“Respect” (Otis Redding/Aretha Franklin)

Today’s classic song that became an even bigger cover is “Respect.” This tune was an initial hit for Memphis soul legend Otis Redding and an even bigger hit for the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin.

Who wrote “Respect” is open for debate. While the song is credited to Otis Redding, he doesn’t appear to be the original creator. The story has it that singer Earl “Speedo” Sims brought to Redding to produce, but it’s unlikely that Sims was the writer; some say that it was originally conceived (as a ballad!) by an unknown guitarist at a Macon, Georgia, recording studio. No matter. Redding took what Sims brought him, completely rewrote the lyrics, and sped up the tempo.

Redding took Sims and his band, the Singing Demons, into Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama, where Sims had a go at it. They weren’t able to put anything decent on tape, however, so Otis decided to record it himself, which he did in July of 1965. Memphis studio legend Steve Cropper produced and played guitar and fellow MG’s Booker Duck Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. played bass and drums, respectively; Earl Sims and William Bell provided backing vocals. The resulting single, released on August 15, 1965, rose to #35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart.

That wasn’t bad, but Aretha could do better. She listened to Redding’s version and decided to cover it in her own inimitable style. She sped up the tempo, jazzed up the arrangement (especially the background vocals), and elaborated on the original lyrics with the “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” section and that whole “sock it to me” bit. As she remembers it:

“I felt I could do something different with it, and my sister Carolyn, who was an RCA recording artist, and I got together on the background. The term ‘Sock it to me!’ was a big, big thing in our neighborhood—all the kids were saying it.”

Aretha went into New York City’s Atlantic Studios on Valentine’s Day, 1967. Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin were producing, Tom Dowd served as recording engineer, and the backing track was laid down by the guys in the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Chips Moman and Jimmy Johnson on guitars, Spooner Oldham on Hammond organ, Tommy Cogbill on bass, and Roger Hawkins on drums). Aretha played piano, her sisters Carolyn and Emma sang backup, and King Curtis supplied the signature tenor sax solo.

The result was more than just Aretha’s next single. Her version of “Respect,” released on April 16, 1967, became an anthem for both the Civil Rights movement and the women’s liberation movement. It was a song of defiance coming from a strong black woman and it took the world by storm. Aretha’s version of “Respect” far surpassed Otis Redding’s original, hitting #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts. Rolling Stone magazine named it the #1 greatest song of all time.

Both versions of “Respect” are powerful recordings. I know Aretha’s cover was the bigger and more influential hit, but I still really like Otis’ Memphis-flavored original. Which version is your favorite?