Episode 39 · Soul
Respect
Aretha Franklin
A song written one way and claimed another. We follow how Aretha Franklin turned a plea into a demand, and a record into a banner.
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RespectAretha Franklin · Whose song is it?
Show notes
The 1967 recording is a masterclass in what a cover version can do. We compare it with the original, listen to what changed in the arrangement, and hear how the spelling-out of the title became a rallying cry.
Layla Brooks on the power shift in the lyric, Jade Monroe on the backing vocals, Marcus Reyes on the moment the song landed in, and Rio Castillo asks the question everyone has avoided: is it the best cover ever recorded?