Original YouTube text · Archived 18 October 2026
YouTube showed “3 months ago” when collected.
Some of the most unforgettable moments in music happen completely by accident.
When Otis Redding recorded (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay in late 1967, he knew the song wasn’t quite finished. At the end, rather than singing another verse, he simply whistled the melody as a temporary placeholder while he worked out how he wanted to complete it.
He never got the chance.
Just three days after the final recording session, Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash. He was only 26 years old.
The recording was released exactly as he had left it, including the improvised whistle. What was intended as a rough guide became one of the most recognisable endings in popular music.
The song went on to become Otis Redding’s first number-one hit and remains one of the greatest soul recordings ever made.
Sometimes the most enduring part of a performance isn’t the bit that was carefully planned.
Sometimes it’s the moment that almost wasn’t there at all.
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