Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Watchin' the ships roll in
Then I watch 'em roll away again

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide, roll away
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

I left my home in Georgia
And I headed for the Frisco Bay
'Cause I've got nothin' to live for
Looks like nothin's gonna come my way, so

I'm just come sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide roll away
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time

Looks like nothin's gonna change
Everything seems to stay the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same

I'm sittin' here restin' my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
This two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home
Now I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watchin' the tide roll away
Sittin' on the dock of the bay
I'm wastin' time


Lyrics submitted by elnino

Dock of the Bay Lyrics as written by Otis Redding Steve Cropper

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay song meanings
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58 Comments

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  • +8
    General Comment

    I believe this song is about being comfortable about where you are in your life at any given moment. He can't just be a follower anymore, instead he does what he wants to do - wastes time.

    ho-juon July 28, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    One of the Greatest songs composed

    kofeklanon May 15, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The song is about being down and out. The whistiling at the end was to fill the space that he didnt have lyrics for when he recorded it. He was going to go back and write words for it and rerecord it. Knowing that makes the song even more powerful. A depressing song that he couldn't even get properly finished.

    Spudlyon October 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song makes me smile

    angelgarbageon May 07, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song speaks to my soul. and its funny that i was born the day he died. to otis: keep looking over that water. love ya

    ks7702on May 22, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "i can't do what ten people tell me to do; so i guess i'll remain the same" it seems truer words have never been spoken

    joanna or noton June 30, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's finding home after walking two thousand miles of unchanging roads built by other people.

    It's advice supercedeing all others: "That really sucks Fro, but you just have to keep Fro'n along"

    This song is me, my future, and everthing in between. Sooths me into sleep and keeps my feet when i am running away from everything.

    If you can't tell it's my favorite song and I'm not sure what I would do if it wasn't in my head.

    Fredodoon April 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ah. Good song. What more needs said?

    anna118kon May 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is a classic otis tune! it so sad that he died before he could see it success! i gota find my own dock to sit on!

    angelicon May 08, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I have my own dock to sit on when I need to think, and this song always makes me think of it.

    PhatBoyon May 15, 2002   Link

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