About the Song
Background
- Songwriter: Otis Redding himself, with some help from Phil Walden, his manager at that time.
- Album: Pain In My Heart (1964)
- Style: Classic soul ballad with blues influences
- Instrumentation: The song has a trademark Stax Records sound – punchy horns, tight rhythm section (featuring Booker T. & the M.G.’s), and sparse, soulful guitar.
Themes
The primary themes in this song are:
- Heartache and Uncertainty: The core of the song is the singer’s deep distress because of a deteriorating relationship. There’s a sense of not knowing the root cause of his lover’s change in behavior.
- Unrequited Love: There’s the potential for love that might not be reciprocated, leading to a sense of despair on the singer’s part.
- Worry and Anxiety: The title itself reflects the internal turmoil, a pervasive feeling that something is deeply wrong in the relationship.
Lyrics Analysis
Here are some key lines with a brief explanation:
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“Something is worrying me, it keeps on bothering me”: The opening lines immediately set the scene of internal anguish. The problem is persistent, nagging at his mind.
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“You won’t look at me, something is wrong you see”: He recognizes a shift in his partner’s behavior, avoidance that suggests problems in their connection.
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“Why won’t you tell me, what’s on your mind? It’s driving me out of my mind”: A plea for communication, this highlights a sense of desperation and helplessness as he can’t pinpoint the source of trouble.
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“If you’ve got someone new, please let me know it’s true”: The pain of potentially being replaced is evident here, and he seeks clarity even if it’s hurtful.
Overall
“Something Is Worrying Me” stands out as a classic portrayal of the pain and turmoil of a relationship in distress. Otis Redding’s raw, emotional delivery, paired with the song’s arrangement, creates a timeless piece of soul music.
Video
Lyric
Something is worrying me, yeah
And that something is driving me in misery, oh
I can tell the way things change
That you’ve been loving some other man
That’s why something keeps on worrying me, yes it is
That’s why something is worrying me, oh
I can tell by the look in your eye
I can tell by the way you smile
I know things haven’t been this way
I stopped to love you each and every day
And that something keeps on worrying me, yeah
That’s why something is driving me in misery, yeah
I can tell by the look in your eye
That you’ve been loving some other guy
That’s why something keeps on worrying me, oh yes it is
That’s why something keeps on worrying me, darling
That something baby
Is deep down in my heart
Is worrying me baby
I know you love somebody
I know you have somebody else
It’s worrying me baby
I need you right here by my side