The song describes sitting on the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away while wasting time. The singer left home in Georgia to head to Frisco Bay but has nothing to live for and doesn't expect anything to come his way, so he sits on the dock watching the ships. Although two thousand miles from home, the dock has become his home where he rests his bones as his loneliness won't leave him alone.

1. The Dock of the Bay
Otis Redding
ingen- comesin' when the ev-
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Sitt- in' in the be
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roll a- way yeah
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8 roll in
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Watch- in' the ships
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the dock of the bay
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Sitt- in' on in the tide
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watch-
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the dock of the
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Sitt- in' on wast- ing time.bay
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re-
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Ev- ry thing
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still samemainslike
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no- thing the
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2. Strophe
I left my home in Georgia, headed for the Frisco Bay.
I have nothing to live for, look like nothing gonna come my way.
So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay, watchin' the tide roll away.
Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time.
3. Strophe
Sittin' here resting my bones, and my loneliness won't leave me alone.
This two thousand miles I roam just to make this dock my home.
Now I'm just goanne sit at the dock of the bay, wathin' the tide roll away.
Oh wee, just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time.