"Mr. Pitiful" by Otis Redding

The legendary Otis Redding was a masterful singer and songwriter from Georgia who was taken from us too soon, dying in a plane crash in 1967 at the age of 26. His first chart hit was in 1963 when "These Arms of Mine" peaked at #85.

By 1965, the world had caught onto his genius, and his Grammy Hall of Fame hit "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" reached #21. But his biggest and most widely known smash was recorded just 18 days before his death: "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" spent four weeks at #1. He continued to rack up more top 40 singles, and his final chart appearance was in 1969 when "Love Man" went to #72. His chart accomplishments through the 60s made him the 46th most successful artist of the decade.

"Mr. Pitiful" is a wonderful song that nearly became his first Top 40 hit, reaching #41 in 1965.