(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay – English Lyrics

• By: Otis Redding

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the story behind Otis Redding's timeless classic, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." The song's clear and simple lyrics offer a great opportunity to learn English by exploring themes of travel, reflection, and the feeling of being an outsider. Its laid-back melody and Redding's heartfelt delivery make it a universally beloved song, perfect for appreciating the power of soul music.

[English]

Sittin' in the mornin' sun

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come

Watching the ships roll in

And I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooh, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

I left my home in Georgia

Headed for the 'Frisco bay

'Cause I've had nothing to live for

And look like nothing's gonna come my way

So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooh, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

Look like nothing's gonna change

Everything still remains the same

I can't do what ten people tell me to do

So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

Sittin' here resting my bones

And this loneliness won't leave me alone

It's two thousand miles I roamed

Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooh-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sittin' /ˈsɪtɪn/ A1	verb - present participle of 'sit': to rest on one's buttocks
mornin' /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - morning: the period of time between sunrise and noon
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth
evenin' /ˈiːvnɪŋ/ A1	noun - evening: the period of time between sunset and night
ships /ʃɪps/ A1	noun - plural of ship: a large boat for travelling on water
roll /roʊl/ A2	verb - to move by turning over and over
dock /dɒk/ A2	noun - a platform built on the shore or projecting into the sea, river, etc.
bay /beɪ/ A2	noun - a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards.
tide /taɪd/ A2	noun - the alternate rising and falling of the sea
wastin' /ˈweɪstɪŋ/ B1	verb - present participle of 'waste': to use carelessly
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
left /lɛft/ A1	verb - past tense of leave: to go away from
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to remain alive
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A2	verb - to make or become different
remains /rɪˈmeɪnz/ B2	verb - to continue to exist
resting /ˈrɛstɪŋ/ A1	verb - to cease work or movement in order to relax
bones /boʊnz/ A1	noun - any of the pieces of hard, whitish tissue making up the skeleton in humans and other vertebrates.
loneliness /ˈloʊnlinəs/ B1	noun - the state of being lonely; sadness because one has no friends or company
roamed /roʊmd/ B2	verb - to move about or travel aimlessly or unsystematically, especially over a wide area