VIDEO: Sting Covers Otis Redding ‘(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay’ for Alzheimer’s Tribute Album

“[This song] reminds me of me at that age, just being a little lost,” the music icon and past Stern Show guest says

March 18, 2020

Sting has released a cover of Otis Redding’s indomitable tune “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay.”

The rock legend and Stern Show veteran recorded the song for the Alzheimer’s Association “Music Moments” album, which also boasts artists like Lee Ann Womack, Nile Rodgers, Joan Jett and 2019 Stern Show performer Jason Isbell, among others.

In the behind-the-scenes video accompanying the performance (above), Sting spoke about what Redding’s iconic song meant to him when it was released while he was a teenager. “When you’re 16, the music you hear is so powerful and evocative of that time … [This song] reminds me of me at that age, just being a little lost,” Sting said.

Additionally, he opened up about his own relationship to Alzheimer’s disease. “My wife’s mother died from premature Alzheimer’s, and it’s a tragic and horrifying disease,” Sting said. “It’s a potential in all of our lives, so whatever research we do at this present time is absolutely important.”

As Stern Show listeners will remember, the Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer also opened up during his unforgettable 2016 visit to the studio, talking to Howard about everything from Puffy royalties to the origins of his most famous original tunes. Sting put on a concert of sorts, too—check out his in-studio performance of “Message in a Bottle” (below) and listen to the Alzheimer’s Association full “Music Moments” album here.

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