When Aretha Franklin transitioned from Columbia Records to Atlantic in 1966, Jerry Wexler, Atlantic’s vice president, presented her with song suggestions, including Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Ray Charles’ “Drown in My Own Tears.” While appreciative, Franklin had her own idea: “Respect,” a song already in her live repertoire. Wexler, in a conversation with Franklin’s manager Ted White, as recounted by biographer David Ritz, expressed slight hesitation, “Long as she changes it up.” White confidently replied, “You don’t gotta worry about that. She changes it up all right.” This exchange foreshadowed the seismic shift Franklin was about to bring to the song and the music world.
Otis Redding penned and originally recorded “Respect” for Stax/Volt in 1965. However, it was Aretha Franklin who irrevocably claimed the song as her own with her iconic cover, recorded at Atlantic’s New York studio on Valentine’s Day, 1967. “Respect” became her first Number One hit and the defining single that crowned her the undisputed Queen of Soul. But why does this particular rendition resonate so deeply, leading many to consider it not just a hit, but potentially the Best Song Of All Time?
Redding’s version, a forceful and pleading march, is a demand for equal footing delivered with raw, masculine energy. Franklin’s rendition, however, transcends a mere request. She sings from a position of power, a woman articulating the exhaustion of unfair compromise and demanding respect with scorching, undeniable sexual authority. In essence: if respect is what you seek, you must earn it. Wexler, in his autobiography, Rhythm and the Blues: A Life in American Music, insightfully noted, “For Otis, ‘respect’ had the traditional connotation, the more abstract meaning of esteem. The fervor in Aretha’s magnificent voice demanded that respect and more: Respect also involved sexual attention of the highest order. What else could ‘Sock it to me’ mean?”
The genius of Franklin’s arrangement is further amplified by the unforgettable “Sock it to me” refrain, conceived by Aretha and her sister Carolyn, and delivered by her backup singers, Carolyn and Erma. Engineer Tom Dowd recalled being astonished by the sassy breakdown where Aretha spells out “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” attributing this brilliant addition to Carolyn. Furthermore, lacking a bridge in Redding’s original, Wexler ingeniously directed the Muscle Shoals studio band to incorporate chord changes from Sam and Dave’s “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby” beneath King Curtis’s tenor saxophone solo, adding another layer of soulful depth.
The palpable passion within Franklin’s disciplined vocal performance is undeniable. It’s widely understood that she channeled the turbulence of her own marriage into the song’s delivery. Wexler astutely observed, “If she didn’t live it, she couldn’t give it.” He further emphasized, “Aretha would never play the part of the scorned woman.… Her middle name was Respect.” This lived experience infused the song with an authenticity and emotional resonance that is rarely matched.
“Respect,” the opening track of her Atlantic debut album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, acted as a catalyst, fusing rock & roll, gospel, and blues into the quintessential soul music blueprint that continues to inspire artists today (Mariah Carey has famously called Franklin her “mentor”). Beyond its musical innovation, the song’s forthright demands resonated profoundly with both the burgeoning civil rights movement and the feminist revolution. Franklin’s support for the Black Panther Party and her performance at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral underscore her deep connection to these movements. In her 1999 memoir, Franklin articulated that the song reflected “the need of the average man and woman in the street, the businessman, the mother, the fireman, the teacher — everyone wanted respect.” Decades later, this sentiment remains powerfully relevant.
In conclusion, while the title of “best song of all time” is inherently subjective and sparks endless debate, Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” makes an exceptionally strong case. Its musical brilliance, Franklin’s unparalleled vocal performance, its profound cultural impact, and its enduring message of universal human dignity solidify its place not just as a great song, but as a timeless anthem that continues to resonate across generations. “Respect” is more than just a song; it is a cultural landmark and a powerful statement that continues to demand and deserve our attention and admiration.
