How ‘Respect’ exemplified Aretha Franklin’s uncanny ability to shape her own work and image Whereas Redding embodied a weary, hardworking man asking for respect for being the breadwinner, Franklin flipped the script, with the woman demanding the recognition she deserves from her man, enunciating her power. Though Franklin never received a songwriting credit, the changes she made to Redding’s lyrics (worked out with her sisters and back-up singers Erma and Carolyn) turned the song on its head. Less remarked upon, however, is the influence that the song has had on the English language. While the breadth of her life’s work is tremendous, one song more than any other emblematizes her cultural impact: “Respect,” the Queen of Soul’s smash hit from 1967.īy reworking the lyrics and structure of Otis Redding’s original version, Franklin transformed the song into an enduring anthem, its straightforward demand for “a little respect” resonating as both a potent statement of feminist empowerment and a civil-rights cri de coeur. The passing of Aretha Franklin earlier this month set off a rolling celebration of her deep and lasting contributions to American popular music.
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