“Respect” by Aretha Franklin (1967)

MUSIC VIDEO

LYRICS

What you want
Baby, I got it
What you need
Do you know I got it?

All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect
When you come home (just a little bit)
Hey, baby (just a little bit)
When you get home (just a little bit)
Mister (just a little bit)
I ain't gonna do you wrong
While you're gone
Ain't gonna do you wrong
'Cause I don't wanna

All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect
When you come home (just a little bit)
Baby (just a little bit)
When you get home (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)
I'm about to give you all of my money
And all I'm askin' in return, honey
Is to give me my propers
When you get home

(just a, just a, just a, just a)

Yeah, baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)

When you get home (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

Ooh, your kisses
Sweeter than honey
And guess what?
So is my money

All I want you to do for me
Is give it to me when you get home (re, re, re ,re)
Yeah, baby (re, re, re ,re)
Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)
When you get home, now (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me
Sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect
(sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)

I get tired (just a little bit)
Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)
You're runnin' out of foolin' (just a little bit)
And I ain't lyin' (just a little bit)

(re, re, re, re) 'spect
When you come home (re, re, re, re)
Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I'm gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)

ANALYSIS
           The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was an award-winning singer who was the first female artist inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The song was originally written by Otis Redding in 1965, but it only became popular when Aretha Franklin sang her own version of it in 1967 (Friedman 2018). Even though the lyrics only talk generally about getting "a little respect" (not gender equality in particular), Franklin's version “[turned] it into a feminist anthem, empowering all those held down as second class citizens to stand up and demand a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T!” (CultureSonar 2018). Franklin brought new, radical meaning to an originally more sanitized call for respect.

WORKS CITED
“Aretha Franklin – Respect.” Genius, 1 Feb. 2001, genius.com/Aretha-franklin-respect-lyrics.
Friedman, Megan. “'Respect' Was Originally Written by a Man-But Aretha Franklin Made It

            Legendary.” Country Living, Country Living, 16 Aug. 2018,
            www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a22714100/aretha-franklin-respect-song-
            lyrics-history/.
“Top 10 Protest Songs from the 1960s.” CultureSonar, 27 Aug. 2018,
            www.culturesonar.com/protest-songs-1960s/.