Dock of the Bay

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay. The song, co-written by Otis Redding and guitar player Steve Cropper, was released after Redding died in a plane crash in Madison, Wisconsin. The sound and lyrics have stood the test of time, and if cover versions are a form of flattery, consider that Dock of the Bay has been performed by Willie Nelson, Pearl Jam, Peggy Lee, Tina Turner, Waylon Jennings, Glenn Campbell, Sam & Dave, Michael Bolton, Bob Dylan, and many more. (Like you, I'm thinking royalties, baby.)

Around this blog we know that docks aren't a bad place for hanging out. The low sun of a late afternoon beach has its own magic, a heeling sailboat on a broad reach mysteriously combines a sense of calmness with a rush, and the cadence of cutting through waves on a powerboat is exhilarating. Yet, there are many fine times when a writer – or anyone else – just wants to sit on the dock.

As a kid, docks were about fishing for flounder with a hand-line or maybe for checking out boats with my father, my little paw clasped to his big hand. Today, I love walking docks with my family. Even our little dachshund enjoys the waterfront pacing (all kinds of interesting smells, cracked crustaceans, and fellow canines, you know).

As a writer, the dock is where many of my characters meet. My protagonist, Steve Decatur, keeps his sailboat on a mooring, but he heads to the dock for human interaction. I guess these characters could converge anywhere, but I get to set the scenes, don't I. Besides, this is how I justify my "research." This means diving off the end during the summer months, walking the marinas when visiting a new waterfront location, or sometimes just plain sittin' on the dock. What could be wrong with that.

So, if you are inclined, check out the below sampling of four YouTube clips – Otis, Pearl Jam, Tina Turner, Robert Cray & Steve Cropper – featuring the song written more than forty years ago by Otis Redding & Steve Cropper.

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The original by Otis Redding

Pearl Jam along with Steve Cropper

Tina Turner

Steve Cropper, Robert Cray & Dave Edmonds

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