Archive Review: Otis Redding’s Live On the Sunset Strip (2010)

Showcasing three sets recorded live in April 1966 at Hollywood’s world-famous Whisky A Go-Go club, Otis Redding’s Live On the Sunset Strip presents the music exactly as it went down, 28 songs complete with introductions and the opening emcee. To say that Redding’s performances these nights were nothing short of amazing would be an understatement. The soul shouter had made the jump from Southeast favorite to national star on the strength of his cover of the Stones’ “Satisfaction,” and the hits would just keep coming even past his death in December 1967.

Otis Redding’s Live On The Sunset Strip

With Redding’s three sets stretched across two discs, there is some duplication of the songs performed on Live On The Sunset Strip, but considering the overall quality of the singer’s dynamic performances, who’s counting? While some of these songs will be instantly familiar to soul fans – the bluesy torchsong “These Arms of Mine,” the big band R&B revue rave-up provided “Satisfaction,” and the tearjerking “Mr. Pitiful” are all highlights here – Live On the Sunset Strip offers a deeper look at Redding’s multi-faceted talents. The beautiful “Chained and Bound” is a romanticist fantasy featuring Redding’s pleading, soulful vocals while his original “Respect,” a big hit for Aretha Franklin, is a staggering bit of original rock ‘n’ soul music.

It’s with the second disc of Live On the Sunset Strip that you’ll find some surprises, however. While Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” benefits from an incredibly moving performance, and the underrated, emotionally-charged “Security” is 1960s-era soul music at its best, who could have prepared for an Otis Redding cover of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” Shorn of its pop roots, the song is re-imagined here as an old-fashioned R&B romp with a driving rhythm and rowdy vocals. Redding even tackles the Godfather himself with a raucous ten-minute jam on James Brown’s “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” complete with some good-natured stage banter by Redding. The performance is both a tribute to Redding’s talents and a respectful nod to Brown.    

The Reverend’s Bottom Line

Parts of these Whisky shows have been previously released, beginning with 1968’s In Person At the Whisky A Go-Go, and reprised in 1982 with the Recorded Live album. These historical performances made their first appearance on CD in 1993 as Good to Me: Recorded Live at the Whisky, but they’ve never been released to this extent until now. Redding’s star would keep rising from here, the singer scoring more hits and delivering a stunning performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. As shown by Live On the Sunset Strip, however, Redding already had it going on. Well worth checking out for fans of classic soul music. (Stax Records, released May 18, 2010)