Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

bangers

This was a whole new experience the lyricism and energy of the whole album was amazing 9.6/10

Really nice to listen to a whole album of his. Really adds a romantic lense to life. Poetic, moving, passionate and talented whilst excelling at both the hype and chill end of jazz, funk and soul. Can't believe he died age 26 before sitting on the dock of the bay got released!

There's a lot of tunes on here, where Otis' version is not the definitive version. That said, the Big O was the coolest.

When visitors from outer space come to Earth we should give them this album and other albums that exemplify the best of what our planet has to offer.

Thought I had this one on vinyl, I don’t but I will soon!

What a legend. Like Buddy Holly, it’s sad to think of the decades of music we missed out on because of his untimely death.

fucking boss shit so good

Really good stuff, loads of classic songs on here. This is right up my alley, and all the great songs are here performed expertly by Redding. It's hard to pick a fav Track here, just really great stuff all round. Fav Track: A Change is Gonna Come

Absolutely iconic. A definitive recording from one of the best to ever do it. And, a note to everyone complaining about there being ‘too many covers’ on this album … please listen to the blues a bit more often before unleashing your omniscient opinions. Every blues song is essentially a cover, hell - every blues verse is essentially a cover, and it’s less about the lyrics and more about the singer’s delivery and the musicianship. Nobody does it with more feeling, energy and musicality than the King of Soul. Add Booker T and the M.G.’s and you got a recipe for success. Call me Luniz, ‘cuz “I got 5 on it”.

Hermoso album de rock blues! Tiene un gran cover de Satisfaction de los Rolling Stones. Buen ritmo y la voz de Otis Redding es espectacular!!!

No my normal go to. But what an album. Class.

One of my very favorite albums of all time

Some highly underrated covers and originals

Otis an always 5 for me!

What’s not to love

Otis Redding changed music as we know it and we don't give him enough credit for it.

Loved the album. Otis Redding has always been a favorite of mine but for one reason or another this album got pushed to the side. Glad I finally finished it

It's hard to review this album, which feels like a greatest soul hits of the 60s playlist. I don't have much more to say than It's great. Otis has a fantastic voice and these songs are great. As a listening experience it's perfect. Will listen to again and again.

A breath of relief to see this today. I love Otis and absolutely think this should be on the list. A talent of a generation.

Holy shit - Otis has the one of best soul voices of all time.

Very bluesy, was nice though

So gorgeous oh my god every song is so iconic. His voice could make a shitty song great but the brass work, the bass work, the drums are all incredible too! His slow songs are emotional as hell and his fun songs are so motivating. So god damn good. Sometimes there’s a bit of emotional whiplash with the album ordering but it’s still all so good it’s hard to care.

9.7/10

Wow. Every single song is a banger. I listened to it twice in a row.

In the words of my dad, “here’s my man Otis” Otis’s got an amazing voice, definitely fitting for the King of Soul. There’s some really good tracks on here, my favorites were Wonderful World and I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, though everything on here’s pretty great stuff. Think it’s funny that for the most part this is a cover album, though the most famous song on here (Respect) was actually his original song and became much more famous with Aretha Franklin. I think he really executes each of these songs really well; obviously Satisfaction will always be quintessential Stones, but his rendition feels so natural with all the horns and whatnot. I feel like I have to judge this one a bit more harshly just because most of these were not songs he wrote, and I do think some of the original artists did the songs better (A Change is Gonna Come), but that does feel a little nit picky. I’m definitely biased since my dad exposed me to Otis all the time growing up as one of if not his all time favorite artists, but it’s hard to hate on him, this is just amazing music. Pretty star studded list of songs on here and can easily see why this is pretty regularly rated as a top 100 album of all time

It really doesn't get any better than this. Classic soul music that you can actually FEEL in that Otis Redding cry. Even for an album made up of mostly covers, it's exceptional. Should be in any music lover's regular rotation.

Fantastic record. Easily top 5 all time.

It’s a classic. He was like 23 when he recorded this which is insane to me. Massive talent. Timeless music. Massive shame his future direction in music was cut short. He was basically at the very start of what should’ve been a long career.

It's Otis Redding. Its Booker T and the MGs. It's Soul Music. It's a 5. No notes. However... Even better than this is the Monteray Festival set, where he sings 5 songs and tears the Roof of in 20 minutes. People talk about Hendrix at Monteray, but Otis was just as good.

My god. It's full of stars.

Stórkostleg

Très bon album ! Je connaissais certaines de ses reprises Rapide et efficace

As someone with an Otis Redding tattoo (even if it has a 100% misidentification rate!!) this is definitely a must listen :)

Thoughts before listening: I'm sure this is great. The old soul records on this project have all been extremely high quality, and Otis Redding is generally considered one of the best from that era of music. Looking at the tracklist on the cover is also promising with tons of well know songs. Review: Yeah this is fantastic. The epitome of the Memphis Stax Studios sound with Otis' iconic vocals backed by Booker T and the MGs. There are so many classic songs on this album that it plays as a greatest hits compilation when in reality this was largely recorded over a single 24-hour session. My favorite moment on this album is the guitar solo from "Rock My Baby", but the whole thing is a wonderful listen. 5-stars

Absolute stone cold classic.

Me surpreendeu, acho que é a primeira vez que eu ouço um álbum completo de Soul. Salvei várias músicas e foi uma ótima experiência. Único problema é que o álbum no spotify compila várias versões das mesmas músicas, que aparecem 2/3 repetidas com versões diferentes, o que incomoda se ouvir no aleatório.

A great one

I mean it’s Otis ofc it’s delightful

Five star album. Otis in prime form. Great band: Booker T and the MG’s and Memphis Horns. Recorded in 2 days Otis wrote Respect. Anthem of the 60s when Aretha covered it. Other great songs: I’ve been loving you too long to stop now, a change is gonna come, Shake Boldest cover: I can’t get no satisfaction

One of my all time fav male soul voices along with Sam Cooke and Al Green. He sings sime Sam Cooke here along with other covers which he owns totally and brings so much of himself to. No one will ever sound like Otis. And with the Stax band behind him, it’s all stellar

I’ve never actually listened to an Otis Redding Record. Dock of the bay is the song I know best. Having just seen the Blues Brothers in the theater this weekend, I’m most excited for the rhythm section on this record. Booker T and the MGs. So far this great. On track three. The emotion in his voice is amazing. So soulful. I swear every song gets better and better. What a singer and what a band. I need to find these on vinyl. This is great music with great musicians.

It should be illegal to have this much soul. This has to be a top 5 soul album of all time. Just a masterclass.

In a lot of ways, I'm not all the way there with Soul music. I am in a place where a lot of the genre (from the '60s especially) is music that I can intellectually appreciate, but just can't connect deeper with. Although, there are some moments I've found that break through this. Especially with some of the artists in the '70s. But Otis Redding really got me with this one. I don't really know exactly what makes this feel different, the songs just work for me here. Although the one thing I can point at as a specific draw to me is a big one; Otis Redding's singing. He is pretty much digging in as deep as possible at all times on Otis Blue. It really feels like he's conjuring the sort of fervor usually reserved for religious sermons. It makes the joy, the sadness and the spirit of Soul connect with me. He's just bringing something so visceral. And as I said, it helps that he's bringing fantastic songs here. Respect, Down In The Valley, and Shake are just a few of the really incredible performances across this thing. And the cover of Satisfaction is also excellent. This is just, to me, a nice tight package, embodying the best of what Soul can be.

yeah based on my other reviews this woukd be a 10/5. Literally every song is perfect

Haven’t heard this one yet… but it’s Otis, so… This is hard. It’s a 4 maybe. This is not his best work, necessarily. But his best is… scattered -not a full album - actually partly posthumous. Who remembers that Respect is HIS song? Aretha was doing the cover. She transformed it, yes, made it her own. And obviously she did an incredible job. But I keep seeing people claiming Otis is covering her song. It irks me. Otis wrote the damn song people. So for that I think this gets a 5. Because I just found out it’s his only representation on the list. So the 5 is more for the King of Soul and less for this particular album. 5 Boolean: YES, and all Otis Redding’s songs scattered about

Exuberant, yearning, masterful, idiosyncratic. One of the best. I can't believe this record was recorded in twenty-four hours. But when you're that good, and you've been carrying this kind of music in your heart for so long, you can bang out a masterpiece like this. Long live Otis.

There are a few albums you instantly feel cooler while playing. This is one of them.

Worth a deep study, even if most of these are covers. Everyone working on this album was a star.

Outstanding. Not my typical listen but very entertaining and classy.

Otis Redding can do no wrong for me. His version of Respect may pale in comparison to Aretha but this album is a wonderful collection of songs showcasing his immense talent

love it! different redition of many songs.

An old school classic that reminds you that music comes from the black soul.

it's hot out today in may, perfect album for the temp & time, somehow. love the sound of the guitars in this, even though they're cleaner than my norm they have so much pain and heart. love the horns too. the band just sounds, together. soulful, sad, fun, sweet, sensual. wonder what the recording history was for this. & story behind album cover. what's the otis redding vocal care.

Great voice and soul grooves

Very good

This was really nice. Definitive.

Love otis

Otis Redding had a great voice. One has to think what might have been as his sound evolved with Sittin on the Dock of the Bay. But on this album its covers and blues songs some that he wrote and many that were made famous by others. This is great soul by the best soul singer. You felt in your body when he was singing.

Undoubtedly excellent.

Look, I’ll be frank. Any Otis Redding album is going to get a 5 from me, he’s just one of those artists that live deep in my heart. I did however briefly consider 4 🌟 because Respect never should’ve been from a male POV but I’ve gotta be thankful for its existence and that it made its way into the correct hands. P.S how great to encounter another version of “You Don’t Miss Your Water”, a stand out track from an earlier album in the journey!

Giving lots of 5 stars lately but lots of albums deserve it!

What a great album. This is what music can be, joyous and painful at the same time. Redding’s voice dips and soars over a band that knows exactly what it’s doing.

It's crazy that Otis Redding was only 26 when he died, he was an absolutely amazing singer, and even if blues and soul aren't your preferred genres, I find it difficult for anyone not to like at least one or two of his songs.

Probably the strongest voice I've had on this list so far with a very good list of songs. I can't believe it's his only one on the list!

It’s Otis Blue….

Een classic, wat een vibe

Stone cold classic

Great album, great way to start

So funnnn!!!

Awesome

(7/7) strong (but I could still do without the slow ones)

Classic beauty

Romantic and sexy

This slaps

11/05/26 soul é a minha quedinha pô que voz... singular mas definitivamente nada ruim a voz impressiona, o instrumental por ser pioneiro ficou meio repetitivo não posso dizer o mesmo do segundo nossa n tem como que álbum gostoso esse cara sente a música, e a voz reflete exatamente a felicidade dele, n sei explicar direito vibes pura assim, o soul é exatamente isso i've been loving you for too long tá me fazendo transcender pqp a emoção que esse cara transmite na voz pura caralho NOSSA MY GIRL EU JÁ TINHA OUVIDO REGRAVAÇÃO QUE MÚSICA VAI SE FUDER esse cover do rolling stones faz mto a vibe dançante vida boa não tem música ruim. simplesmente. é sensacional. talvez o melhor álbum de soul/jazz que eu já tenha ouvido, otis virou meu novo artista desse ramo favorito (tudo bem que é o primeiro que eu pego apreço, mas vai ser difícil tirarem dele) 10/10 / 5/5 pq só cresceu, começou no 8.5 e pra mim esse 10/10 foi surpreendente dms, uma perfeita surpresa

Quite simply one of the best soul albums of all time

I’ve heard this before, and I own it. Although it doesn’t have my favorite Otis Redding songs on it, this is still a classic and maybe one of his best. He sings every song here with his entire self in it and while most of the songs are covers, he makes every song his own. Listening to this you wonder what he might have accomplished if his life hadn’t been tragically cut short. Fantastic album all around.

Classic!

Pretty damn good. He's still got a few other bangers too

love it

Soul ist eigentlich nicht meine Musik, aber dieses klassische Album von Otis ist klasse.

Otis is the jam on my toast! I am on the hunt for this album. I need it. Otis is soul!

Otis! I will always have a soft spot for Pain In My Heart, but there's no denying how good Otis Blue is. This might also be the best version of any Rolling Stones song ever recorded, and yes I'm including the Stones' originals in that.

I don't even need to think twice before giving this 5 stars. Otis Redding is a legend!

I could safely say that I do not have any good memories of my mother except one. She listened to a lot of music. She would listen to songs over and over. If the lyrics were not included on the album, then she would try to write them out. I am not sure why she did it, but it gave me a love for music and maybe a love for the lyrics of songs. Unfortunately, she never paid as much attention to me as she did the songs and my love never extended to my mother either. Most of the artist were rock or soul artist, such as Led Zeppelin, the Supremes and even Sonny and Cher. One of the greatest artist I remember her listening to was Otis Redding. The sweet sound of soul pumping through the speakers moved me even as a young child. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul was not the album she played, but I wish it has been the one she had played. "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". I only knew this song from Aretha Franklin and I hated it. She is another artist who I judged her career on one song. I will listen to her when her albums appear on the list of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Otis Redding wrote "Respect". His original version is asking his woman for respect when he comes home with the money. He is begging her. This biggest misstep is his cover of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". It loses its punch under Reddings soulful vocals. The music almost feels like high school band performed it. In most of his cover songs, Redding does a great job, but he excels in his own lyrics. I think he should have written more songs or had more written for him. He is competing with other giants such as The Temptations and Sam Cooke who was murdered a few years earlier. Otis Redding inspired so many singers who came after him. Sadly, he died in a plane crash in 1967 so his discography is too short. Fortunately, he left us with Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul, one of the greatest soul albums of the 60s. 9/10.

Otis' voice is like a hot knife on butter. It just makes you melt out of sheer delight. A Change is Gonna Come just makes me cream all over my self everytime I listen to it.

favs muitas esqueci de anotar quais especificas mas album muito bom de vdd

Sen 50-talls / tidlig 60-talls musikk perfeksjonert?

En type album man alltid kan sette på og det bare funker. Syns det er kult hvor kompakt og varmt det høres ut, og punchen i blåsen. Låtutvalget er også helt tipp topp

Respect is really great Shake is great! reading ratemy music https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/otis-redding/otis-blue-otis-redding-sings-soul/, its fascinating that most of these are covers

Honestly loved this. Classic songs performed well. Otis has a great voice. Short and sweet 30 something minutes.

soul do bom 🪩

Ful mam rada Otisa, odlično. S prvim komadom nism od prej seznanjena ("Ole Man Trouble"), je pa isto dobr kot basically karkol od Otisa. Ok, hočem že napisat, da je zanimiva verzija komada "Respect" - ne, ne, ne, to je originalna verzija komada! Aretha je nardila cover! Je pa naslednja cover in morm rečt, da preferiram Otisovo verzijo. Pomoje je tud verzija, katero sm prvo slišala, ne od Sam Cookea - "A Change Is Gonna Come". Kok lep komad. "Down in the Valley" prou sede po prejšnjim, mal spremembe v moodu. Ful hud. Ah! In ta del komada je moral bit samplan v en kup komadih! (Ah, ne, v enem, samo je blo zame to že tokrat slišano, da je filing, k da je povsod - "Love Is Strange" od Mickey & Sylvia, pojavi pa se v Dirty Dancing) Side A zaključi baladast komad, 'I've Been Loving You Too Long". Tak, k ga na vroč poletni večer ob odprtih oknih/na balkonu poslušaš in zravn čiliraš (happy 4/20!, btw). Da te zbudi, " Shake" odpre Side B, še en cover od Cookea. In cover enga mojih najljubših komadov ever, "My Girl". Ahhh. Kle ga The Temptations povozijo zame. Alpa sm ful pristranska. U, neko verzijo tega komada ("Wonderful World") smo miljonkrat poslušal v OŠ pri angleščini. A glih od Cookea mogoč? Od Otisa ma mal več žmohta. Težek dokaz sledi takoj z najbl bluesovskim "Rock Me Baby". Đizs. In arguably boljša verzija Stones komada ("Satisfaction")? Zadnji komad je prav tako cover, "You Don't Miss Your Water", ampak z originalom nism seznanjena, tko da loh sam glasujem za Otisovo verzijo, k je čudovita. Ful očiten top marks zame. Že poslušam v drugo.

Would never be mad listening to this

Hit after hit, very good

Fun vibes, great vocals, I love it

a legend—a change is gonna come is probably one of the greatest songs of all time highlights: respect, a change is gonna come, i've been loving you too long, my girl, you don't miss your water 4.5/5

Loved it. Now bought on vinyl

Kanske världens mest övertydliga albumtitel. Otis Redding songs soul. Åh fan, det hade jag själv kunnat komma fram till. För soul sjunger han med den äran. Covers blandas med egenskrivet. Det är inget snack om att Otis var en bra låtskrivare. Inledande Ole man trouble, självklara Respect och så starkast lysande stjärnan på albumet (tillsammans med a change is gonna come), I’v been loving you too long. Otis sjunger som om hela hans liv hängde på varje litet ord. Booker T & the MGs ska naturligtvis vara med i snacket om världens bästa kompband. Man kan förstås hävda att Otis och grabbarna hade ytterligare en nivå live eller att uppföljaren The soul album är ett ännu starkare. Men det blir petitesser i sammanhanget.

Oklanderlig. En av världens bästa röster med ett av världens bästa band. Är det ett album eller en samling singlar och covers? Jag bryr mig inte.

mhmm 🙂‍↕️🤏🏻

Favorite Track: I’ve Been Loving You Too Long

Perfect album front to back with one of the most beautiful voices to ever be recorded.

Es un álbum de soul magnífico, me encantó

Really really fantastic

Me gustaa me gustaa, un solido 9. Musica para ranchar

Me gustó muchísimo, tiene un montón de temazos. La voz me ha encantado

Otis Blue by Otis Redding completely surprised me. Even though it’s not the kind of music I usually listen to, I can honestly say this album feels like a true work of art. Every detail seems carefully thought out — from the instruments to the arrangements. Each sound has a purpose, creating a rich and emotional atmosphere that pulls you in from the very beginning. And of course, Otis Redding’s voice is simply incredible. It’s powerful, raw, and deeply expressive in a way that feels unique and timeless. Listening to this album was not just hearing music, but experiencing something meaningful. I truly enjoyed discovering it, and I feel like it’s one of those rare pieces that never gets old. Otis Blue is, without a doubt, an interesting and timeless masterpiece.

The only thing more amazing than this album is how young Otis Redding was when it was recorded/released. A practically flawless blend of jazzy blues and soul with a great emotional gamut of songs from heartfelt to heart-pounding. Nothing short of a masterpiece from start to finish

Ok good blues

Iconisch!

I keep this short. Otis is Soul music. Perfect phrasing, an expressive voice, pure feeling, not a single note out of place, plus a tight band, and every song is sung as if it came straight from the bottom of his soul. Otis even manages to breathe real soul into the Stones' rubbish ‘Satisfaction’. Soulful perfection.

It's a shame Otis died so young, he was so talented, truly a memorable voice. I loved it!

Honestly don’t think I could point out a flaw with this album. Just some amazing soul music, lef by Otis Redding’s phenomenal voice. It might not have blown me away like some other albums, but there just isn’t really anything I can dock (no pun intended) points for.

Buen disco, canciones iconicas

Great

Foundational soul record, incredible

I love Otis Redding, he died way too soon. I like him better than Sam Cooke as a performer. His version of A Change is Gonna Come is great. This is a great album. I love Soul music. He's a great interpreter of songs, his My Girl blows Smokey Robinson out of the water. I like (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, but it isn't better than the Stones. Closes with another classic in You Don't Miss Your Water.

This is one of the albums of my childhood. When I was about 11 I found my mums old vinyl collect , alongside a few beaten up Beatles records was this. I can remember every crackle of the stylus against the over played grooves.

I love Otis Redding. I love covers. I love blues. Hell yeah.

Finally I could listen this master piece

Do you ever have that itch deep inside you that only certain music seems to scratch? Otis Redding's voice scratches that itch for me.

Absolute treasure! One of my favourite voices in music!

Peak. I did not expect to like this but it was awesome

This man's voice is unbelievable. Every song on this album is perfection. I have no notes. I love this.

Love Otis, already one of my favorites

Oh hell yeah, I love Otis but apparently I haven't heard a lot of stuff off this particular album. Did you know he died in our lake? Anyway now after having actually listened to it, turns out I had heard probably half of these tracks before. I like how in this era they just had everyone on their label record vocals for some songs and just see what sticks. Imagine if Aretha had never gotten her hands on Respect and Otis's version was all we had. I'm also such a huge fan of his take on Satisfaction, especially knowing that he didn't know any of the words or what the song sounded like so he's just riffing the entire time and it works so well. I think the worst song on this album is still 4 stars and most are 5, so this will be getting a 5-star rating once it's available.

Hella funky i fucking love it

Noche álbum. My girl its great

Classic after classic, even if sometimes not in its most popular form

Redding has always been on my list of artists to listen to but never got around to it. I love it. Some of the best music I’ve ever heard.

It's Otis Redding.

Fun and sexy album of covers plus his songs. Five stars

Stone cold classic. One of my favourite vocalists, that Stax sound with Booker T and the MGs. Covering my other favourite soul vocalist Sam Cooke but where as Sam is soo smooth, Otis is all raw energy. And as a Stones fan, his cover of Satisfaction is men vs boys Keith ain’t just being nice when he says which is right. The votes on here trend heavily 3 and up, which seems obvious to me, I don’t know what you must like if this is a 1 or 2 for you? Easy 5 Star for me.

Jamais écouté avant. Top : Down in the Valley Flop : You Don't Miss Your Water

One of the big classics ... nothing to say more about that.

great

Oris for POTUS

Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 4.6 = rounded up to a 5 "Comin' to you on a dusty road/ Good lovin', I got a truckload/ And when you get it, you got something/ So don't worry, 'cause I'm coming" Think I can say I've never listened to a complete Otis Redding album. I've heard plenty, and loved plenty, but it's always been in the context of a compilation or radio hits. Looking forward to this as we haven't really had any pure soul yet. I read that is one is largely made up of cover songs and that "he was backed by the Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, a horn section featuring members of the Mar-Keys and the Memphis Horns, and pianist Isaac Hayes". Holy cow... THE TRACKS Side One "Ole Man Trouble" - Listened to this twice in a row. This is a very good sign, folks. You come into an Otis Redding album expecting his voice to be the star attraction on every track ( and he delivers here) but the instrumentation on this one with the dip into that dark guitar bit ( does that dip into a minor key?) and then the restrained use of the horns as an accent. Damn fine stuff. "Respect" - I think it's a shame, though an understandable one, that this one is probably not remembered very much as the original. Great as it it, I don't think Mr. Redding himself would deny that the Aretha Franklin version is leaps and bounds better. Great short bit of business. "Change Gonna Come" - Cover of a protest song by Sam Cooke that Redding pours so much emotion into, it's almost hard to appreciate the steady hand of the players on this. Almost. Just a perfect showcase for the man and his masterful delivery. "Down in the Valley" - A Solomon Burke original that Redding owns and makes his own. More uptempo and less serious material here, provides great contrast to the previous track. It drives forward with a purposeful groove allowing Redding to cut loose with the vocals. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" - An we close side two with a soulful love ballad. My favorite vocal performance on the album so far. Sad and plaintive, and maybe the sound of a man deluding himself, but those swelling horns that crescendo near the end make it hard not to root for the guy. Side two "Shake" - I normally am not a fan of the "dance instruction" song. The endless takes on "The Twist" are many and almost uniformally awful. The presumption that we all must absolutely MUST know these secret moves is just such a silly conceit. However, the energy on this one and the "Honey" in the lyrics makes this feel less like a guy explaining to a bunch of teens in a tv studio how to do a dance craze, and more like a private conversation with someone who, uh.. is going to "shake it like a bowl of soup". Oh my, Mr. Redding. "My Girl" - I'm not sure anyone could ever touch the Temptations original, but holy hell does Redding try. As much as I love the original it becomes a rougher, less sterile version here. If you didn't know better, his performance feels almost tossed off, but that makes it feel more immediate and less calculated, more full of life. Solid version, and different enough. "Wonderful World" - Another rougher take on a classic. This lacks the smoothness of a Sam Cooke, but benefits greatly again from the emotion Redding brings. "Rock Me Baby" - Redding proves he can ang with the best of the blues guys here. I think the B.B. King version is the one I'm more familiar with, but this one is taking its place going forward. The vibe here is certainly grittier and nastier ( in that good way) than the King version. "Satisfaction" - Turn about is fair play as I'm pretty sure the Stones recorded a coupe of Redding songs. This one has been covered SO MANY times it almost feels like background static at this point. The only ones that stand out to me as unique in anyway are the Devo version, and this one. This one feels reworked enough that it works completely as a soul song, and if one were completely ignorant of the original, would not sound out of place. "You Don't Miss Your Water" - And we end on a softer note with this slow number. Regret and sorrow in slow motion. Second place behind "I've Been Loving You Too Long" as my favorite vocals. Redding answers the question - can you slow dance to despair? - with a strong affirmative. HIGHLIGHTS - The whole damn thing MIDLIGHTS - Nope. Ok, if you "twist" my arm I might throw "Shake" in there. But it's still a bit of dumb fun. LOWLIGHTS - Ha! FINAL THOUGHTS Thirty-two minutes. That's all we get. That's a LOT of emotion crammed into such a small package, so I never felt any sort of burnout or flailing around. High and tight, so to speak. I think I would enjoy Redding singing pretty much anything. Top 10 vocal performer for me, and hard to think of too many more who could pour it on like him and still sound wholly authentic. Never one moment on here where the spell of the performance was broken, and while in it you can't help but believe the man when he tells you how he feels. I was worried this would feel like those early "albums" that were really just a collection of singles with no real cohesion, but I think even though this is largely made up of covers it's extremely well thought out and has pitch perfect arrangement and pacing. This totally felt conceived as a piece to me, and not just a way to burn a bunch of hits in a compilation. And Redding puts enough of a spin on the covers that they can't be called anything other than unique. That's no small feat. Countless other legends have tried the same trick and failed miserably. While I hadn't heard some of these ( at least not the Redding version) I was surprised to recognize more than a few by the covers other artists did later. Not sure how anyone who enjoys soul music could not absolutely love this. I think I might just leave it on repeat for the rest of the day. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - No notes

Not much to add on this one. One of the best ones of all time.

Wonderful , glorious

What a voice - could listen to Otis Redding sing the phone book and not get bored.

What an incredible album. I love that this project helps educate me on music history and pop culture history while I go down random rabbit holes when I come across music that I just don't know a lot about. This was one of those times.

Been awhile since I've found such an easy 5. Sure, these are covers, but it takes a special talent to translate that into a timeless sound. 5/5

Another favourite. Heavy rotation

Love this...great album. Some really good tunes.

Just classics, all the way down

Otis Redding was amazing 🎸

Easy to put on repeat all day

I love Otis Redding. 5/5

Do I love soul??? I think I might love soul. Or maybe I just love this album. Much to consider this week.

i really like this, love the trumpets and feeling

Beautiful soul record.

The more I listen to Redding beyond Dock of the Bay (which is great, but I've heard it plenty) the more I love it. His voice is amazing, but I think a huge part of the appeal is the Memphis Horns. They make everything they touch great.

5/5 - No notes

Otis is the blueprint for the classic soul singer.

banger after banger

His voice is incredible.

Absolutely amazzzziiiinngggggg. This was a very delightful listen.

Amazing

Amazing. Old tunes but so well delivered.

me gustó

awesome

Just wonderful

Lots of covers. Such a mature sound for his age. I cannot begin to imagine what kind of music he may have released had he been around longer. Season: Late Winter Favorite Song: Down in the Valley

I wouldn't have previously considered myself as a fan of soul, but this was a rally fun listen to. hearing the vocals and singer side by side like this feels like concert audio to me, but in a good, present way.

Voici l'un de ces moments dans le projet des "1001 albums" où l'on s'arrête de souffler, où l'on pose le casque et où l'on se dit que, décidément, la musique a un sommet, et qu'il s'appelle Otis Redding. Aborder Otis Blue, c'est comme s'attaquer à une montagne de granit avec un petit burin. C'est imposant, c'est brut, et c'est surtout d'une solidité à toute épreuve. En 1965, Otis Redding n'est pas encore la légende mondiale qu'il deviendra après Monterey. Quand il entre dans les studios Stax à Memphis pour enregistrer ce qui deviendra son troisième album, il y a une urgence qui transpire par tous les pores du disque. On dit que l'essentiel a été mis en boîte en 24 heures. Vingt-quatre heures et quand on pense à certains groupes qui passent six mois en studio pour régler une réverbération, ça remet les pendules à l'heure. Cette urgence, c’est le cœur battant d’Otis Blue. C’est ce qui fait que, soixante ans plus tard, le disque n’a pas pris une ride de poussière. Ce qui me fascine, surtout avec mon background ancré dans des sons plus radicaux, c'est la dimension physique de cette musique. On oublie trop souvent que la Soul de Memphis, c'est du béton. La section rythmique ici, les mythiques M.G.'s, c'est la définition même du "less is more". Al Jackson Jr. à la batterie ne fait pas de fioritures, il frappe là où ça fait mal, avec une régularité de métronome humain qui ferait passer n’importe quelle boîte à rythmes pour un gadget instable. Duck Dunn à la basse, c'est le tronc de l'arbre, tout part de lui. Il y a une parenté évidente, bien que souterraine, entre cette science du groove implacable et les lignes de basse circulaires du Post-Punk que j'affectionne tant. C’est la même recherche d’une transe par la répétition et la solidité. Et puis, il y a Steve Cropper, le guitariste blanc de l'écurie Stax. Son jeu est un cas d’école, pas un solo de trop, pas une note qui ne soit pas au service de la voix d’Otis. Il ponctue les phrases, il griffe le silence. C’est une économie de moyens qui confine au génie. Dans un monde musical aujourd’hui saturé de démonstrations techniques inutiles, écouter Cropper, c’est comme boire un verre d’eau glacée en plein désert. C’est tranchant, c’est sec, c’est parfait. L’album s’ouvre sur "Ole Man Trouble", une composition originale d'Otis qui pose immédiatement l'ambiance. Le titre traite de la malchance, de la douleur, de ce "vieux malheur" qui te colle aux basques. La voix d’Otis est déjà là, immense, capable de passer d’un murmure suppliant à un cri de stentor en une fraction de seconde. C’est une voix qui a du grain, de la texture, elle n'est pas propre, elle est vivante. Elle porte en elle toute l'histoire du Gospel mais aussi toute la frustration d'un homme noir dans l'Amérique des années 60. On enchaîne avec "Respect". Évidemment, tout le monde connaît la version d’Aretha Franklin, devenue un hymne féministe universel. Mais la version d’Otis, l’originale, a une tout autre saveur. C’est une demande de respect presque désespérée, portée par un rythme saccadé, nerveux, presque punk avant l’heure. Les cuivres — les fameux Memphis Horns — interviennent comme des coups de poignard. C’est une orchestration millimétrée qui ne laisse aucune place au hasard. Quand Otis scande "Respect", on sent que c’est une question de vie ou de mort pour lui. L’une des grandes forces d’Otis Blue, c’est aussi la manière dont Otis s’approprie le répertoire de ses contemporains. Reprendre Sam Cooke, c’est un exercice périlleux car Cooke était le prince de la Soul, une voix de velours, une élégance absolue. Otis, lui, c’est la terre, la boue, le sang. Quand il s’attaque à "Change Is Gonna Come", il transforme l’espoir spirituel de Cooke en une lutte charnelle. Sa voix craque, elle s’éraille sur les bords, on sent le poids de l’histoire sur ses épaules. C’est bouleversant. Pareil pour "Wonderful World", qu’il dynamise avec une joie presque enfantine mais une puissance de feu incroyable. Et comment ne pas parler de "Satisfaction" ? Les Rolling Stones venaient de sortir le morceau, et Otis se l’est réapproprié avec une insolence magnifique. On raconte qu’il ne connaissait même pas bien les paroles et qu’il a improvisé une partie du texte. Le résultat est supérieur à l’original, soyons honnêtes. Il injecte un groove que les Stones ne pouvaient que simuler. Il transforme le riff de Keith Richards en une explosion de cuivres. C’est le moment où le Rock’n’roll revient à sa source, le moment où la boucle est bouclée. C’est d’une efficacité redoutable, un morceau qui pourrait faire danser un mur de briques. Le disque continue son exploration des émotions humaines avec une cohérence rare. "My Girl", la reprise des Temptations, perd son côté sucré pour devenir une déclaration d’amour brute et sincère. Otis n’essaie pas de séduire, il affirme. Sa présence est telle qu’il efface presque les versions originales de notre mémoire pendant qu’on l’écoute. C’est le signe des très grands interprètes : ils ne chantent pas des chansons, ils deviennent les chansons. Sur "Down in the Valley" ou "Shake", on atteint des sommets de dynamisme. On imagine sans peine la chaleur dans le studio, la fumée des cigarettes, l'adrénaline qui monte. C’est une musique qui se vit dans l'instant. Il n'y a pas de place pour le repentir ou pour la retouche numérique, c'est du "one shot" émotionnel. Le disque se termine, et on reste là, un peu hébété car on vient de traverser un condensé d'humanité en moins de quarante minutes. C'est la magie d'Otis Redding : il nous rend meilleurs, ou au moins plus conscients de ce que signifie "ressentir". Otis Blue est l'album parfait pour ceux qui pensent que la Soul n'est qu'une musique de divertissement. C'est un disque de combat, un disque de peine, mais aussi un disque d'une vitalité débordante. Dans ma bibliothèque idéale, cet album occupe une place centrale. Il est le point de ralliement car il nous rappelle que peu importe les étiquettes — Soul, Post-Punk, Jazz expérimental — ce qui compte, c'est l'âme qu'on y met. Et de l'âme, Otis Redding en avait assez pour alimenter toute la planète. Dire que cet album mérite un 5 sur 5 est presque une insulte, tant la note semble dérisoire face à la grandeur de l'œuvre. Mais comme il faut bien quantifier notre enthousiasme dans ce carnet de bord, on va s'y tenir. C’est la note maximale, sans l’ombre d’une hésitation, c'est le sommet de la pyramide. Un disque à écouter, à réécouter, et à transmettre comme un trésor sacré. Juste un putain de classique. Juste un putain de chef-d'œuvre.

Otis Redding covering a number of all time classics and providing the original version of Respect. Also, I’ve never heard his cover of Satisfaction and I think I like it more than the Stones. He really makes it into a hard blues song. This is fantastic.

Poor Otis, dead and gone. Let me hear you sing his song. Pretty little girl with a red dress on, poor Otis, dead and gone.

Otis just kind of owns any song he sings even when it’s not originally his

Of course

5 stash, for real this time

4.5/5

Wonderful World is the most relatable song I have ever heard.

whewwwwwww this is cookin. what a voice. loses some consistency in the slow songs in particular, but that's to be expected from someone who was only 23 at the time of recording. the band is fully in the pocket. gas top to bottom, as long as you don't listen to some of the lyrics very hard

Loved the Stax Records musicians!

Brilliant songs...brilliant voice

Otis Redding is the King of Soul. This is not hyperbole. His cover of 'Satisfaction' smokes the Stones.

I love Otis Redding. I love I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and his version of A Change is Gonna Come. I liked his covers on this album too. I just love his voice!

Some of the best rnb songs sung the best they’ve ever been sung

A perfect exploration of blues and soul, Otis's voice demanded respect and attention. Gone too soon.

Beautiful oldies album with a bunch of classics. I listened twice and just let the music play on

There needs to be more like this on here.

I love Otis Redding. His voice is just magic. It is at times joyful and others so full of pain and sorrow. The band behind him is tight.

Soulfully played by the great musicians of Stax Recording Studios and masterfully sung by the magnificent ‘Big O.’

a red bull that actually works

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolut klassiker! En av soul-gengrens största album. Med sin röst gör Otis dessa låtar till sina egna och blåset på detta albumet är fantastiskt. Om man inte vet vad man vill lyssna på eller känner sig nere och behöver något för att känna sig bättra finns alltid detta album. En solklar femma!

Definitely great stuff, really enjoyed this album

Can't beat Otis Redding and the Stax sound.

40 tracks holy shit!!! omg I love it this is exactly my vibe

Loved this, perfect would album

Feels familiar in the best way. This is great music for anything that breaths

Another 5 stars

so many classic songs, hard to have anything bad to say at all

On this record Otis Redding is soul incarnate. What a voice! And what a band! This was a great listen. The album is just over half an hour long, not overburdening the listener with material. Each song belongs on this album—it’s tight. His original recording of Respect holds its own against the ubiquitous cover we’re all much more familiar with: Otis’ version provides the male perspective on the same theme. Overall, fantastic soul album. Will definitely listen again.

Otis oh Otis I love you

Otis Redding is one of my favourite singers ever, and his arrangements are gorgeous. Fuck that plane for what they did to him.

Some of the best original songs ever made of this puppy. Stunning. Spun this on the was to the ski hill in Vermont.

Pure gold

Love it

Of course.

Otis taking other peoples songs and owning them. Heck yeah.

One of those albums that I feel honored to get to listen to

Otis is such a phenomenal artist, his music soothes the soul.

Ohhh so that’s where that song came from

I rlly liked the vibe of it and I would def listen to this again! I thought it was rlly diverse and I enjoyed the different instruments and vocals it was cool

Great album! Love his voice, the emotion he is able to convey. Also, lots of familiar songs on this album. Its interesting that this time in song writing, many artist would cover each other songs and be very close in time. It was a different area of the music industry and this album takes advantage of that.

Lotta good ones on here

Five stars only because there aren’t 100.

Genial. Muy buenas canciones propias y versiones. Gran voz de Otis. Corto, muy corto, lo que seagradece ya que así no hay bajones de calidad.

10/10 Otis Blue is an essential listen for any music fan interested in the history of music as a whole. Otis redefines the songs he covers here, and the songs he wrote himself are just as powerful & influential. Absolute Classic. Favorite song: Rock me baby Least favorite: Shake

Finally something not playing with my head. Unquestionably great. Yes, Aretha absolutely smoked him philosophically with 'Respect' but musically, it’s closer (though Aretha still gets it). Wonderful world is well done. In fact they’re all good. Great even. He mightn’t grab the definitive tag on them, but what he does works. 5

This was a fab album. Absolutely adored it.

Generational voice, never actually sat down and listened to him as a full album artist. Really special

Otis doing Otis and others. Perfect.

YES. Perfect.

What a voice! And so young and tragic. A new and reawakened appreciation for soul music after this listen.

An absolute gem and one of the greatest soul records of all time.

What a way to start. Shocked by how many hits this thing was packed with

Pretty good album, loved all the songs- didn’t realize some of these were from Otis.

Great album full of classics

Love everything about this and him.

How do you give anything less than a 6 to Otis Redding.

This is like a "how to" that so many have followed. Or attempted to. An album that can make any mood better.

Excellent album top to bottom. Otis at his best.

Loved it and listened multiple times

Loved this. It was great to hear the original version of all of these classics!

Ole Man Trouble Respect Change Gonna Come I've Been Loving You Too Long Shake My Girl Satisfaction

This is a soul covers album with a few originals including the excellent "Respect". It has everything you'd want in an old-school soul record: excellent songs, excellent singing, excellent backing band. In short, it's perfect. Clocking in at a snappy 30 minutes, it doesn't suffer from any length issues, making this album stand with Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club as one of the foremost examples of early 60s soul on the list.

Classic

Écoute 01/01

All time classic very nice

Otis is amazing. Very calming and groovy.

I really liked the liveliness of this album. A couple of different sounds about love and about how there is some loss in love as well.

If you don’t love Otis there’s no hope for you

Redding sounds amazing here, and the material here is excellent, even if a couple of the covers were done even better by others (Redding's Respect is great, but Aretha's is even better). Still, a definite five.

The originals are excellent, the covers are superb, it's just a great album front to back. 5 Stars.

Sorry, I was visiting Santa in Lapland. 5 stars for me for this perfect soul album by Otis Redding. Beautiful, urgent and still very very modern.

5 stars, no question. I’d probably give Otis 5 stars if he had sang the alphabet song or a recipe, though. But his take on these songs is just extraordinary. The passion, emotion, and soul … You just sit back, close your eyes, listen and enjoy.

My only complaint is that it was too short

Excellent!

Soulful

Been listening to this album since I was 15 and it’s still great. Nobody defined soul music quite like Otis Redding. His wailing, yearning voice hits like few others. Great songs, arrangements and musicians on this album. RIP Steve Cropper.

An absolutely incredible album. Easy 5.

Goatis redding....

Beautiful Album, you almost feel sad when it ends. Love the story of the unknown model on the cover as well.

a classic

Some absolute classics and bangers on this album. A great time from start to finish! Really good album, some songs blended in a little but I'm not complaining. fav song: a change is gonna come

Otis, palabras mayores. Aretha y Otis son dos pináculos del soul. NO hay nadie quien no les guste. Y en el caso de Otis, a nivel personal no hay nadie a quien le caiga mal. Este es uno de los mejores a´lbumes de soul de todos los tiempos: El álbum cuenta con mcuhas versiones: Down in the Valley de Solomon Burke (1962), Wonderful World (1960), A Change Is Gonna Come y su lado B Shake (1964), de Sam Cooke, My Girl de The Tempations (1964), Satisfaction de The Rolling Stones (1965) reconvertida a Satisfashion, You Don't Miss Your Water de William Bell (1962) y Rock Me Baby de B.B. King (1964). Pero es en los temas originales Ole Man Trouble, y sobre todo Respect y I've Been Loving You Too Long donde se gana un ligar para la eternidad. Nada mal para quien era simplemente el conductor de la camioneta de una desconocida banda de Rythm and blues (Johnny and the Pinnetoppers).

Vibes: 5/5 Instruments: 5/5 Production: 4/5 Emotional Value: 4/5 Storytellling: 5/5 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: I've Been Loving You for Too Long, A Change is Gonna Come Overall Rating: 4.6

Fun, upbeat

Pese a tener en contra ser otro hombre y cantar en inglés, es un disco musicalmente impecable, es una joya escucharlo. Ni una sola canción que no sea buena.

Pese a tener en contra ser otro hombre y cantar en inglés, es un disco musicalmente impecable, es una joya escucharlo. Ni una sola canción que no sea buena.

That voice!! Absolutely loved this album. These versions of Change Gonna Come and I’ve Been Loving You Too Long are stunning… but so is the rest

Love it. Own It.

I like it, it's fun.

These songs and performances are great. They are the best versions of these songs as well, including Satisfaction. This is a record that I can put on anytime and it’s always a good choice.

You know someone's good when even their album full of cover songs is better than what some people crank out over their whole careers.

First listened to this in mid 70s when I fell out of love with the music being pushed out at the time, started listening to Blues, Rock and Roll and 60s Soul and this along with live at Monterey was an absolute stand out for me

Beautiful

Loved it!! Love this type of artist and music

Otis Redding (mainly) covering classics. How can you go wrong?

a classic soul album from otis redding, a man who poured blood sweat and tears when he sung. his unfortunately short career is full of gems like this one here. this album, while it lacks a bit of polish compared to other pop music at the time, is full of... well... soul! some performers sing, some belt, but otis is on another level, singing some original tracks as well as popular songs from the era. this man clearly respects the craft and performs at such a degree nobody else can. despite only being in his 20s when the album was recorded, you'd assume he'd been singing this music for at least a few decades. what a voice.

Wonderful. Such a voice. A classic album.

No. 16 The pace, the horns, the voice: They're all so close to perfect!!!

Love Otis Redding, great album.

What a voice, both sweet and grainy, you can feel the emotion pouring out of him. His great songs are showcased here with some covers that celebrate his talent. No one quite like him.

Ok, misschien komt dit omdat ik Otis Redding gewoon al best goed ken, maar dit voelt echt als een soort greatest hits compilatie. Gewoon valsspelen, hij mist eigenlijk alleen nog Sittin on the dock of the bay, maar verder? B A N G E R S! De stem van Otis is natuurlijk al prachtig, maar dan alles er om heen? Dit album is iets sneller, wat meer bluesy, wat soulig. Het is vooral echt prachtig. My Girl? Tranen, wat is dat een mooi nummer, maar dat wist ik natuurlijk al. Satisfaction, sorry Stones, dit is de betere versie. Het zijn wel veel covers, ben ik normaal geen groot fan van, maar ik weet niet man. Ik voel de stem van Otis gewoon volledig en ik ben echt een beetje omver geblazen. Dit album, overigens ook de perfecte lengte, heeft me echt verbaasd. Otis was me wel bekend, maar na dit te luisteren durf ik wel te zeggen dat hij qua stem een van mn favoriete soul zangers is, zn uithalen werken gewoon heel goed voor mij! FAVO: Respect, A change is gonna come, ive been loving you too long, Shake, My Girl, Wonderful World

This is a great example of less being more. More complicated arrangements would distract from the excellent pieces that are here.

Effortlessly cool and soulful.

Soul at its finest, Otis defines the landscape for years to come

Opening up this record and finding beautiful, achingy sung Soul Music is about as surprising as finding oats inside a box with a smiling Quaker on the front, however perfect music is always worthwhile and this record makes the case that Soul not only describes the best type of music but also is the quality that makes any type of music great. The vocals tare perfection and there just couldn’t be a better band to back him up than those Blues Brothers guys. Also with the 3 covers serves as an epitaph to his recently fallen comrade-in-soul Sam Cooke.

Amazing album. This is the sort of Memphis soul that I'll take over Motown any day - that classic raw Stax sound with Booker T and the MGs as the house band, and one of the greatest voices of all time. Some great takes on classic songs that are either Otis covers of more famous versions (My Girl, Change is Gonna Come) or original songs that became classic covers for others (Respect). 60s soul doesn't get much better than this for my money.

Outstanding album! Makes me feel all of the feelings

Just incredible. Can only imagine what it must have been like seeing him live.

Good just all classics! Gotta get it on vinyl

When I was young the radio was full of American soul songs. They reminded me of a Toyota, well designed, well engineered but untimately lacking in excitement. But every so often Toyota produce a Celica GT4 (powerful and more importantly exciting) This album is soul musics GT4. Really strong songs, great vocal performance and grabs your attention, Favourite tracks Respect A Change is Gonna Come I've Been Loving You Too Long My Girl Satisfaction

Soul as it should be done. Superb all the way through.

It seems this album was followed by at least 5 major hits worldwide, taking its songs as inspiration. Major influence. People should know the real heroes and "influencers".

I actually loved this

Classic soul with fantastic original and cover songs. Favorite track: rock me baby other picks: I've been loving you, my girl, respect, satisfaction

Just fantastic. I have always loved Otis Redding. I have heard this album a million times. It's timeless.

шикарно!!!

Perfect fucking record. Incredible.

Great album

Otis is so great. I don't listen to his stuff enough.

A classic. Fun songs everybody will know.

Love a bit of soul

A classic from start to finish 5*

This is a wonderful album. Wonderful fully realized tone. Fantastic order. And perfect length. Much better than what you'd expect from what is essentially a cover album

probably otis' most consistently great album. i think he has higher highs than are on here, but it's still terrific. come for his soulful, heartwrenching vocals, stay for the terrific musicianship and arrangements behind him!

Great album

Good old soul. No notes. Just listen and smile

There's not much to be said for Otis Redding. These are all songs I had heard before, whether it was Otis singing them or another artist whose song Otis Redding covers. Otis may be blue but this album is absolute gold. Otis Redding is one of my favorite artists and one of the few who I can tolerate to cover a song like Satisfaction. There isn't a bad song on here, and if you only know Otis Redding from Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay, then you are in for a treat here. I admittedly do not know many Otis Redding albums other than this one, so from everything I have read this is the first album where he puts it all together into one great cohesive record. Highly recommend and this one has been in my collection for a while.

I really love his distinct voice. It’s like a warm hug. He’s getting a lot of stars!

Incredible. Awesome soul and big band style. Otis Redding is amazing.

Absolutely fantastic soul!

a huge and great album

ez 5/5