Otis Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia and raised in Macon. He dropped out of Ballad Hudson High when he was a sophomore, joined Little Richard's band, and sent his mother $25 a week. He eventually wrote a song called "Respect" that was recorded by Aretha Franklin.
1967 was the monumental year of his life, as well as being the last. The year he turned 26 he recorded a series of great duets with Carla Thomas, blew away the crowd at the Monterey Pop Festival and six months later lost his life in a plane crash.
Here he is in his prime, from an album he recorded with Carla called King and Queen. Lowell Fulson and Jimmy McCracklin wrote it, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas made it their own…Tramp!
Tramp
What you call me?
Tramp
Oh you didn't
You don't wear continental clothes or Stetson hats
Well I tell you one doggone thing
It makes me feel good to know one thing
I know I'm a lover
Matter of opinion, baby
That's all right, Mama was
So
Papa too
And I'm the only child
Lovin' is all I know to do
You know what, Otis?
What?
You're country
That's alright
You straight from the Georgia woods
That's good
You know what? You wear overalls
And big old brogan shoes
And you need a haircut, tramp
Haircut? Woman, you foolin'
Ooh, I'm a lover
Mama was, Grandmama, Papa too
They'll make you one
Oh, that's alright
And I'm the only son of a gun, yeah, this side of the sun
Tramp
That's right, that's what you are
You know what? I'm no tramp
You know what, Otis?
I don't care what you say, you're still a tramp
What?
That's right
You haven't even got a fat bankroll in your pocket
You probably haven't even got twenty-five cents
I got six Cadillacs, five Lincolns
Four Fords, six Mercuries, three T-Birds, Mustang
Ooh, I'm a lover
You're true about me
My Mama was, my Papa too
I tell you one thing
Well tell me
I'm the only son of a gun, yeah this side of the sun
Alright
You're a tramp, Otis
No I'm not
I don't care what you say, you're still a tramp
Don't call me that
Look here, you ain't got no money
I got everything
You can't buy me all those minks and sables
And all that stuff I want
I can buy you minks, rats, frogs, squirrels, rabbits
Anything you want, woman
Look, you can go out in the Georgia woods catch them, baby
Oh, you foolin'
You're still a tramp
That's alright
You a tramp, Otis, you just a tramp
That's alright
You wear overalls, you need a haircut, baby
Cut off some of that hair off your head
You think you a lover, huh?
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Lowell Fulsom / Jimmy Mccracklin
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