Wayback Wednesday: Aretha Franklin
On Valentines Day, 1967 Aretha Franklin went into a studio in New York, and recorded what would become the signature song of her career…Respect. The song was written by and…
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 19: Aretha Franklin performs onstage during the “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives” Premiere Concert during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival at Radio City Music Hall on April 19, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
On Valentines Day, 1967 Aretha Franklin went into a studio in New York, and recorded what would become the signature song of her career…Respect.
The song was written by and originally performed by Otis Redding in 1965, becoming his biggest hit up until that point.
Aretha had just signed with Atlantic Records, and producer Jerry Wexler brought the song to her attention.
Wexler thought it had potential as a crossover hit, and would demonstrate Aretha’s vocal ability. Boy, was he right!! Respect spent 2 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Pop chart, and 8 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Black singles chart. It’s become a mandatory part of every Aretha concert. Here’s the Queen Of Soul performing this classic in 1990!
