Songs like "Pain In My Heart" and "That's What My Heart Needs" earned Otis Redding a reputation as a man on the mend. Moohah Williams, a popular disc jockey at the Memphis radio station WDIA, took to calling Redding "Mr. Pitiful" in response. Redding's producer, Steve Cropper, got the idea to build a song around the concept, so they did, with Redding singing in persona as a downcast man constantly nursing a broken heart. In reality, Redding was quite the opposite: married since 1961, he was greatly admired and usually quite cheerful.
Belying the lyric, the song is musically upbeat. This contrast sets the song apart from the doleful ballads that earned Redding the "Mr. Pitiful" moniker.
Redding recorded this with the house band at his record label, Stax: Steve Cropper - guitar Booker T. Jones - keyboards Donald "Duck" Dunn - bass Al Jackson - drums These guys were so good, they recorded on their own as Booker T. & the MG's. In 1962, they released "Green Onions," a Top 10 hit in both the US and UK.
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