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
Add Your Thoughts

58 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +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

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.