An Essential New Otis Redding Collection

Test ticker

Monika Bauerlein,
CEO

Dear Reader,

The next few months are make or break for Mother Jones’ fundraising, and we need more online readers to pitch in than have been of late. In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we take a level-headed look at the brutal economics of journalism, why investigative reporting like you get from us matters, and why we're optimistic we can grow our base of support in a big way—starting with hitting a huge $300,000 goal in just three weeks. Please learn more and donate if you can right now.

The next few months are make or break for Mother Jones’ fundraising. We need to raise $300,000 quickly, and we need more online readers to pitch in than have been. Please learn more in "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," where we go into the brutal economics of journalism, and what makes Mother Jones unique and worth supporting if you can right now.

Courtesy Atlantic Records

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.

Otis Redding
The Complete Stax/Volt Singles Collection
Shout! Factory

Is Otis Redding the greatest soul singer of all time? Fans of James Brown or Solomon Burke, among others, might disagree, but the Big O certainly delivered the goods. There’s no better place to explore the legacy of the Georgia great than this irresistible three-disc, 70-track set, which includes every original A- and B-side in its original mono mix (a recent trend in reissues that makes sense, since ’60s singles were targeted to AM radio).

While casual fans may already know “Respect” (which predates Aretha’s cover), Redding’s rowdy version of the Stones’ “Satisfaction” or “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” his biggest hit, released shortly after his death in 1967, there’s a wealth of other down-home R&Br to discover here.

Backed by his ferocious Stax colleagues, including Booker T and the MGs and the horns of the Mar-Keys, Redding always went full-force, whether revamping the Sinatra standard “Try a Little Tenderness,” shouting “Look at the Girl” or sparring playfully with frequent duet partner Carla Thomas on “Tramp.” A compilation of his lesser-known flip-sides alone would have been a godsend. The Complete Stax/Volt Singles Collection is essential.

For a different take on Redding, check out Lonely and Blue: The Deepest Soul of Otis Redding (Stax/Volt), a new compilation intended to look like an old album, that emphasizes his knack for gritty ballads.