Track Listing

1. Respect
2. Try A Little Tenderness
3. Love Man
4. Shake
5. Mr Pitiful
6. I Can't Turn You Loose
7. Pain In My Pocket
8. You Left The Water Running
9. My Lover's Prayer
10. Tramp
11. Chained And Bound
12. That's How Strong My Love Is
13. My Girl
14. Cigarettes And Coffee
15. It's Growing
16. Match Games
17. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
18. I'm A Changed Man
19. Your One And Only Man
20. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay
21. I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)
22. These Arms Of Mine
23. Hard To Handle
24. That's What My Heart Needs
25. Security
26. Satisfaction
27. Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)
28. Happy Song (Dum Dum)
29. Come To Me
30. Change Gonna Come
31. Lovey Dovey
32. You Don't Miss Your Water
33. I've Got Dreams To Remember
34. Down In The Valley
35. Just One More Day
36. You Made A Man Out Of Me
37. Tell The Truth
38. For Your Precious Love
39. Free Me
40. I Love You More Than Words Can Say

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1387 in Music
• Released on: 2000-10-30
• Number of discs: 2

Album Review
The Very Best of Otis Redding is a wonderful 40-track overview of Otis Redding's brief career, and it hits most of the high points, including such classics as "Respect," "Try a Little Tenderness," "Pain in My Heart," and "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." Also included are Redding's near-definitive version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and the gorgeous (and heartbreaking) "I've Got Dreams to Remember," a Redding original. --Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

The best Otis collection
This album is the best introduction to Otis you'll find. He sings with such soul it is almost painful at times, yet when he pulls out all the stops and brings the tempo up, you can't help but smile. Songs like 'I've Been Loving You' and 'Change Gonna Come' are sung with such emotion that you fully understand where the phrase soul music came from. This is a great collection showcasing that voice and his amazing song writing. Unsurpassed and essential for any music collection.

Otis CD
I heard this album for the first time last year. From the moment it was put on it touched me almost violently. I was played disc 2 and every time I hear that first track now, tears well up in my eyes. The whole disc is just one song after the other of deep, almost painful love. It just pours out of his voice.
If you like Soul music, you HAVE to have this album.
I moved house and lost it but I can't live without it so I'm online buying it again.
I recommend you do the same.

Why Otis was unique and will never be forgotten
If you want to understand why Otis 40 years since he died is still unmatched as a great soul singer, then this excellent compilation of his lifetime recordings (several released after his untimely death in 1967) will provide the evidence.

The collection is well compiled plus transcribed and the running order over both CDs reflects the man's live shows where the changing of pace from outright rockers (Respect, Security, I can't turn you loose, Satisfaction etc.) to emotionally sung tender ballads where every nuance and pitch is perfect (Try a little tenderness, I've been loving you too long etc) kept the levels high. Steve Cropper's quote that recording with Otis was like going to Church in that he inspired you is well evidenced here.

While there are no live tracks here, the 40 tracks are an effective cross section of all his different styles and so provide an otstanding introduction and deserve the tile "The very best of" - I could not think of a studio track I would wish had been included. In addition the set has an excellent set of liner notes covering Otis's recording history.

If suitably aroused by listening to what is contained here, consider looking for the solo albums (especially "Otis Blue") and the DVD "Otis Remembered" which captures him live in performance at Moneterey and in the UK during the Stax/Volt Revue Tour.