Otis Redding - First Take - Sitting AT The Dock Of The Bay

This is the first take of Otis Redding singing "(Sitting AT The) Dock Of The Bay" with Steve Cropper, who co-wrote it, playing guitar and doing the seagulls and the whistling. There is a nice piece at the end where Otis says that Steve "isn't going to make it as a whistler".

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[Dennis Wheeler]

There is more to the story about the whistling that almost didn't make the record. but it was to be added later on the final mix down... I felt it was like a historical fade out. Sad and lonesome sounding of the end of a Great and promising career of a wonderful friend to music and to me.

[MrAlfHartigan]

The whole story of the seagulls/whistling is on the sleeve notes on my out-takes CD from Steve Cropper

I tried to post them but the restriction on characters made it difficult

The ones on the issued single were made by Steve Cropper & Ron Capone at a soundtrack studio & added after Otis died

Steve says that getting the seagulls to appear at the right time on take 4 was difficult as they ran the two tapes simultaneously

Otis only made the seagull sounds on the first take. Not on the others.

[Laura Beem]

otis had to do this on the first take as he was dead by the second take in plane crash-aged 26 ? so the end whistle the very end of the wistle is someone who filled in to finish the take as otis was a perfectionist-of course-and never felt as though he ever finished any song to his satisfaction-he was a great whistler!!!!!and legend-what happened in that plane crash again-other rising musicians also died-very mysterious-almost as a sacrifice or something-killuminati!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!

[MrAlfHartigan]

Otis recorded 6 takes of this song.. Steve Cropper used take 4 for the released version. I have takes 1 & 2.

I always thought it was Steve Cropper doing the whistling but I've since read from the Stax museum, "When Otis recorded this, he and Cropper didn't have a last verse written, so he whistled it, planning to finish it after his tour, but he died before he had the chance. When Cropper produced the song, he left the whistling in. It is probably the most famous whistling in any song."

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[Anna OneD]

perfect voice

[Aries2012100]

classic beautiful soulful cruisy legend!

[pearsnockie]

what u mean "buttslammed"?

[Monkeyman2357]

MMMMMMMM-BUTTSLAMMED

[kenshirothefist3000]

un exito inolvidable

[Tedude Kashiwaya]

what a terrific version! thanx a lot for postin!