Title of song: (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay
Album: The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
Genre: R&B/ Soul
Date: January 8th1968
Sound: (Consider: What is the overall impression of the sound of the piece? What mood is created? Be as specific and descriptive as possible.)
“Sittin’ on The Dock of the Bay” draws much of its power from the fact that it taps into such a familiar feeling for everyone: the experience of sitting by an ocean, river, or lake, or somewhere personally special, and losing yourself in the movement of the sounds of water, wind, and peace. A guitar slowly rises above the sound of waves crashing, and then comes a simple bass line to keep the song moving forward. Redding enters with a voice that is emotional, but also stoic, as the waves and birds that reflect his mood.
The song’s setting is universal – it is what each listener makes it out to be and the successful formula of simple, blues influenced ‘soul music’ gives it a feeling of simpler times.
Instruments/Tone Color: (Consider:What instruments or voices do you hear [list them all]? What tone colors do you hear [describe the tone color of each instrument/group]?)
At the beginning, the only sound rising above the ocean waves is Steve Cropper’s acoustic guitar, which fills an almost folk-like rhythm role. The bass guitar that also enters early is equally calming, providing just a strong enough strum to move the song forward, but not enough to break the wave echoing, rhythmic feel of the song. Then we here Otis come in with his vocals and a keyboard in the background playing. As the tempo picks up the trombone and trumpets start to enter then reenter with the chorus line “sittin on the dock of the bay”.
Otis Redding has no really low notes and no really high notes that made his voice stand out. But what he had was emotional power and a soft comforting feel to his voice. The vocals imply emotion and physicality because he was such a steady powerful vocalist. At the end Otis concludes the song with a sweet whistling tune that works great with the sit-and-watch-the-waves feel of the song.
Dynamics: (Consider: What is the predominant dynamic level of the piece? Does the dynamic level change during the piece? Do changes occur gradually or suddenly?)
The predominant dynamic level starts slow to the beat. Redding never expressed his soulful voice and expressions like his other songs on the same album. The whole song is sung between an octave that sounds like Redding dangling his bare feet over a dock, in the most exquisitely soulful and laid-back way. The whole song has the same dynamic with a crescendo and decrescendo throughout each stanza.
Melody: (Consider: Describe the melodic features, such as long or short phrases, conjunct or disjunct movement (stepwise or leaps), wide or narrow range, ascending and descending gestures, etc.)
This song definitely contains homophonic melody. Redding’s vocals are clear-cut and work perfectly with the instruments so that every sound could be heard and nothing was left out to the listener. The whole song issyllabic, and flows up then down from the first two lines of a stanza to the next to lines. Each strum of the bass guitar lands perfectly on Redding’s tempered lyrics. Otis’s simple but sweet melodic vocals make for a perfect blues song. When any music form becomes cluttered you lose the average listener’s ear.
Harmony: (Consider: Are the harmonies predominantly consonant, or not? To what extent is dissonance used? Are the harmonic progressions predictable [that is, are the listener’s expectations usually fulfilled]?)
The harmonies start off in the beginning with the waves and seagulls playing behind the bass and guitar. The introductionharmony is predominantly consonant and introduces Redding’s vocals smoothly into the song. If Redding had backup singers on this song it wouldn’t be as easy to understand and listen. The song is predictable and easy to follow measure after measure with the same chord progression. The only aspect unexpected was Redding’s catchy whistling outro. His whistling tune is an instrument in itself and is the perfect way to capture the concluding theme of getting on in life.
Rhythm: (Consider: Is there a clear sense of beat with strong pulsations? Are the pulsations gentle or accented? Are the beats grouped in a pattern, such as duple or triple? Is syncopation used? What is the meter? Is the division of the beat simple or compound?)
Redding’s song uses only simple, internally stable major triads. No minor or seventh chords were used. The song is a progression that moves through a series of major chords that do not have a dominant tonic relationship to one another. The meter of this song would be quadruple meter or duple meter. There are four beats per measure.The beat subdivision in this song is a duple subdivision. It’s difficult to hear but if you listen closely to the drums you can pick up on it.
Tempo: (Consider: How does the pace of the music relate to heart rate? Does the music proceed at a walking pace, or is it faster/slower? Does it race as if running or anxious? Or is it relaxed and unhurried? Are there places in the music where the tempo changes? Are the changes sudden or gradual?)
The pace of the song is q =104, 4/4 throughout the musical piece. The tempo of the song relates to the everyday grind and struggles of those living in this society. The song definitely has a calm pace that you can just sit back and listen to and reminisce. Redding’s dynamics and lyrics create an unhurried and predictable catchy tune. The sound of the ocean and the calming bass strums puts me in a peaceful place before I even hear Redding’s soulful sound.The whistling outro always puts a smile on my face and creates a feeling of satisfaction.
Texture: (Consider: Is there one melody or multiple simultaneous melodies? What voice(s) or instrument(s) present the main melody? If there are other instruments or voices, do they play an equal role or a subordinate role? Which texture predominates—homophony, polyphony, or monophony?)
The texture of this song is homophonic melody and accompaniment. Redding is the solo vocalist being accompanied by musical instruments with no back-up singers. The bass line sets the tempo for Otis vocals and the guitar harmonizes the two.The instruments are soft and calming while Redding’s clear raspy dynamic voice brings the composition together. The same instruments and melody are repeated throughout the song with the exception of the intro and outro.
Form or growth: (Consider: As you listen to the entire piece, can you identify sections, themes? Do themes initially presented change over the course of the piece? How? How does the composer use repetition and contrast to create a sense of structure or growth? What elements are used to generate a sense of contrast—rhythm, dynamics, instruments, register, etc.?) Provide an “alphabet soup” representation of the form of the song:
This song is interesting in terms of the growth of dynamics and themes. The song has a sense of weariness and the desire to freeze time and just sit and decompress. “I can’t do what ten people tell me to do” shows up in the fifth stanza and shows Otis’s real motive for writing this song. Clearly Otis had been fed up with his recent stardom and decided to take it down a notch.
Redding’s simplistic form is AABA. The B is actually 3 stanzas, so it sounds like AABACAA if you really listen for his innovative style. In AABA there is anattention capturing portion in the middle which fits Otis’s lines perfectly.
Text, lyrics, meaning: (Consider: How do the lyrics relate to the overall form or structure of the piece? How do they relate to the style or delivery of the music? Are the lyrics easily heard and understood or do they blend into the fabric of the musical sounds? Does/how does the music change as the meaning of the words changes?) In the space below (and on a continuing page, if necessary), list the lyrics on the left side in stanzas/lines and note the musical features that correspond on the right side:
LYRICS MUSIC FEATURES
1) 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
2) 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
3) I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the Frisco Bay
Cuz I’ve had nothing to live for
And look like nothing’s gonna come my way
4) 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
5) 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
6) 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
7) 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
1) This stanza creates the imagery of a man who has experienced life’s trials but now, having found peace, is content to just watch the ships come and go, enjoying wasting time.
2) The Song starts to sound like a pop song at this point. Otis doesn’t have a care in world. He just sitting and enjoying life.
3) The first line has a sad deep tone to it. Probably because he left his hometown and is just wandering. The last line “nothing’s gonna come my way” is vocally soulful and powerful in Otis’s limited range.
4) This stanza repeats his plan to just sit and waste time while everyone else goes on with his or her lives. The music returns to the introduction rhythm.
5) This stanza is a contemplation of the ideas of time and space, their interaction and how passing through either, affects a man’s life.
6) The tone of the music changes with “this loneness won’t leave me alone” to a louder combination of both vocal and instruments.
The last stanza is a peaceful outro whistling solo. This outro tells us that Otis is going to keep staying where he is until he is forced to leave.