Ole Man Trouble
"Ole Man Trouble" | ||||
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Single by Otis Redding | ||||
from the album Otis Blue | ||||
A-side | "Respect" | |||
Released | August 15, 1965 (1965-08-15) | |||
Recorded | July 1965 | |||
Studio | Stax, Memphis, Tennessee | |||
Genre | R&B[1] | |||
Length | 2:25 | |||
Label | Volt/Atco (V-128) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Otis Redding | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Cropper | |||
Otis Redding singles chronology | ||||
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"Ole Man Trouble" is a song written by Otis Redding and the first track from his 1965 album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul. It was released as the B-side to his hit single "Respect", the second track from Otis Blue. The song is a sign of Redding's emerging mature and reflective side that was to culminate in his posthumous single "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". "Ole Man Trouble" was also released on Redding's posthumous album The Dock of the Bay.[2]
As the "Dock of the Bay" represents a search for a place to settle down and find peace or a home, an old man is used as a personification for the trouble that can find a person after they have already endured it for some part of their life.
Ole man trouble
Go find you someone else to pick on
I live my life now you see
Ole man trouble
Please stay away from me, now
Oh I look like I'm down in my luck
Please send faith to help pick me up
I've lived this way so many years
Ole man trouble
Please wash away all my fears
Crafted as a blues song with a classic soul melody set to country overtones, "Ole Man Trouble" helped Redding capture the growing white blues/soul market. Note that despite confusion between the two songs being widespread on the internet, this is not the song of the same title covered by Joel Scott Hill, Chris Ethridge and John Barbata on their album "L.A. Getaway" in 1971, which was written by Booker T. Jones.
Chart history
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1965 | Black Singles Chart | #4 |
1965 | Pop Singles Chart | #35 |
1965 | Italian Singles Chart | #60 |
References
External links
- Song review at Allmusic.com
- v
- t
- e
- Pain in My Heart
- The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
- Otis Blue
- The Soul Album
- Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
- King & Queen
- The Dock of the Bay
- The Immortal Otis Redding
- Love Man
- Tell the Truth
- Live in Europe
- In Person at the Whisky a Go Go
- Monterey International Pop Festival
- Good to Me: Live at the Whisky a Go Go, Vol. 2
- Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings
- The History of Otis Redding
- The Dock of the Bay – The Definitive Collection
- The Very Best of Otis Redding, Vol. 1
- Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding
- Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology
- Remember Me
- "These Arms of Mine"
- "Mr. Pitiful"
- "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
- "Respect" / "Ole Man Trouble"
- "Satisfaction"
- "Try a Little Tenderness"
- "Tramp"
- "Knock on Wood"
- "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"
- "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
- "You Left the Water Running"
- Discography
- Shake! Otis at Monterey
- "Otis" (song)