Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Studio album by Otis Redding
Released	September 15, 1965
Recorded	April 19 and July 9–10, 1965 Stax Recording Studios (Memphis, Tennessee)
Genre	Soul, R&B
Length	32:22
Label	Volt/Atco Volt 412
Producer	Jim Stewart, Isaac Hayes, David Porter
Otis Redding chronology
The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (1965) Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) The Soul Album (1966)

Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul is the third studio album by soul singer Otis Redding, released September 15, 1965 on Stax Records. Most recording sessions took place in April and July 1965 at Stax Recording Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The album is considered by many critics to be Redding's first fully realized album.^[1] By the time of its release, four of the album's tracks had already or would later be released as singles. An expanded reissue of Otis Blue was released on April 22, 2008.

Overview

Music

Otis Blue includes covers of three songs by Sam Cooke, Redding's idol, who died the previous December in 1964. Their styles couldn't have been more different; Cooke smooth and sure, Redding raw and pleading. But Redding's versions of "Shake" and "A Change Is Gonna Come" show how Cooke's sound and message helped shape Redding's Southern soul sound. Redding's singing reaches a new level of expressiveness with this as well as with covers of B. B. King's "Rock Me Baby" and the Motown hit "My Girl". Also featured is Redding's rendition of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", a song epitomizing the fully formed Stax/Volt sound and which Mick Jagger and Keith Richards originally wrote in tribute to and imitation of Redding's style. Redding had never heard the original before he recorded his version only two months after the Stones' single was released, and changed some of the words, including singing "satisfaction" as "satisfashion". Redding said, "I use a lot of words different than the Stones' version. That's because I made them up".^[2]

"Respect" was a Redding original which became much more famous with Aretha Franklin's cover version. The album opener and B-side to his "Respect" single, "Ole Man Trouble", is a sign of Redding's emerging mature and reflective side that was to culminate in the posthumous "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". "I've Been Loving You Too Long", co-written with Jerry Butler, was Redding's biggest hit until "The Dock of the Bay". The emotional album closer, "You Don't Miss Your Water", was written by fellow Stax mate William Bell four years prior to this recording and is given a deep soul treatment with a passionate shout by Redding as is Solomon Burke's "Down in the Valley". The album, with the exception of "I've Been Loving You Too Long", was recorded in a 24-hour session in July by Redding and the Stax house band, which included Isaac Hayes and Booker T. & the MG's, among others.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
BBC Music	(favorable)[4]
Blender	[5]
Pitchfork Media	(10.0/10)[6]
PopMatters	(9/10)[7]
Q	[8]
Record Collector	[9]
Rolling Stone	[10][11]
Uncut	[12]
Virgin Encyclopedia	[13]

Otis Blue ranks near the top of many "best album" lists in disparate genres. NME ranked it 35 on their list of the "Greatest Albums of All Time".^[14] The album was also ranked 74 on the Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, 92 on Time magazine's list of the All-Time 100 Greatest Albums, and included in Q magazine's Best Soul Albums of All Time list. Rolling Stone magazine later described the album as "Redding's true dictionary of soul, a stunning journey through the past and future vocabulary of R&B....documenting a masterful artist rising to...the immense challenge of his times."^[15]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ole Man Trouble"	Otis Redding	2:55
2.	"Respect"	Redding	2:05
3.	"Change Gonna Come"	Sam Cooke	4:17
4.	"Down in the Valley"	Bert Berns, Solomon Burke, Babe Chivian, Joe Martin	3:02
5.	"I've Been Loving You Too Long"	Redding, Jerry Butler	3:10

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Shake"	Cooke	2:35
7.	"My Girl"	Smokey Robinson, Ronald White	2:52
8.	"Wonderful World"	Cooke, Lou Adler, Herb Alpert	3:00
9.	"Rock Me Baby"	B. B. King	3:20
10.	"Satisfaction"	Mick Jagger, Keith Richards	2:45
11.	"You Don't Miss Your Water"	William Bell	2:53

Collector's Edition 2008

An expanded double disc set edition of Otis Blue was released on April 22, 2008. The Rhino reissue features the stereo and mono versions of the album with bonus tracks that include B-sides, live tracks, and previously unreleased alternate mixes.

Disc 1

Features mono version of Otis Blue and bonus tracks including selections from In Person at the Whisky a Go Go.

1. "Ole Man Trouble"
2. "Respect"
3. "Change Gonna Come"
4. "Down in the Valley"
5. "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
6. "Shake"
7. "My Girl"
8. "Wonderful World"
9. "Rock Me Baby"
10. "Satisfaction"
11. "You Don't Miss Your Water"
12. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version) [previously unreleased bonus track]
13. "I'm Depending on You" [bonus track]
14. "Respect" (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version) [previously unreleased bonus track]
15. "Ole Man Trouble" (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version) [previously unreleased bonus track]
16. "Any Ole Way" [bonus track]
17. "Shake" (Live 1967, Stereo Mix of Single Version) [bonus track]
18. "Ole Man Trouble" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]
19. "Respect" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]
20. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]
21. "Satisfaction" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]
22. "I'm Depending on You" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]
23. "Any Ole Way" (Live at the Whisky a Go Go) [bonus track]

Disc 2

Features stereo version of Otis Blue and bonus tracks including selections from Live in Europe.

1. "Ole Man Trouble"
2. "Respect"
3. "Change Gonna Come"
4. "Down in the Valley"
5. "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
6. "Shake"
7. "My Girl"
8. "Wonderful World"
9. "Rock Me Baby"
10. "Satisfaction"
11. "You Don't Miss Your Water"
12. "Respect" (1967 Version) [bonus track]
13. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (Live in Europe) [bonus track]
14. "My Girl" (Live in Europe) [bonus track]
15. "Shake" (Live in Europe) [bonus track]
16. "Satisfaction" (Live in Europe) [bonus track]
17. "Respect" (Live in Europe) [bonus track]

Chart history

Title	Information
Otis Blue	US Pop Albums No. 75 Black Albums No. 1
"Respect"	Volt/Atco single 128, August 15, 1965 B-side: "Ole Man Trouble" US Pop Single No. 35 US Black Singles No. 4
"I've Been Loving You Too Long"	Volt/Atco single 126, April 19, 1965 B-side: "Just One More Day" US Pop Singles No. 21 US Black Singles No. 2
"Shake"	Volt/Atco single 149, April 27, 1967 B-side: "You Don't Miss Your Water" US Pop Singles No. 47 US Black Singles No. 16
"Satisfaction"	Volt/Atco single 132, February 15, 1966 B-side: "Any Ole Way" US Pop Singles No. 31 US Black Singles No. 4

Personnel

Musicians

• Otis Redding – vocals
• Steve Cropper – guitar, producer
• Donald Dunn – bass
• Isaac Hayes – keyboards, producer
• Al Jackson, Jr. – drums
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet
• Andrew Love – tenor saxophone
• Gene Miller – trumpet
• Fred Newman – baritone saxophone

Additional personnel

• Tom Dowd – engineer
• Jim Stewart – supervision
• Yves Beauvais – reissue producer
• Bill Inglot, Dan Hersch – remastering
• Pete Sahula – cover photo
• Haig Adishian – cover design
• Bob Rolontz – liner notes

References

• Otis Blue album liner notes by Bob Rolontz. Atlantic Recording Corp. 

Notes

1. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2003). All music guide to soul : the definitive guide to R&B and soul. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. p. 568. ISBN 9780879307448. 
2. ^ According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine at Allmusic.com
3. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Otis Redding: Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul > Review" at Allmusic. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
4. ^ Taylor, Angus (7 December 2007). ""Otis Redding Otis Blue Review". BBC Music. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/2dhj/. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
5. ^ Christgau, Robert (May 2008). "Otis Redding: Otis Blue—Otis Redding Sings Soul". Blender. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bl/redding-08.php. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
6. ^ Patrin, Nate (May 9, 2008). "Otis Redding: Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (Collector's Edition)". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/reviews/albums/11376-otis-blue-otis-redding-sings-soul-collectors-edition/. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
7. ^ Harold, Claudrena N (May 2, 2008). "Otis Redding: Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/57586/otis-redding-otis-blue-otis-redding-sings-soul/. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
8. ^ "Otis Blue review". Q (Bauer Media): 92. February 1993. ISSN 0955-4955. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1096926. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
9. ^ Lewis, Alan (June 2008). "Otis Redding – Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul: Collector’s Edition". Record Collector (Diamond Publishing). ISSN 0261-250X. http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/2442. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
10. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). 2004 The new Rolling Stone album guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698. http://books.google.com/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&pg=PA680&dq=Otis+Blue 2004. 
11. ^ Fricke, David (May 15, 2008). "Otis Redding: Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul [Collector's Edition"]. Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow). ISSN 0035-791X. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/otis-blue-otis-redding-sings-soul-collectors-edition-20080515. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
12. ^ Spencer, Neil. "Otis Redding – Otis Blue (Collector's Edition)". Uncut (IPC Media). ISSN 1368-0722. http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/otis_redding/reviews/11493. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
13. ^ Colin, Larkin, ed (2002). The Virgin encyclopedia of popular music. London: Virgin Books In association with Muze UK. ISBN 9781852279233. http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A33.htm. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
14. ^ "Greatest Albums of All Time". NME (IPC Media): 29. 10/2/93. ISSN 0028-6363. http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1096926/a/Otis+Blue+-+Otis+Redding+Sings+Soul.htm. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
15. ^ "Otis Blue review". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow): 114. August 17, 2000. ISSN 0035-791X. http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1096926/a/Otis+Blue+-+Otis+Redding+Sings+Soul.htm. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 

External links

• Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul at Discogs