Exploring Harmonic Innovations in a Classic Song

Music appearing in this episode:

Otis Redding - "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (1967)

Otis Redding - "Try a Little Tenderness" (1966)

Elizabeth Cotten - "Freight Train" (1958)

Mongo Santamaría - "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" (1968)

Peggy Lee - "Dock Of The Bay" (1969)

DJ Shadow - "Mellow But Chunky" (2012)

World Saxophone Quartet - "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (1989)

De La Soul - "Eye Know" (1989)

Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - "Check It Out" (2005)

Blackalicious - "Swan Lake" (1994)

To learn more about Otis Redding and “Dock of the Bay”, listen to the 500 Songs Podcast episode on the song. I also recommend the documentary Stax: Soulsville USA.

For more on “Eye Know” by De La Soul, listen to my podcast episode:

If you want a formal resource on pop music theory, I recommend The Practice of Popular Music: Understanding Harmony, Rhythm, Melody, and Form in Commercial Songwriting by Trevor de Clercq. I have also written a lot about the subject.