Out Now: Otis Redding, DOCK OF THE BAY SESSIONS

If you regularly darken the doorstep of Rhino.com, then you know that we’ve been in the midst of a 50th anniversary celebration for Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” for awhile now. That celebration continues today as we release DOCK OF THE BAY SESSIONS, a 12-song compilation which collects for the first time the the songs which were the most likely contenders for Redding’s next album, i.e. the one he was working on when he was killed in a plane crash on December 19, 1967.

Not that anyone could truly know what songs would’ve made the final cut if Redding had lived, but with DOCK OF THE BAY SESSIONS, which was compiled with input from Roger Armstrong of Ace Records and Redding biographer Jonathan Gould, our intent was to get as close as possible to what might’ve been. Yes, the songs contained within this collection have been released on various other LPs over the years, but this is the first time they’ve ever been compiled on one album, and the effect is both fascinating and heartbreaking.

Here’s the full track listing for DOCK OF THE BAY SESSIONS, which is in stores now for your purchasing pleasure:

1. "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay"

2. "Think About It"*

3. "Hard To Handle"

4. "The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)"

5. "Love Man"

6. "Direct Me"

7. "I've Got Dreams To Remember"

8. "Champagne And Wine"*

9. "Pounds And Hundreds (LBS + 100S)"

10. "I'm A Changed Man"

11. "Gone Again"

12. "Amen"

*All Tracks In Mono Except "Think About It" And "Champagne And Wine"