Easy Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay Chords And Guitar Lesson (Otis Redding)

Here’s an iconic song that was released unfinished.

You see, Otis had recorded the rough vocal, but then shortly after was in a horrific plane crash and went on to join the choir invisible. 

Even the final whistling at the end was meant to be just a place holder where he was going to write more lyrics.

The band finished the production without him, and he never made it to the release. This is a very unique situation. 

So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Sitting on the Dock of the Bay?

"Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" was written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper. Otis took some time off in Sausalito, California. Sausalito is about 4 miles north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The waters tapping the shores here was what inspired Otis to come up with this tune. Particularly the lyrics:

“Sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away.” 

The song was recorded in two sessions at Stax Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The first was in early November 1967. This was when Otis recorded the vocals. The second was after his death when Cropper added additional instrumentation and completed the production. In my experience, it’s quite unusual to record this way. Usually, you lay the vocal down last, but because Otis was in a tragic plane crash on December 10, 1967, and went on to join the choir invisible, this was not possible.

One fun element of the recording is the use of the sound of seagulls and waves, which gives it an atmospheric feel. Also, the famous whistling at the end of the tune was initially just a placeholder. Otis planned to record an additional verse, but it was too late. After its release in 1968, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" became the first posthumous number-one single in the United States. The song was released unfinished. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. It also reached the top 10 in the UK and various other countries. 

The song won two Grammy Awards in 1969—Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, and Best R&B Song. “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay” has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and is consistently ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time, including in Rolling Stone’s "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." It has also been included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll."

Redding’s sudden death left the track incomplete, with the famous whistling at the end being a stand-in for lyrics he never had the chance to write. For many, the song became symbolic of the loss of a major talent just as he was on the verge of even greater success. "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" remains a timeless classic. 

Now, before we dive into this “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” chords and guitar lesson any further, let’s answer the question of…

Who played guitar on Sitting on the Dock of the Bay?

The guitar on "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" was played by studio legend Steve Cropper. He co-wrote the song with Otis Redding. Cropper was the guitarist for Booker T. & the MG's, the house band at Stax Records. This group of musicians played a key role in shaping the sound of many classic soul recordings.  

He also produced and finished the track after Redding's death, adding elements like the seagull and wave sound effects to complement the song's laid-back vibe.

What is the tuning for Sitting on the Dock of the Bay?

The guitar tuning for “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" as recorded by Otis Redding is standard tuning. Steve Cropper kept it simple. 

Standard tuning is spelled out as EADGBE.  

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

Now that you know the “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” tuning, let’s take a look at the…

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay Chords

To play “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” on guitar you’ll need to know 7 main chords G, B7, C, A7, E7, D, and F. Let’s take a look at a few examples of how these chords could be played on the fretboard. 

G is played using all 6 strings like this:

B7 is a great bluesy chord and is played from the 5th string down like this:

C is a very common shape played from the 5th string like this:

For A7, we’ll walk down to the open strings and play from the 5th string down like this:

E7 is played using all 6 strings like this:

The final two chords I want to share with you D and F come in during the Bridge section of the song. D is played from the 4th string down like this:

Finally, F is the one bar chord shape played in 1st position like this:

If you struggled to understand chords on the neck and navigate the fretboard for rhythm and lead then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here:

All right, now that you know the “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” chords, let’s next answer the question of…

What key is Sitting on the Dock of the Bay in?

“Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” as recorded by Otis Redding is in the key of G major. 

The notes in the G major scale are: G - A - B - C - D - E - F#

Here’s a look at how the chords fit into this key:

G Major (G - B - D)

Function in G major: This is the I chord (tonic), built from the root of the G major scale.

Relationship: It consists of the 1st (G), 3rd (B), and 5th (D) degrees of the G major scale.

B7 (B - D# - F# - A)

Function in G major: B7 is borrowed from the key of E minor (the relative minor of G major). In G major, it's a secondary dominant chord.

Relationship: B7 contains a D#, which is not in the G major scale (G major has a D natural). This makes the chord function outside of the key, adding tension. You hear this in the verse.

C Major (C - E - G)

Function in G major: C major is the IV chord (subdominant).

Relationship: It’s built from the 4th (C), 6th (E), and 1st (G) degrees of the G major scale. This is a naturally occurring chord in the key of G major.

A7 (A - C# - E - G)

Function in G major: A7 is a secondary dominant. It’s called the V7 of V (because A7 is the dominant of D). 

Relationship: A7 includes a C#, which is not in the G major scale (G major has C natural). 

E7 (E - G# - B - D)

Function in G major: E7 is another secondary dominant. 

Relationship: E7 contains G#, which is not in the G major scale (G major has G natural). This chromatic note gives E7 its dominant tension. This can be heard in the Chorus.

D Major (D - F# - A)

Function in G major: D major is the V chord (dominant).

Relationship: It’s built from the 5th (D), 7th (F#), and 2nd (A) degrees of the G major scale. This chord naturally occurs in the key of G and typically resolves to the tonic (G major). It can also resolve down to the IV.

F Major (F - A - C)

Function in G major: F major is not diatonic to G major, but it can be used as a borrowed chord from the parallel G minor scale, or in a blues context as a bVII chord.

Relationship: F major contains F natural, which is not in the G major scale (G major has F#). This creates a bluesy sound when used in the key of G. You’ll hear this at the end of the Bridge before launching back into the Verse.

Overview of all Chord Functions:

• G: I (Tonic)
• B7: V7 of vi (Secondary dominant)
• C: IV (Subdominant)
• A7: V7 of V (Secondary dominant)
• E7: V7 of vi (Secondary dominant)
• D: V (Dominant)
• F: bVII (Borrowed chord or bluesy substitution)
  

In summary, while G, C, and D are diatonic chords to the key of G major, the B7, A7, and E7 chords introduce chromaticism and tension, functioning as secondary dominants to add movement. All of this comes together to create an interesting chord progression and bluesy flavor.

So that is the theory behind this laid-back jam. But remember – theory doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” is a steady 8th-note feel. For even 8th notes, each beat in a 4/4 time signature is divided into two equal parts, creating a steady and even rhythm. Here's how they can be counted and understood: 

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 

1, 2, 3, 4: The downbeats (the main beats)

&: The upbeat, halfway between each downbeat

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One and, Two and, Three and, Four and"

This is the underlying pulse. Here’s an example of a “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” strumming pattern using even 8th notes:

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” is an iconic song that audiences have resonated with for decades. The history and guitar work behind this tune are incredible. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide right here now:  

Jon MacLennan