Forty years ago last week, Aretha Franklin's soul-shaking version of "Respect" exploded at number one on the pop charts. (Stop for a second. Think about that song. "WHAT YOU WANT....BABY, I GOT IT." Bingo. It is now in your head for the rest of the day. You're welcome!) Amazingly, it's not actually Aretha's song, it's the inimitable Otis Redding's, but Aretha's version became an anthem for feminism, civil rights, karaoke, and we'll be marking it today with Kelley Carter, who wrote this fabulous article about the song, as well as Charlie Chalmers, who played sax on the track. What I love about the song is twofold, a) it doesn't matter who you are, how old, the first time you hear it it becomes part of your life soundtrack, and b) Aretha makes singing it sound so darn easy that it's really hard not to sing along (yet horrifying to find that it's actually a really hard song to sing). So...let's TCB here. When did "Respect" appear in your life?
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I believe it was the "Blues Brothers" movie that has immortalized Aretha Franklin's song "Respect" for my 14-year old. He loves the movie, but grew up without a clue about the roots of this song. I think we should "give it up" for the role of the this movie in reaching a very young generation with this great, great song.
I wanted to note that Aretha's version of the song was used in a promotional for the United Nations Comission for Refugees. It featured famous diplomats and social activists dancing and singing along with the song. The universality of the message of the song could not be any more clear.
This is my all time favorite song in the whole world. So sad that it only lasts a mere 2 minutes! By the time it's over, the dancin' is just getting in gear. I request it at all festivities, wedding receptions, and parties. My family thinks of me when they hear it (sorry Aretha) and it often prompts a phone call to me. I have made them promise to play it at my funeral and they must dance!
I first heard it when I was a young feminist. Now I'm an older feminist. Thanks Aretha!!
My last name is Howell. I was bright red-headed as a child. Therefore my nickmane was Howell Head which eventually evolved into Hollow Head. I hated the name Howell. If I wasn't being called Hollow Head people were howling like wolves Howell/"Howl". Believe it or not, at a high level in a fortune 500 company, they still howl when I enter the room.
I have always loved Aretha and it was one of the reasons I chose Charlie Chalmers to produce my Indie album in 2003. He has a lot of knowledge of how all that went down.
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