how to play dock of the bay

“(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is a song co-written by soul singer Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper. It was recorded by Redding twice in 1967, including once just three days before his death in a plane crash on December 10, 1967. The song was released on Stax Records’ Volt label in 1968,[2] becoming the first ever posthumous single to top the charts in the US.[3] It reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Redding started writing the lyrics to the song in August 1967, while sitting on a rented houseboat in Sausalito, California. He completed the song in Memphis with the help of Cropper, who was a Stax producer and the guitarist for Booker T. & the M.G.’s. The song features whistling and sounds of waves crashing on a shore.

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G                      B7
Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun
        C                        A                      G                       B7
I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ comes Watching the ships roll in
          C                    A
And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah
    G                          E                      G          E
I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay   Watching the tide roll away
              G                          A                                     G    E
Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay  Wastin’ time

 

           G               B7        C                      A
I left my home in Georgia Headed for the ‘Frisco Bay
G                          B7
‘Cause I’ve had nothing to live for
              C                      A
And look like nothin’s gonna come my way
                  G                      E
So I’m just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
            G          E
Watching the tide roll away
        G                          A                      G         E
Ooo, I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay Wastin’ time

G     D     C               G
Looks like, nothing’s gonna change
G     D            C         G
Everything still remains the same
G       D       C          G
I can’t do what ten people tell me to do
F                 D
So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

G                       B7                  C                          A
Sittin’ here resting my bones  And this loneliness won’t leave me alone
            G                    B7                  C                 A
It’s two thousand miles I roamed   Just to make this dock my home

                  G                      E
Now I’m just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
            G          E
Watching the tide roll away
        G                          A                                G  E
Ooo, I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay Wastin’ time   (whistles over G & E )