A Man Wrote This Song, but a Woman Made It Legendary

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It is one of the most famous songs ever recorded, and almost everyone can sing along to its chorus. But it was written by a man, and he recorded it first. The song is “Respect,” made legendary by Aretha Franklin.

The Original Version

Soul singer Otis Redding wrote “Respect” and released it in 1965. In his version, a hard-working man comes home and asks his woman for a little respect. It was a solid hit on the rhythm and blues charts.

Turning It Upside Down

Aretha Franklin had been singing the song in her shows, and she had her own ideas about it. On February 14, 1967, she sat down at the piano in Atlantic Records’ New York studio and recorded her version.

She turned the song around so that a strong woman was the one demanding respect. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma singing beside her, she added the famous moment where the title is spelled out letter by letter, and the playful “sock it to me” chant. Neither of those was in the original.

“That Girl’s Song Now”

Released that spring, her version went to number one on both the pop and R&B charts and won two Grammy Awards. When Otis Redding heard it, he reportedly joked that it was now that girl’s song. Sadly, he died in a plane crash later that same year.

Why It Still Matters

“Respect” became an anthem for the civil rights movement and for women everywhere. Today it is in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and is regularly named one of the greatest songs of all time.

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Listen to “Respect”

He wrote it, but she made the whole world sing it.