Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources cited(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay
Soul1960s104BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Otis Redding & Steve Cropper), no dispute found — connects to “Tramp” in this catalogue. Redding’s death in a December 1967 plane crash, shortly before release, is presented factually and respectfully.
Quick Facts
Released1967
AlbumThe Dock of the Bay
GenreSoul, R&B
LabelVolt / Stax Records
ProducerSteve Cropper
Recorded atStax Studios, Memphis
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Otis Redding & Steve Cropper
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Stax/Volt; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-covered, much-sampled soul standard; same artist as “Tramp” in this catalogue (via Lowell Fulson’s original — see Related).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Otis Redding’s duet with Carla Thomas covered “Tramp” (on “King & Queen”) — itself a cover of this Lowell Fulson blues original, the “Tramp” in this catalogue
Shares co-writer Steve Cropper (this batch)
Same Stax/Cropper thread; originally written with Redding in mind (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Otis Redding & Steve Cropper
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Whistling instead of seagulls
Redding had had throat surgery that fall and, worried about his voice, wrote something quieter than his usual powerful style. Given space to ad-lib the famous ending, he first tried to mimic seagulls — but per Cropper it “sounded like a crow,” so he switched to whistling, with real gull effects added later. Stax’s Al Bell reportedly doubted the label could even release such a stylistic departure. No lyrics reproduced.
NPR / The Simple Things · read it →
A poignant tragic timing, presented respectfully
Redding died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, with Cropper reportedly still finishing the recording around that time; the single was released less than a month later. Co-writer Steve Cropper — also of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, connected throughout this catalogue — died in December 2025 at 84.
NPR · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The first posthumous #1 in US chart history
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
DB
Otis Redding (estate) & Steve Cropper (estate) / Stax
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 16)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass