Over the last few months, I've been writing about each of the individual albums in the Otis Redding Definitive Studio Albums box set. I thought it would be far too daunting a task to try to summarize so many great albums into one review for the entire set. Otis Redding is one of my favorites and each album deserves to be savored.
The Dock Of The Bay is the last record in this tremendous box set, although there are several other posthumous Otis Redding albums that contain songs that weren't released on the LPs in this set. I wish that the box could have been all encompassing, but it's hard to knock the set too much considering how great the material is that was collected.
"(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" may be the most famous of all Otis Redding songs and for good reason. It's a perfect song with a ridiculously singable melody. It's a slower one, but it's far from downtrodden as it has a wonderful uplifting feel to it. The rest of the album is a mix of songs that haven't been released before alongside a few that have. I'm not sure why it was set up the way it was for its original release as there were so many other unreleased Otis songs recorded, but it's a great collection nonetheless. I have to remember what was going on when the record first came out and not try to view it as part of this box set.
Going through all of the albums in this set was such a joy. So many great records and so many great songs. I have to try to dig up nice copies of the rest of the Otis full lengths that came out after his untimely death. They haven't been treated to nice reissues yet, but hopefully the will one day. Or hopefully I'll be able to find copies that aren't too beat up on eBay or Discogs.
Otis Redding - The Dock Of The Bay":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu5chXCp1Ag
Otis Redding - "Don't Mess With Cupid":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0VF2BxLAgE
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