Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: Otis Redding, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”

47 years ago today, one of the last songs recorded by Otis Redding before his death in a plane crash on December 10, 1967 became his first – and, sadly, his only – single to hit the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 and R&B charts.

Co-written by Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is easily the most iconic song in Redding’s back catalog, and while he’s certainly got a plethora of songs which rival it for the title of Best of the Bunch, it wouldn’t be an unreasonable selection if you wanted to place that particular crown on its head. Indeed, there are quite a number of other singers who’d probably agree with you, based on the number of times it’s been covered over the years. In fact, it’s been covered so many times that we decided that we’d put together a playlist featuring 25 different versions of the song.

Yes, we know: there are precious few people who’ll be willing to sit through all 25 versions, and even if you’d be agreeable to checking out 24 of them, no one here would blame you if you felt like you just couldn’t stomach hearing Michael Bolton’s take on the track again. But have you ever heard Cher’s version? Or Glen Campbell’s version? Seriously, the thing’s been covered by everyone from Sammy Hagar to Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66…and, yes, we did include both of those versions. You’re welcome.