Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

A solid soul cover album, I would t be upset if any of this came on. Really solid covers, surprised by The Rolling Stones cover too. 4 of 5, his voice is amazing.

Otis Redding's voice goes in and out like a radio broadcast, but somehow never loses its power, its consequence, its relatability. For a little more than thirty minutes, the great soul innovator has the right-of-way, taking you to every locale the genre can go. But what makes this particular record so intensely vital is that four of the eleven covers have come to be associated w/ other artists, and yet not for one second are you doubtful of Redding's ability to transcend the canonization of those tracks. 'Respect' is Aretha's, 'A Change Is Gonna Come' is Sam Cooke's, 'My Girl' is The Temptations's, and 'Satisfaction' is The Stones's, but Otis's versions aren't just up to par, they're standards of their own, epitomizing that tragically truncated career.

Hell yeah, I LOVE soul and blues. In reading about this album, I learned that Redding was backed by the Stax label house band- Booker T. & the M.G.'s! This album slaps, I love it start to finish.

Great album, have it on vinyl and listened to it that way…in mono.

A classic, stone cold. The smoldering 6/8 burn is strong with this one.

Otis Redding is one of the great soul singers ever. It's probably not great that I best know him for getting sampled a bunch on that Kanye West/Jay-Z duo album (Kanye West: Piece of shit human, savant-like ability to recognize great music). At least now I can say I have listened to his actual music and it's just great. You can feel his emotion in his singing on every song and it just makes you want to close your eyes and sway with the slow playing of the piano. Solid 4 for me.

This is about as effortlessly cool and composed a soul record as there ever was. Otis Redding has an all time voice for the genre and absolutely owns each of the songs. I could listen to this end over end without tiring. Something about listening to this makes me long for a red Chevrolet and a milkshake... Ole Man Trouble absolutely fucks. Love the progression at work here and horns. TiL that Arethra Franklin covered Respect... Hers is the definitive version, but this jams all the same. My Girl is a classic, as is Wonderful World. His brass-filled take on Satisfaction is fine even if it doesn't stray far from the original source material. But the turn into You Don't Miss Your Water is a bit of weird sequencing IMO. That said, Don't Miss Your Water is one of my favorites on here and absolutely fantastic in the closing slot. High high 4 for me. Just not quite the energy for a 5.

Hard to hate an album with a bunch of covers of well known hits done in expert fashion. Had me grooving for sure.

Been in some really bluesy older music trend here on this list and im here for it. Liked the couple of covers on here. Otis Redding just has such a powerful singing voice

Fun lil album with some great covers and great singing. Solid one I would love to play in the background having some people over.

Amazing voice I had to lookup Otis Redding. I was unaware. There is an article about his wife i want to read sometime: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/17/us/otis-redding-zelma-macon-georgia.html#:~:text=Her%20name%20is%20carved%20into,death%2C%20she%20has%20not%20remarried.

Great sound. Very cool.

This is a really solid album that shows off what made Otis Redding such a respected artist. His voice is powerful and the backing musicians do a good job supporting him throughout. What I like most about this record is how it covers different moods. You get the harder, grittier songs like "Down in the Valley" and "Shake" that really rock, and then you have the softer tracks like "My Girl" and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" where Redding shows his more gentle side. He handles both styles well. Redding's vocals are the main attraction here. He can go from really intense and passionate to smooth and tender, sometimes even within the same song. The performances feel genuine rather than overly polished, which works well for this style of music. The album flows nicely from track to track and doesn't feel like just a collection of random songs. It's clear that some thought went into how it was put together. Overall, this is quality soul music that holds up well. If you're into this genre, it's definitely worth checking out. I'd give it a solid 5/5 stars.

Fantastic renditions of stone cold classics. Satisfaction & Respect are Fantastic

Sublime.

Beautiful covers!

Love this album

So smooth and cool, and then My Girl hits.

Who knew that Otis Redding recorded "Respect" before Aretha? Not me! His take is certainly not bad, either, but Aretha's arrangement deservedly made the song all hers.

I am glad I could hear it on this lazy morning.

9/10 Lav it! That otis guy can really sing

Loads of hits. Foundational stuff for others to rip off

His voice is butter, Otis Redding is my “Beetles Bias”

So many good songs. This album is just right.

Damn, the start of the album was extremely strong with "Ole Man Trouble" and "A Change is Gonna Come" which ended up being the favorite track of the lot. The start was hinting at a possible 5, but then the tone of the subsequent songs went to more livelier soul which was still absolutely fine to listen to, but it didn't necessarily transport me anywhere like the other two songs did. As such, this will receive a 4/5 rating.

The majority of the tracks on Otis Blue are cover versions so this album will never be a 5 for me. It seems to be his strongest album, I haven't listened to the others fully but the track lists seem to have 1-2 standout songs. This album is a solid 30 mins of soul. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

A day after strugging through Foo Fighters' debut album I was blessed with this. Wow, can Otis Redding ever sing. He is one of those artists who I have probably heard many times but I couldn't name any of his songs. What a treat!

Just a bad batch of songs with no concept and nothing to latch on to. 0/10

it's certainly soul. some very recognizable songs and covers. but it was boring. a classic but boring to listen to. I feel like it would be perfect for like dinner party ambiance

This is just a cover album. This doesn't mean it's not a bad album, it's just not original. Thus it gets less stars.

Mooi album met een aantal interessante covers op. Ideaal voor op de achtergrond. 3.4

Awesome songs and covers

Brilliant

3 Listens and I love it. The guy is a legend.

15/1089 Ole Man Trouble was a great opener, Otis’ voice is beautiful. It has a very easy listening vibe to it. It’s interesting hearing the original version of Respect (having not previously known about it) naturally his voice sounds amazing on it Wow A Change Is Gonna Come got me teary, i’m not sure if i’ve heard this rendition before but it’s stunning. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long was very passionate and a nice listen his version of Satisfaction was a lot of fun and very energetic You Don’t Miss Your Water was a perfect ending, a really beautiful relaxed way to top of the album overall i really enjoyed listening to this. however, i find it hard to judge it knowing that the majority of these are covers and not original to Redding. That said, they were mostly really nice interpretations. I fully appreciate artists including covers and renditions of songs that are important to them/their record and these were very well incorporated, I just generally prefer original songs when i’m listening to the album of an artist who is new to me faves: A Change Is Gonna Come, You Don’t Miss Your Water least faves: Rock Me Baby, Wonderful World 3 stars or 61/100 i really liked this album and will likely revisit my favourites but it isn’t necessarily my taste as a whole

Great blues singing would suggest it to everyone

Absolute cinema

Excellent

Yeah it's good

Can't imagine not liking this.

1. Hörgenuss / Emotionaler Eindruck: (3) ➤ Ich habe es durchgehört und musste mir nicht denken "oh man wann hört es auf" also kann es nicht so schlecht sein 2. Songqualität & Melodien: (3) ➤ Ich mochte die Variation in den einzelnen Songs. Es wurde mal lauter und mal leiser, dann kamen neue Instrumente dazu. Das hat das ganze Dynamischer gemacht 3. Stil & Genre – mein Geschmack: (2) ➤ an sich nicht ganz meins 4. Kohärenz & Atmosphäre: (3) ➤ Es war alles im selben vibe, hat schon zusammen gepasst. Für mich haben jetzt einzelne Songs aber nicht sooo herausgestochen. 5. Originalität / Überraschung: (4) ➤ Durch die Unterschiedlichen Instrumente gab es Abwechslung und auch Überraschungsmomente ⟶ Gesamtpunkte: 15 / 25 ⭐ Gesamtwertung: 3 / 5 Sterne Kommentar / Lieblingssong(s): [Down in the Valley, I've been Loving you too long (mein Favorit)]

Obviously, Otis Redding is one of the greatest. This is a really good album to get to know his style which is phenomenal and so many of the songs were hits before he covered them on this album. The standout is "Change Gonna Come" for me. Covering songs back in this time period was done all the time and singers/performers who had their own style would make the song their own and Otis does just that. Really great album.

nice

Nice

The covers are great and there are only a few originals, but great ones at that. It's recorded well - clean, but keeping a natural live sound. A classic that is always listenable.

Un álbum con alma, lo espontáneo y la rapidez le da al álbum un buen sonido. Además con presencia de lucha racial.

No notes 10/10

Perfection. (100/100)

Fine soul, and mighty-fine work Mr. Redding. Groovy.

I used to listen to the soul show with Ferry Maat on Dutch radio. It was great music.

Better than coldplay

Great voice great vibes just too much filler

Great vocals and good vibes! I knew a lot of the songs he was covering so that was nice. Happy

Otis Redding singing is only ever going to be good!

Loved the lyric "shake it like a bowl of soup" This was a cool and influential listen, not the kind of thing I'd normally have in the rotation but more to like than dislike here for sure

Iconic voice, mostly covers with some originals, backed by an all-star Stax band — Booker T. & the M.G.’s and Isaac Hayes on piano. It sounds great, but some of these songs are done better by other artists on other albums. I like it, and you can’t deny the talent and the playing — it’s just not a record I would reach for often.

Got a little boring with all of these songs sounding similar but it's just classic after classic. Hard to dislike these old school funk albums 7/10

Change gonna come, I’ve been loving you too long, You don’t miss your water. Good soulful love songs, nothing warranting a skip but also not something I’d be driven to put on.

I listened to this two times through and enjoyed it. Then I saw the news about Ozzy passing and I became distracted by Black Sabbath. It was my first time listening to "Paranoid." I have to imagine that album makes an appearance on this list at some point. Seeing as how I've already heard Metallica, twice, and Judas Priest, I would be shocked if Paranoid doesn't make the cut. Anyway, Otis Redding, good soul music. 3.5

One of the best soul albums ever. What a line up! Otis Redding, Booker T and the MGs, the Memphis Horns, and Isaac Hayes.

Oh my soul! In my teenage years (60's), my peers would either follow rock/r&b or soul, and be dressed and groomed as such. I resisted soul therefore as if it were political. Once more mature, I was able to appreciate this genre for its own unique sound and importance. Otis Redding's story is remarkable. What a talent, and productivity as a young artist, cut short at the height of his success, like so many others. Soul never became my favorite genre, but this album is very listenable.

Half of this album is sang better by someone else, originaly or as a cover. Another half failed to blow my mind either. I don't much appreciate this manner of singing, so, no surprises.

beautiful album with such great emotion and energy. On first listen, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel. I had heard so many of these songs covered by others over the years, or had heard the originals first. Once I got past that, I could appreciate the album even more. Otis has such a unique voice. love this one

Otis Redding: Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul: Its a fairly good soul album. Not my favorite genre of music, but its solid, fun, and short. Like the instrument diversity. 7/10

Good stuff

Otis Redding is an absolute legend 😍

Me dio un poco igual

Succulent.

Classic stuff from a legend.

4.0

beautiful. You can see where so much music comes from

Old.

a lot of great songs, Idk what was original or a cover, but a nice voice to listen to over some deeply emotional songs

По началу показался ну очень прикольным! Потом немного надоел, хоть и вовсе не длинный, 32 минуты. Ну и вокал достаточно специфический, вероятно поэтому поднадоело слушать с непривычки.. Снова не мой любимый жанр и мб не очень в настроение, но альбом хороший

Lovely album. Raw and emotional, Otis had a very unique gift that hit the heartstrings on every listen.

Otis is wonderful - love the sound, some great highlights here (Ole Man Trouble, A Change is Gonna Come). Some of the tracks have versions which are more iconic (Respect, My Girl, Wonder World, Satisfaction). I do like Otis' version of these but it keeps the record feeling a bit less essential. This is a strong 3 for me.

Classic. Goddamn this album is great.

great album, made in 24 hours. that's amazing.

Great sound but too many covers!

Good, but not the best of Redding. Also, “Respect” is out-shone in every way by the AF version.

What's that? Cover albums shouldn't be on this list? Especially if they just make you wish you were listening to the originals? Sorry Otis 😭

ahhhh yeah some Otis Redding! I feel like this ones going to be so goood! What a hell of a voice! Fuck! I've been loving you too long has a ton of energy ah shit! My Girl is on here! Wonderful World too! I can't get no satisfaction too?! Yep knew this was going to be a 5 star album. Good shit! I even went home and listened to it one more time whilst cooking.

From a young age, Otis Redding was the guy on that one rap song that went GAH-JAH-OOO-NAH-NAH-NAH. But years later, I've gotten to know Otis Redding as a man with a voice that defined the very meaning of soul. On this record, you can hear him put everything into singing these songs. I can especially highlight the last 4 tracks which go from sunny R&B to Blues to Rock and Roll and finally a true dose of Soul. I went from expecting a record filled with singles and quick bits (like Elvis) to being able to hear something more within. Otis was a man with all the tricks up his sleeve and a voice that rang on like the wind. His loss was a great tragedy. (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)

soul, 1965 -> 3

Good listening

Standout Songs: Respect Down in the Valley My Girl Wonderful World

A voz dele é linda e a instrumentalização é boa, mas o álbum em si é monótono. Quando o ouvi, ele passou como um sopro, e me deixou levíssimas impressões. Facilmente esquecível. 2.5

7/11/25. Otis has the voice, and loved hearing his take on famous songs during this era. Really adds a lot of soul, hence the title.

Good basslines and rhythms. I don't normally listen to stuff like this, but there was enough going on musically for me to appreciate.

More like GOATis Redding. Shit goes crazy

a solid album of mostly covers. “a change is gonna come” is my favourite of course. iconic song that..

What an absolute joy this album was. When it came up, I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood for Otis. I stuck it on anyway and thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite already knowing a few songs, this album was just an overall injection of positivity. A definite addition to my library, and a good example of the 1001 generator being very effective.

Clearly a GREAT album. I love every song, especially “Respect” - great rendition! I would give this a 6/5 if I could.

Yeah this album is rad. Great voice and great songs. They don’t make em like this anymore Hearing Respect not sung by Aretha was weird - but also learned Otis wrote it. Cool discovery!

Ahh, ça fait un méchant boutte qu'un a pas eu un pull de Blues, pis un bon à part de ça!

No es de mi gusto personal, pero entiendo el gusto que prodria haber por el en la época

I enjoyed this. Familiar with the artist, not this particular album. Definitely canonical.

I really enjoyed this album. Otis has a fantastic voice and the production is stellar event though it's 60 years old. It's amazing how many famous songs were inspired and sampled from tracks on this album.

Great listen with lots of great hits. Gets a bit samey at times but hard to have too much of a good thing.

One of the very best

Been a good while since I last listened to a true oldie. Glad to finally have another. Okay, it’s only been 9 albums since the last 60s one, but way longer in the time before then. I’m glad I can kick my feet back and listen to some good, non-demanding chunez for a change. Like virtually every other artist from this decade I have no idea who Otis Redding is or why his picture on the album cover is making me feel some kinda way, but I guess I’ll figure it out for myself. Soul isn’t my thing and continues to not be my thing now that this album is behind me. None of these songs are interesting, which is more than likely owed to the overwhelming presence of cover songs. The Redding originals are the weakest of the album, doing absolutely nothing to hold my attention. In any case, there are some alright cuts on this album. “Change Gonna Come” and “Wonderful World” are listenable all the way through. That one guitar lick from “Down in the Valley” more than likely justifies this album with how pervasive it has been within pop music, but nevertheless I’m curious to know why it’s on here. I’m checking the book. “...a lush sound throughout.” Intense, emotional vocals. Okay, so it turns out that Down in the Valley is yet another cover and the iconic guitar lick is from “Love Is Strange” by Mickey & Sylvia. Still, despite not being my thing or doing anything particularly interesting, I support this album being on the list. I’m pretty sure the only other soul album I’ve listened to is Al Green’s Let’s be Together, so there’s definitely a lack of representation for this genre. Wikipedia also says that this is one of the most acclaimed soul albums of the time, so I get the impression that this is a solid soul rep.

Great classics. All listenable. I would put the whole album on.

Minus one for mostly covers but what a voice

This is a wonderful album that's just a shot of sunshine. If there's a drawback I prefer most of the originals to the covers presented here, although Satisfaction comes pretty damn close to beating the original.

Otis is uber talented, but it's hard for me to rate an album full of covers too high, especially when I like the originals better

classic

Supremely listenable, this was a great one to have on in the background for a variety of tasks. This is an album I could see myself reaching for again.

So.many.hits!! I think my favourite part was the texture in his voice. You really notice that compared to many vocal recordings - it’s sounds like you are right there

Really solid listen and an essential artist - however, the composition of the album being covers (or songs made more famous by other artists' covers) makes it less likely I'll revisit.

Didn't listen to the whole thing. Obviously amazing talentt

Some good covers of known songs

Love it

Very nice listen.

A classic. 5/5

The voice. Oh man, the voice!

Otis Redding… what can you say. Always a pleasure. Fun to hear these different versions of well known songs. You can tell it’s just a master at his height playing around with his craft.

Lindo álbum, de un artista que murió demasiado joven :(

Lovely 😍

Not bad.

The pace, the horns, the voice: They're all so close to perfect! It's a slow but steady and energetic blues walk through songs both familiar and not.

DAMN THIS IS SOME SOUL YAY Ma girlllll, Ma GiRrRrLlLlL, MAAAaAaAaaaa GGIRLLLLLlLlL

An exceptional collection of songs performed by an exceptional artist. Otis has to be on the short list of top musical talents we lost too soon. While none of these tracks match Otis’ peak brilliance on Sittin On The Dock of the Bay, it’s probably his best collection of songs as a whole album released in his lifetime. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and his rendition of My Girl are highlights.

Really beautiful album. Soaring vocals and melodies. Pleasure to listen to his interpretations of a lot of these hits, even if they’re not my personal fave versions.

I can't get no satisfaction

I love Otis Redding, I always have.. but I’m only giving this 4 stars because Aretha Franklin is the only person that should sing Respect

Surprising how many songs on this album are ubiquitous.

Classic Soul

Gold....

Dit was echt lekker. Twee keer geluisterd. Zijn stem! Soul is me toch wel wat. Trompetten!

Really loved this Soul album. Otis' vocal timbre texture really gets you moving.

This short album includes mostly covers done by soul singer Otis Redding, i never liked Otis that much, although there are a couple of songs that are good. The Memphis-based backup band was top notch at that time. Aretha Franklin covered “Respect” later and made it a hit. Overall enjoyable listening.

Who knew Otis Redding looked like that? This album is mostly covers, which is good for me because it means I actually know the songs. Well, covers and songs that will later be covered, like 'Respect'. (By the by, there seems to be a lot of misinformation about where "cover" in the music sense came from; it came from "coverage", as in market coverage!) Double by the by, what's the deal with naming albums by colors? There's the Beatles' White album, which I always assumed inspired things like Weezer's Green album, Metallica's Black album, etc. But this album is older than the White Album! Of course I don't know if anyone called it Otis's Blue album, but surely it could have played some role in this tradition? It's a hard thing to research because colored vinyl records were also a thing, which may or not have had some influence (c.f. Bobby Vinton's 1963 "Blue on Blue", which was on blue vinyl). Highlights: 'My Girl', 'Wonderful World' (I also don't know what a good slide rule is for), 'Satisfaction' (only because it reminds me of Britney Spears, ha)

Absolutely amazing. Soulful, touching, sexy. Everything.

Great soul / blues from Otis

Not an album I'm eager to download each song to my library, only because it's mostly a cover album, but Otis just always slaps. A voice from Heaven. He does justice to a lot of these covers, and produces the original Respect.

Das Album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul wurde innerhalb weniger Tage im Juli 1965 in den Stax Studios in Memphis, Tennessee aufgenommen. Otis Redding, ein US-amerikanischer Sänger aus Georgia, arbeitete für diese Produktion mit der Hausband Booker T. & the M.G.’s sowie den Mar-Keys-Hornbläsern zusammen. Die Aufnahmen fanden in einer konzentrierten, live-orientierten Atmosphäre statt, was dem Album seine rohe und unmittelbare Wirkung verleiht. Redding interpretiert auf dem Album sowohl eigene Stücke als auch Songs anderer Künstler. Besonders bekannt sind „Respect“, das später durch Aretha Franklin weitere Popularität erlangte, sowie seine Versionen von „A Change Is Gonna Come“ und „My Girl“. Mit „I've Been Loving You Too Long“ enthält das Album eine der zentralen Balladen in Reddings Repertoire. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Werk im Soul-Genre, wobei Elemente aus Rhythm and Blues und Gospel hörbar sind. Die Arrangements sind knapp gehalten, mit klarem Fokus auf Gesang und Rhythmussektion. Das Album dokumentiert eine frühe Phase im Schaffen Otis Reddings, in der er sich als markante Stimme innerhalb der Soulmusik etablierte. Es wirkt geschlossen und zeigt sowohl seine gesangliche Ausdruckskraft als auch seine Fähigkeit zur Neuinterpretation fremder Titel. Die Produktion ist zurückhaltend, was die emotionale Direktheit der Stücke unterstützt.

Soul soup to fill tha bowl

His third album. Soul. Those vocals, the horns, the whole sound. A perfect Soul album. Respect, a classic track. My Girl, beautiful. Wonderful World is another classic ! Lovely album.

This was such a surprise at how many of these songs were covered by later bands. I had no idea.

I believe that Otis Redding was one of those rare talents that arrives only once in a lifetime, which makes his death at age 26 even more tragic. His voice was incomparable and he was a performer of tremendous energy and passion. There was, and never will be, anyone else like him. That makes anything that he recorded worthy of a listen but this album hits all the right notes. When you combine his voice with an outstanding collection of songs, both originals and covers, and have Booker T. & the M.G.'s as the band behind him, you can't go wrong. This album is such a joy to listen to. I couldn't love it more than I do.

An underwhelming album. I think this is an example where the total is less than the sum of its parts. I enjoy Otis, and I enjoy Soul, but I don't think his covers add to the listening experience. 3/2.5 stars

Great selection of covers on this record. I really appreciate the brass instrumentation.

Otis never disappoints—a classic '60s long player with many timeless hits.

Awesome. Otis never disappoints. Always awesome.

That was a bit of a flash in the pan album, only lasted for 33 minutes. I don't know, certainly not as good as a full temptations album.

Génie de son temps

Excellent. Trop courte vie...

Soûlé par le Soul

Encore de l’excellent soul. J’aime beaucoup sa voix un peu écorchée, sur le bord de se mettre à pleurer, qui transporte toute la douleur du monde. J’aime aussi la place très importante des cuivres dans les chansons. Par contre avoir 2 covers sur un album de 32 min c’est un drôle de choix. C’était peut-être comme ça dans le temps! Respect!

I wouldn’t skip any song. His voice and sound have stood the test of time. Very nostalgic for me as a southerner. I think almost every Mardi Gras parade or fishing trip or restaurant played his songs/covers while I grew up and even now

Amazing

Classic gold

Solid.

I liked his rendition of Satisfaction more than Rolling Stones!

Two songs that became big hits for other artists. This was really solid - enjoyed it!

Good stuff, a little monotonous when listening to the whole album straight

ja nice

8.5/10 Favorite Track: “A Change Is Gonna Come” Otis Blue is raw feeling dressed in sharp arrangements. Redding’s voice carries every track like it is the last thing he will ever sing. Whether he is pleading, shouting, or barely holding it together, there is no distance between the emotion and the mic. His cover of “A Change Is Gonna Come” does not just honor Sam Cooke’s original, it tears it open and bleeds through every note. The album jumps between pain and joy without ever losing momentum.

Classic Otis Redding. Somewhat impressive and somewhat bland. So influential it has become passe. There's interesting passes here, but a majority of the album falls flat today.

I mean it's nice. But nothing really special imo

Really enjoyed this one

Bloody BRILLIANT album, I really loved this one. Another new discovery I had never heard of before and will be definitely listening to a lot more of. Top Track - My Girl

It may be mostly covers but what covers! Extraordinary voice

Cool

What an album

Hard to believe this is a third album by an artist from 1965. It sounds so new, timeless and mature. Such a high quality recording. A really great album. Blown away listening to this.

A lot of the songs sounded the same, but it’s good!

A covers album has no business being this solid.

Not my favorite blues songs, but this album is pretty undeniable. It's great.

Unbelievable; it's like a greatest hits record. A flawless gem of a thing.

Great album. Great tracks.

Otis Redding is great, but "collectors' editions" make terrible albums with the same song four times. These tracks also include covers of songs that made his peers famous, and less of what makes him special.

Again, a classic album.

Soul music!!! I've definitely heard Otis Redding before (because I mean who hasn't lol) but I've never done a deep dive. I love horns in music though and I love a stellar voice and so far this album has both. I do love soul music. I am listening to the original album btw not the 2 hour and 40 min collector's edition. Omg the original Respect!! I've never heard this, only the cover! A change is gonna come is SUCH a good song. I'm loving this.

After hearing this for the first time, I can easily say this has made it onto my all-time favourite records. I was first indirectly introduced to Otis Redding from one of my favourite movies growing up, called "Are We There Yet?" starring Ice Cube. There was a scene where one of the characters sings 'Respect', but it was Aretha Franklin's rendition. After all these years, I'm glad I can listen to where it all began. I had many highlights in this record, but I'll list a few. I enjoyed the way that Otis Redding exuded soul in the emotional tracks. The saxophone in most of the songs was a pleasure to listen to. Almost every song on this record is legendary; it's something you've probably listened to before. I can't say I really had any lowlights in this record. One might be that maybe the tracks could have been organized better. The first track, "Ole Man Trouble," didn't hook me as the others did, and it could have been moved further into the album. Favourite Track(s): Respect, (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, I've Been Loving You Too Long. Least Favourite Track(s): Ole Man Trouble

Okay

The soundtrack to those gut-punching 3AM depression bouts brought on by sadness and broken hearts. 5/5

2.5-3

The definitive southern soul record. Otis Redding had and continues to have in 2025 very few equals and even less that can better him, arguably the singers that can top him can be counted on one hand with a few fingers missing. What a voice. The man could convey every emotion known to men sometimes the bulk of them in one song. As essential in a soul lover's record collection as pasta is in the kitchen of an Italian. Buono! Buono, Mr. Redding!

What a jam! So danceable. Love the horns. I just kept on listening to Otis.

Otis pretty much never misses

it's pleasantly nice

Very nice!

monument de la soul

This is definitely one of the records you play someone who hasn't yet been introduced to Soul music. Backed by the legendary Stax house band, this album really showcases Otis' energy, even on songs like "Change Gonna Come". His version of "Respect" is much different than the one Aretha Franklin would go on to record, and his cover of "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones transform the song in an incendiary way.

I know Otis but I have never listened to this cover album of songs we all appreciate. I was aware he wrote "Respect" which Aretha turned into an all time great hit, his version is very different. His take on "A Change Is Gonna Come" is solid, it's such a good song regardless of who's singing it. I enjoyed his interpretations of "My Girl" and "Wonderful World". But I wasn't satisfied with his version of "Satisfied" and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" It feels like he oversings some of the songs, trying to find that wow moment, instead of using that great voice to present his version. I wasn't all that impressed nor did I think he did enough to make some of those classics his own. 3 stars and that's generous.

Jag gillade den en del, tyckte "respekt" var lite misogynistic. Tycket jag kunde igen så många så antog att han var the OG men när jag hörde "my girl" behövde jag kolla upp det och Otis skrev bara 3 av 11 låtarna på albumet... kändes missvisande idk... borde vara tydligare tycker jag men låtarna var kanske så välkända när albumet gjordes att det var självklart... men nu är det ju 60 år senare...

Lots of great songs even if you have heard them by other artists and they may be mo0re of the definitive versions. But you can't deny he does a fantastic job with all of them as the songs are all we have heard before and maybe don't come to mind as the artist associated with them I can't give 5 stars but it is close.

Otis' voice is a great mix of rugged and soulful. Nice, short blues album.

Classic and fun to listen to. Only a few of them I remember from before.

A strong effort from one of the smoothest singers ever. It was a great listening experience. Not a lot more to be said. Biggest negative for me was that it was overwhelmingly covers. Is it really fair to say an album is "great" when it's an immensely talented vocalist singing songs that are already popular? It feels like cheating a little bit, even though they changed up the arrangements somewhat. His few originals are great, and everything I know Otis has written is a good song. Unfortunately we only got three of those on this whole album. The covers are what dropped this back down to just "good" for me. Just not enough original work to get more credit than that. But it was still very good. Overall: 3.5/5

Some covers were better than others. Oddly I like my girl the most

Wonderful world Rock me baby A change is gonna come Satisfaction

obviously sounds great but not my bag.

Lovely covers, lovely voice.

Sounds like all over old music. Nice listen but quite unremarkable

Otis becomes OTIS. Possibly the greatest soul album of all time. The "Stax" sound is born during Satisfaction.

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It is, of course, a truism to remark that Otis Redding had one of THE great voices of the 60's. Attempting to describe that voice without resort cliche is...well, if not impossible, then certainly close to it. However, I have to confess that I didn't expect to be blown away by this album; I have heard most of the songs before, so I thought I had a good idea of what to expect. But, I must admit that I was surprised. There was something immensely (and surprisingly) enjoyable about just kicking back with some headphones and allowing Otis to transport me to a different time and place for about 50 minutes. I didn't think, I just listened. And, if a work of art is capable of shutting out the noise, of quieting the chaos, even for a little while, well I think there is no higher praise available. A highlight of the record was the cover of 'Satisfaction.' Being a huge Stones Guy I wasn't expecting to enjoy this cover as much as I did. I thought I would have to 'endure it' or, perhaps, to 'suffer through it' (there are some questionable 'Satisfaction' covers out there). Now, is it as good as the original? I wouldn't like to comment on that...but I will say, it is GOOD. Great even. All told, I thoroughly enjoyed this album and plan on revisiting it again and again. Perhaps on rainy nights, when I feel a type of longing I can't quite identify. On nights like that, perhaps Otis can show me the way.

Excellent vibes.

Loved it!

Beautiful

Otis has a great voice and soul to his singing. Enjoyed the covers and the horns were excellent.

Solid blues music. I am not a Blues person but it was solid

He sounds great, I only knew “The Dock of the Bay” before this but his voice is incredible. Lots of emotion and oomph to it. Really tragic that he died at 26, lots of potential. This was great, although the album does kinda drag after the first couple songs.

enjoyable listen with lots of familiar songs (most are covers?). I'm not usually a blues fan but enjoyed this. 3.5 stars

Blues isn’t really my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the quality of the songs here

Pleasant sound, the originals stand up to the covers, and there are three Sam Cooke songs on here so it's made with taste

7/10. It's...pleasant.

Iconic songs, iconic voice, iconic album. 10/10

Pretty good

Great stuff however I do not want to hear anybody but Aretha do Respect

Great songs

Start to finish, lovely album. Would listen again. Soul standards with a standard for soul.

Great musicians, excellent blues singer so I’m not sure why it does nothing for me. I’m not a blues fan so that’s part of it, but I’m a huge fan of melody which I find lacking. Songs like Rocking Baby and You Don’t Miss Your Water (he really wants water!) bored me crazy, waiting for the song to end.

Mostly a covers album but well above average for this genre. Great backing band and soulful vocals.

Superb vocal techniques. Most songs are covers? I did some research and found that he died at the age of 26?.. I wanted to rate the album without thinking about it but I just can’t. I wish his soul is as free as this album.

I’m usually not super keen on cover albums. It’s a 50/50 whether I think the artist is actually bringing something new to the table. That being said, Otis Redding is one of the few artists to whom I will always give credence. I’ve never heard a song I disliked by him and I’ve gone through several albums. Easy 5. I think he did justice to the originals, added to them in a meaningful way and made the covers his own.

good songs to cover, good voice doing the covering - stellar album for just easy listening. Otis Redding is a GOAT and this album, in my opinion, helps to define that legacy

Love his voice and sound.

It’s a cover album but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great listen. Otis Redding has incredible vocals and it was really fun seeing what personal touches he put on each song. It was also the first time I can remember hearing Respect from the opposite point of view. Really good album, but I don’t know that I can justify a five.

How can you not love Otis Redding's voice? I do wish we got some more original songs though. The covers he does are very well done, but they're not that much different from the original. I wish he would have made them more of his own. I pretty much prefer the original version to all the covers. That makes it even funnier that I prefer Aretha Franklin's version of "Respect" more than the original. Most of the songs on this album I wish were a different version.

not my style, but is good

Great album. Otis has such emotion in his songs

Otis GD Redding, sounds as good as ever

Not my genre but beautiful album.

Incredible. I always forget how much I love soul music. Best way to shake off a case of the Mondays.

Sweet vocals, great band.

Comme disent les jeunes, c'est une masterclass.

Beautiful soulful album. Only knock was that it was mostly covers

Wow! 5.

Normally I judge albums that are mostly covers. But I'd listen to Otis sing the phone book. Do those still exist? Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

When the Blues built the house

Good album full of covers

Singing with delight, raw emotion, and at times with torment. What I envision quality Soul music should encapsulate. Legendary voice!!

So many solid songs I recognized but don’t know if he’s the chicken or the egg. Ran a bit long though

This was very fun

Wait till Otis sees us, he loves us

Viele bekannte Songs im souligen Sound. Für ein 60 Jahre altes Album erstaunlich gut. 4/5

Just a really good soul album. Steve Cropper’s guitar work is brilliant. Otis is an incredible singer. “Respect” is better than Aretha Franklin’s version. His cover of “Satisfaction” is so good that one journalist thought that the Stones covered him. There is not a single subpar song on here. An entire album of highlights. Otis was the man.

This was a pleasure to listen to

Otis Redding song soulful rhythm and blues with killer backing band. Redding is a great talent, performing songs with emotionality, energy, and swagger. The music is solid throughout - always smooth whether sparse and quiet or more upbeat and fun. Particularly shining is the horn arrangements which provide great accents. It’s all solid with a few standout tracks, mostly on Side A which is strong enough that Side B doesn’t feel essential.

8/10 A load of bangers, sung really well and played really well. Production is good but maybe muted? There are a load of greats on here and not much of the music really stands out strongly. Best: I’ve Been Loving You Too Long

gorgeous gorgeous!

I'm lathering respect on the name Otis Redding like butter.

Brought a tear to my eye

This is one of those kind of albums that I feel underqualifed to rate. I mean really! OTIS REDDING! One of the massive icons of soul and jazz!? What am I supposed to say? This isn't somehow great jazz or soul or both? It is frickin' iconic, it is canon. I don't like Metallica. BUT the album I reviewed on this site is absolutely iconic canon metal. My opinion gets lost in the reality that this is untouchable. Otis Redding is a co-owner OF jazz! There is nothing for me to "rate" here, it is part and parcel to jazz history.

3.6 solid soul album, a bit on the slower side for my personal taste but still a banger faves: respect, down in the valley

an absolute classic, wonderful

Classic after classic

Great, but not a 5 since the album is almost all covers, and I wouldn’t say Reddings renditions are the definitive versions. Hell, even his own composition (“Respect”) is better sung by Aretha. But, still great and worth a listen.

This spoke to my soul ❤️

Mesmerising music! That voice is heavenly

die musik ist ziemlich schön, sehr energische momente und interessante instrumente! leider erinnert es mich sehr an die musik die peinliche yuppies hören, um ihre überlegenheit darzustellen. 3,5/5

more like GOATis Redding am I right

Pretty classic

Good stuff

Such a tragedy this man had to die so young. He is a legend and would have gone on to do some incredible things. Phenomenal talent and album.

Delightful

I am in awe of Otis Redding. I love the Stax/Volt sound. (The story of Stax - Otis occupying a major chapter - is incredible; search it out.) But this album doesn’t present as a coherent work. It plays like a collection of tracks. Three of them on Side A belong in the conversation of best-songs-ever-written, but the track order is odd; the “set list” doesn’t flow. And Side B is just a collection of toss away covers.

So many hits in this album. I know most of the song but I 1. never knew they were from the same artist, and 2. were all in the same album! I was inclined to give this a 4 initially, but it's really a 5 :)

I tend to despise cover albums being on this list, but Otis Redding really brings out a unique feel to the songs on this album, and a lot of times I would say his version is just as good as the original, if not even better. It takes a lot to surpass the originals of some of these classic songs, but he does it with ease.

amazing, makes me want to listen to more soul and R&B from this period

Really good album. Classic music right here that so many people were inspired by. Not a skip on the album. Loved hearing My Girl here as well. 8./10

Fantastic voice and some brilliant songs. Shame Sam Cooke had already done the definitive versions, which renders these versions inferior, though still great. Respect and I've been lovin' you too long are classics, as is My girl..

Otis Redding is the embodiment of soul. This is a fantastic record… but then again, that’s characteristic of ALL his reocrdings. Easy 5 stars.

3.5 Stars.

A classic, from start to finish!

Enjoyed

This album just sounded like one big continuous song. I don’t dislike it but I don’t know if I’d purposely put it on. It kind of started growing on me the more I listened to it. I can see why people like it though, just not a big fan of soul music. It just seems kind of slow and forgettable to me. My favourite tracks were My Girl and Wonderful World.

Very chill. Good for a night in.

Booker T. & The M.G.'s definitely sound better with a frontman and horns. Otis Redding possessed one of the most emotive, multifaceted singing voices recorded music has ever seen. on Otis Blue, he digs in hard on just about every cut, squeezing every ounce of meaning from each lyric with a kind of controlled chaos. most of the material is cover songs, with a particular focus on the music of the then-recently-deceased Sam Cooke; Redding's versions of "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "Wonderful World" are particularly strong, every bit as worthwhile as Cooke's. there's also "Respect," a Redding composition which Aretha Franklin would later modify and record herself, with her version becoming her signature song, and a major feminist anthem to boot. I enjoy the novelty of hearing such a different arrangement in Redding's master version, but there's no question that Franklin's version, with the addition of the "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" break and a whole lot more, is much more definitive. that being said, I might like Redding's version of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" more than The Rolling Stones's original. a bit hard to say this soon. the overall highlight of the album is another Redding original, the magnificent slow burner "I've Been Loving You Too Long." strong 8/10.

I love this kind of music.

No idea that Respect was an Otis Redding song! Or (I can't get no) satisfaction! So many good oldies.

What's with the album cover? Is it "this album will help you get white ladies like this"? It made me second-guess my prior knowledge of who Otis Redding was prior to listening. Anyway, great R&B album, awesome delivery, 5*. When I encounter "deluxe" versions of albums that are 2x as long as the original, I stop at the original length, but not with this one.

BANGER!!!!

good

Very good listen. My only complaint is the number of covers, but I know that's how they did it back then. "Long Time Coming" hits hard, especially given the context. For sure a soul classic.

Easily enjoyable. Although I realise half the 60s were just covers albums.

Let's talk about great singers of all time, and let's immediately talk about Otis. There is something about the sweetness, the clarity and the emotion in his vocals that sets him apart from even anyone else on the scene at that time. Even Marvin, I'd say. Here, he takes a collection of good but not great standards and turns them into something so significantly greater than the sum of its parts. Great stuff.

Goat

Otis Redding Otis Blue I have always loved Otis Redding, even if what I know is a 20 song greatest hits. Over the years, I’ve found more of his albums, mostly scrolling through youtube. I think he’s the greatest male vocalist of the 20th century, just edging out Marvin Gaye. Ole Man Trouble Respect- no wonder Aretha Franklin wanted to make this song- and she kills it, no doubt. But Otis’s version is incredible A Change is Gonna Come- Ctrl C, Ctrl V about Sam Cooke- maybe the greatest protest song ever written. Down in the Valley I’ve Been Loving You too Long Shake- the closest thing to a weak link on the album. For some reason, I just never got into this song. My Girl- I wonder what made Redding make an album that is half originals and half covers? It speaks to his talent that the album is incredible even without more originals. Wonderful World Rock Me Baby (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction You Don’t Miss Your Water This is the kind of music I would buy on CD, just to have it, even in an era of streaming.

90/1089 - I like Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin's versions better. Overall it was okay.

love it

It was fine. Vocally nice but musically a bit boring.

no skips! a true exemplar of the [artist] sings [genre] album conceit! tight 32 minutes! hell yeah!

i would once again like to register my frustration at albums that are largely covers, despite knowing that standards are a big part of early rock and soul. anyway, good bathtub listening

his voice is just so great

Knew lots of them, vibes

Great stuff. Loved the covers. Satisfaction was great. My Girl was so groovy and the disjointed, off-timing of the vocal delivery is unique and makes it relistenable.

Some good songs on this album. Definitely enjoyed but not sure if I’ll relisten.

Amazing!!!

Otis, my man!! Listening to this album feels like participating in music history. Great covers and amazing originals that would go on to be covered (Respect). Funky, soulful, bluesy (in the best way). 5⭐️

Great album with alot of covers

Didn’t like it that much to begin with icl, probs cos I was doing a paper again, but I do like the instruments, a bit jazzy kinda upbeat, different, very, to what I’d listen to but it’s not bad actually, some of it gets a bit tiring/repetitive but not too bad I wouldn’t say. He does love speeding it up too, might just be because it was the live versions but he would get really fast and it was idk maybe a little annoying? Also the song respect sounded really demanding and misogynistic lmaoo

Foundational for a lot of music. Not really my thing though.

A bop and a jam

Listenable but rather boring.

Otis Redding really does sing soul. This album is a joy to listen to—I've had it on repeat 3 or 4 times today. It's just so effortlessly enjoyable and easy to get lost in. It has everything: it can be light-hearted and funny one moment, then full of sorrow the next. His darker, more emotional take on Respect is brilliant. Some of the covers even outshine the originals—My Girl and Wonderful World are both standout versions. Favourite songs: Hard to choose! My Girl and Wonderful World are classics for a reason, but I found myself really drawn to Respect and Satisfaction as well. Least favourite: Honestly, there isn’t a single bad track on this album. Album artwork: A really cool cover—simple but striking.

Too good.

Its a classic of course it was good