Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long and Other Hits

It Feels All of a Piece

"I've Been Loving You Too Long," (1997) is a posthumous, skimpy, best-hits of the late, great Otis Redding, released by Rhino Records. The Georgia-born Redding, who left us, tragically, way too young at 26, in a crash of his private plane, was an influential singer/songwriter. He was a practitioner of gospel-derived, deepest fried southern soul, and an exponent of the best music Memphis-based Stax/Volt could produce, with its wailing horns, and strong, pounding house band backing, by Steve Cropper's Booker T and the MGs. Redding's instrument, his voice, was an exemplar of soul: hoarse, passionate and gritty, yet he could produce aching ballads, and party tunes that still carried emotional content.

He wrote the album's title tune with Jerry Butler; too, he wrote "Respect," a big hit for Aretha Franklin; his intense version of the song is on this album. He also co-wrote many songs with Steve Cropper. His biggest, mainstream hit while alive was "Tramp," a duet with Carla Thomas. He also wrote his biggest, immortal, posthumous hit, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay;" he recorded it three days before his death. (The version released includes his famous whistled verse; he hadn't written the words yet, but intended to soon.) Neither of these signature songs is included here. But you do get several wonderful songs: a driving "Mr. Pitiful," and a yearning "These Arms of Mine," his earliest R & B hits. His famous, pounding, mispronounced take on the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." A prayerful "Pain in My Heart," and an exultant, churchy "Glory of Love."

This album, you can see, does not have all his greatest hits: there are others on the market that do, if you want them all in one place. But the album coheres better than some greatest hits compilations do, feels all of a piece, and we sure get to hear plenty of "Dock of the Bay" elsewhere. Your call.
June 16, 2008

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