About the song
Background
- Original Artist: Otis Redding wrote and first released “Respect” in 1965.
- Genre: Soul music
- Tempo and Energy: Upbeat, energetic tempo, with a driving rhythm from the horns and drums
- Context: The song emerged during the Civil Rights Movement in America, with issues of race and equality at the forefront.
Lyrics
- Call for Respect: The central theme is a direct demand for respect from a hard-working man to his partner when he comes home.
- Financial Support: The lyrics emphasize his role as a provider: “All I’m askin’ / Is for a little respect when I come home.”
- What He’ll Bring: In addition to financial support, he promises love, tenderness, and anything his woman wants (“Take out all my money…just give me a little respect”).
Themes
- Respect as a Universal Need: The song speaks to the fundamental human need for respect, regardless of background or circumstance.
- Traditional Gender Roles: At its core, reflects traditional gender roles of the time: the man as breadwinner and the woman’s role linked to the domestic sphere.
- Shifting Interpretation: While Redding’s version focuses on respect within a romantic relationship, the song would later take on new meanings when Aretha Franklin transformed it.
Aretha Franklin’s Transformation
- Feminist Anthem: Aretha Franklin’s 1967 cover radically altered the song’s meaning. Her version became a powerful anthem of the feminist movement, demanding respect for women in wider society.
- Additional Lyrics: Franklin’s version incorporates the “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” spelling out, the “sock it to me” interjections, and a strong call-and-response section—adding layers of energy and defiance.
- Empowerment: Franklin’s changes turned the song into a demand for respect that extended beyond individual relationships to the collective struggle for equality.
Legacy
Otis Redding’s “Respect” provided the foundation for a cultural phenomenon. His soulful plea for respect in a relationship was powerful on its own, but Aretha Franklin’s adaptation made it iconic. Both versions resonate powerfully, each reflecting its own cultural moment.
Video
Lyrics
What you wantHoney you’ve got itAnd what you needBaby you’ve got itAll I’m askingIs for a little respect when I come home
Do me wrongHoney if you wannaYou can do me wrongHoney while I’m goneBut all I’m asking forIs for a little respect when I come home
Hey little girl, you’re so sweeter than honeyAnd I am about to just give you all my moneyBut all I’m asking, heyIs a little respect when I come home
Hey little girl, you’re sweeter than honeyAnd I’m about to give you all of my moneyBut all I want you to do just give it, give itRespect when I come home
Respect is what I wantRespect is what I needRespect is what I wantRespect is what I needGot to, got to have itGot to, got to have itYou got to, got to have itGot to, got to have it
Give it, give itGive it, give itGive it, give itGive it, give itGive itGive it to me baby, everything I needGive it to me baby, everything I wantGive it to me