You know you’re about to hear something special when ‘The Queen of Soul’ decides to cover ‘The King of Soul’. And while we shouldn’t overlook Otis Redding’s original version of “Respect”, It’s undeniable Aretha Franklin elevated the song to new heights. “Respect” is Franklin’s signature song after all. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind the iconic song.
The Story Behind the Song
Aretha Franklin’s early career wasn’t easy. She struggled to find success and released 9 albums under the label Columbia Records with little commercial success. But everything changed in 1966, when producer Jerry Wexler convinced Aretha Franklin to sign for Atlantic Records.
In January 1967, they recorded their first single “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”. The song was released a month later and became Franklin’s first hit, topping the R&B Singles chart and reaching the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The song was Aretha Franklin’s first hit, and she was over the moon with her achievement. Little did Franklin know that her next single – “Respect” – would shoot her into stardom.
Otis Redding originally released “Respect” on his third studio album Otis Blue (1965). His version of the song became a crossover hit, and reached number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Franklin sang the song during live performances ever since its release and decided she wanted to cover the song.
Together with her sisters Erma and Carolyn, Franklin started working on the arrangement of the song. They changed the gender of the narrator, came up with the phrase ‘Sock it to me’, and the idea of spelling out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. All elements not found in Redding’s original. Franklin’s work on the rhythm section and backing vocals were also essential to the song’s composition.
Franklin’s version of the song impressed Otis Redding. After hearing the song, Redding told Jerry Wexler: “This girl has taken that song from me. Ain’t no longer my song. From now on, it belongs to her.”
“Respect” was released as a single on April 29, 1967. Not much later, the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100. It was Aretha Franklin’s first number 1 hit and sky-rocketed her career.
The Meaning of The Song
“Respect” is a song about demanding and desiring respect within a relationship. But the song – especially Aretha Franklin’s version of the song – also adopted a broader meaning and became an anthem for the Women’s and Civil Rights Movement.
“So many people identified with and related to ‘Respect,” Franklin wrote in her Autobiography From These Roots. “It was the need of a nation, the need of the average man and woman in the street, the businessman, the mother, the fireman, the teacher — everyone wanted respect.”
“It was also one of the battle cries of the civil rights movement. The song took on monumental significance. It became the ‘Respect’ women expected from men and men expected from women, the inherent right of all human beings.”
Otis Redding said similar things about the song: “All I’m asking for is a little respect when I come home … Everybody wants respect, you know.”
Ever since Franklin’s release of the song, critics rumored the song was about demanding physical attention from a partner. This was mainly caused by the phrase ‘Sock it to me’ and the abbreviation ‘TBC’. (which means taking care of business and is African American slang for pleasing one’s partner) Franklin herself denied these rumors: “It was nonsexual, just a cliché line.”
The Song’s Legacy
Aretha Franklin’s cover of “Respect” is considered one of the greatest songs of all time. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number one on their 2021 version of ‘The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time’.
The song became known as Aretha Franklin’s ‘signature song’. A title ‘The Queen of Soul’ most likely didn’t mind, as stated in her biography From These Roots: “Respect” was – and is – an ongoing blessing in my life.
The song also carried significant importance for Otis Redding. He performed the song at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, which would be a turning point in his career.
Decades after its release, “Respect” has proven to be one of the most enduring songs of all time. And although Otis Redding should be credited for writing the song, it’s undeniable Aretha Franklin elevated the song to legendary heights.
Interested in more stories behind Aretha Franklin songs? Click here
