Try a Little Tenderness

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"Try a Little Tenderness" is a song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly, and Harry Woods, and recorded separately by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933. Subsequent recordings were made by such recording artists as Jimmy Durante, Frank Sinatra, Frankie Laine and Percy Sledge.

[edit] Otis Redding version

A popular version in an entirely new form was recorded by African-American artist Otis Redding in 1967. Redding's recording features a slow soulful opening that eventually builds into a frenetic R&B conclusion. It has been named on a number of "best songs of all time" lists, including those from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is in the 204th position on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

[edit] Covers

The song has been covered numerous times, including a modest hit by Three Dog Night in 1969. In the 2000s it has been done by Michael Bublé on his sophomore album It's Time. The song was a prominent inclusion in the 1991 feature film The Commitments and its subsequent soundtrack, as were numerous other Redding songs, such as "Mr. Pitiful". The Von Bondies render a cover of the song as a hidden track at the end of their album Pawn Shoppe Heart.

[edit] Uses in other media

• A slow, instrumental version of the song was used in the opening credits of Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film Dr. Strangelove.
• In the 1986 movie Pretty in Pink, Duckie appears dancing this song in the record store.