February 4, 1999
Al Green was smoother. Marvin Gaye more sweetly romantic. Aretha had greater range. But no one - no one - had more raw soul than Otis Redding. His was the deepest, boldest soul music ever waxed, and his hallmark was longing. All his work springs from hurt, but Redding's gift was the ability to take that intensely personal pain and make it universal.
Redding's power comes from his aching voice, and that voice, dipped in molasses and cornbread-gritty, is his instrument. Like Hendrix or Charlie Parker, Redding had such complete control of his instrument that the line between thought and expression was erased. You are listening to pure emotion here, and it is overwhelming.
A Dictionary of Soul is one of his many masterpieces, featuring soul's best band (Booker T. and the MG.s), whose subtle instrumental prowess helps wring all the tears, sweat and semen out of Redding's lusty cries. The legendary "Try A Little Tenderness" begins as elegantly as Stax/Volt ever got, and ends as funky as you wanna be; "I'm Sick Y'all" and "My Lover's Prayer" are classic Otis yearning, and "Hawg For You" shows Otis wasn't afraid to put it on the one with a horny, funky blues grind.
The heartbreaking "Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa (Sad Song)" opens the album with the line "I keep singing those sad, sad songs / Sad songs is all I know." That about says it all, except that by voicing his sadness, Redding transcends it. Don't let the indomitable soul of this man pass you by.
- Jared O'Connor
some of the deepest
soul ever waxed