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By J. MATTHEW COBB
JUNE 3, 1967. The day had finally arrived for the Queen in Waiting to be inaugurated into her appointed place of musical royalty. No would could have ever imagined the colossal impact and global attention Aretha Franklin would gain with the Atlantic single release of “Respect”; a single that skyrocketed all the way to the top of Billboard’s rhythm-and-blues and pop charts. That profound entrance into the music world will never be forgotten - full of lucrative soul, infectious grooves and a dynamic vocal that fails to be reduplicated by any other soul singer. The song was placed at #5 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. The song was far from being a newborn with Aretha touched it. Go back to the year of 1965 when Otis Redding, one of the early and keynote architects of soul music, wrote and recorded it on the Volt release “Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul”. It was a typical bluesy-groovy song that fit well on the project that focused on Redding’s love for blues - but with a touch of his Georgia funk that sounded so well in the infamous Memphis studios of Stax/Volt Records. The album, which featured the very first version of “Respect”, took a big leap into the pop world’s white audience and landed at #35 on Billboard's Pop charts and #4 on the R&B side. Afterwards, the Rationals, a white pop group that came out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, recorded the song in 1966 using a Rolling Stones format but with horns and their added blue-eyed soul but didn’t gain any serious national attention. But it caught Franklin’s attention, based on a number of reports, and felt that the song needed her voice to make it come alive and rise to a newfound, well-respected glory. That opportunity came when Jerry Wexler, the brilliant magician behind the music at Atlantic, approached Franklin with Redding’s version and felt that it was due time, but that there were some changes that needed to have been made. The day had finally come on Valentine’s Day in 1967 when Aretha, along with her accompanying backup singers sisters Erma and Carolyn, entered into the New York studio and worked on the revised version of Redding’s jolting head banger. The new version featured a bridge, a tenor sax solo from King Curtis attached to the same chord changes found on Sam & Dave’s “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby”, Franklin’s ad-lib powers and Wexler/Mardin’s glorious production work. And the rest is history. A history that continues to rewrite itself from one generation to the next. On June 3, 1967, “Respect” received its just share of respect on Billboard’s Pop charts. This was a song that went from Redding’s plea for recognition from a woman to Franklin’s landmark protest for black activism, civil rights, feminism and sexual liberation. She doesn’t just sing for respect, she demands it. Jerry Wexler explained in his autobiography, “Rhythm and the Blues: A Life In American Music”, that “for Otis, respect had the traditional connotation, the more abstract meaning of esteem. The fervor in Aretha’s voice demanded that respect; and more respect also involved sexual attention of the highest order. What else would “sock it to me” mean?” And there is the tone of her voice that clearly maps out the characteristics of gospel music, definitely influenced by the likes of gospel great Clara Ward and her own father Rev. C. L. Franklin, that helped harness the strength of this timeless opus. There is the “sock it to me” line that many background singers enjoy the most and the infamous ad-lib of the song’s spelling segment after the bridge. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T/Find out what it means to me/R-E-S-P-E-C-T/Take care...T-C-B” The entire song has become an international treasure for musical excellence; equally blending the heart and soul of R&B, gospel and blues. The joining of these musical forces created the deserved respect from the pop music world and opened up the gateway for pop music in general to easily digest of the musical heritage in black music. 2007 marks the 40th year anniversary of Aretha’s timeless rendition of “Respect”. Since its release, the song’s impact has been felt across all cultural and social lines. It has become no stranger to the party life of karaoke bars and clubs across the country and lives on as a staple on FOX’s American Idol episodes. It continues to gain airplay on radio stations across the country and has recently been considered to be Aretha Franklin’s signature song, even though the Queen of Soul has whipped up an impressive resume’ of sixteen other Top 10 hits and a host of R&B hits. This musical contribution helped symbolize the importance of Detroit’s legacy upon the face of music and helped cultivate a young America located in the heart of Detroit that grew anxious in releasing their prowess and passion for music. While “Respect” is a far cry from being a legitimate gospel song, the symbolism and nature of the song is clear evidence of how gospel music has helped shaped and influenced pop culture. This would be Aretha Franklin’s testament of greatness and would create a bridge for all aspiring mainstream artists with gospel influences. And people are still singing respect with the same joy and freshness exhilarated over forty years ago. The Detroit Free Press recently created an online museum full of videos, interviews and other cool creations that pays homage to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” and tells the story of its origins, survival and the power behind the voice. To ignore this refreshing tribute without any excuse would be a travesty for legions of music lovers. Next time you feel a need for social recognition and you feel like you have no access to it, search through your parents’ vinyl collection and hunt for Aretha’s compass to “R-E-S-P-E-C-T”. Not only did the Queen receive it but she earned it. And as the famous Bible verse points out, “give and ye shall receive”. Aretha gave what she wanted in that song and she continues to be showered forty years later with the love and admiration she so earnestly deserves. OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
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