious. :O Damn near mono!

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