To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay, musicians came together to create a “song around the world”. The idea was partly executed by the groundbreaking organisation “Playing For Change”. Since 2002 they have been hitting the streets of America with a mobile recording studio and cameras capturing music that forms part of the heartbeat of society today.
About Playing For Change
In 2005 co-founder Mark Johnson was out in Santa Monica when he heard “Stand By Me” with more soul and conviction than he had ever heard before. That’s the day he met Roger Ridley.
Mark approached him and asked with a voice like his why was he swinging on the street. Roger replied by simply saying, “Man I’m in the Joy business, I come out to be with the people.”
Mark asked him to perform it as a song around the world, and that was the start of the Playing For Change crew’s mission. It is to travel the world, record musicians, create songs around the world, and form the Playing For Change band.
Roger continued to be a significant influence on Playing for Change, and a big part of this was his unforgettable performances of “Stand By Me” and “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay”. In honour of that and this spectacular song Playing for Change partnered with the Otis Redding Foundation and Princess Cruises to create a 50th-anniversary song around the world.
The project brought together musicians from across the globe, including Jack Johnson, Aloe Blacc, Corinne Bailey Rae, students from The Otis Redding Foundation and Otis’ sons Otis Redding III and Dexter Redding. These talented musicians were filmed in tropical Hawaii, cosmopolitan Barcelona, the sunny shores of Jamaica and the iconic San Francisco Bay.
Each put their own unique spin on this enduring classic that was wonderful to hear. Once you listen to the finished mix, however, the hairs will rise on the back of your neck. Think you’ve heard this song too often to be surprised? Think again! Check out the finished masterpiece here.
If you want to see more videos from this incredible organisation, subscribe to their YouTube channel or visit their official website.