Song of the Week: “Respect”


Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

March is Women’s History Month. The month is a time to explore and understand the accomplishments and strides made by women throughout American history.

Influential musicians are some of the many accomplished women honored in March.

Aretha Franklin, one of the most influential female musicians of her time, was often referred to as the “Queen of Soul.” She released the song “Respect” in 1967 towards the end of the Civil Rights Movement.

Franklin wrote “Respect” in hopes that it would become an empowerment anthem for women, a song that they could sing when they wanted to feel confident and strong. The song is written from the perspective of a woman who does everything for her man and doesn’t understand why he would disrespect her, so she demands respect.

The lyrics of the song send a clear message; they are meant for anyone who has ever felt unappreciated. When Franklin sings “R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me,” she is relating it to more than just women but also to any groups of people who have felt marginalized.

“Respect” also made a variety of phrases popular when it was first released. These phrases became increasingly popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States and abroad. These phrases became commonly associated with women’s empowerment, further showing Franklin’s influence.

In the song, when Franklin sings “Take care… TCB” in the chorus, TCB means “taking care of business,” a phrase associated with slang at the time, that means doing what needs to be done. Franklin also sings “sock it to me,” a phrase with more than one meaning. In this song, however, it means giving women the respect they deserve.

Franklin is just one of the many influential musicians celebrated during Women’s History Month because of her songs about female empowerment. Many female musicians from the 21st century who also strive to empower women through song include Beyonce, Lorde and Lizzo. Franklin’s messages of empowerment paved the way for these artists to continue inspiring women just as she did.