You ask me what songs got that word, “respect”? I heard that word a lot. That word important, you know. You gotta have it. People always talking ’bout it. So, what songs? I remember some. Old ones, mostly.
That Aretha Franklin, she one singer, she sang that “Respect” song. Loud and clear. Everybody know that one. Came out a long time ago, 1967, I think. Heard it on the radio all the time. Yeah, that’s a big one. That Aretha, she sure could sing. That song make you wanna get up and move. Makes you feel good. She put that word “respect” right out there. Made it important, you know? “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, that’s the first one come to my mind.
Oh, that song by Aretha, it for everybody. Black folks, white folks, and women, you know, all the women liked that song. That song for civil rights and women’s rights. Big words, I know, but it just means people want to be treated right. That’s what that song about, being treated right. Ain’t that something? One song can mean so much.
That Stevie Wonder, he blind, but he can sing too. He also have a song named “Respect”. He a good man. A lot of folks like him. He sing good songs. Heard that on the radio too. Not as much as Aretha’s, but I heard it. That song good too, makes you think. Makes you think about that word, “respect”.
- Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
- Stevie Wonder – “Respect”
These days, got all them fancy things, them phones. They got them apps, they say. You can play a song, and that phone tell you what it is. Shazam, I think they call one. And SoundHound. Fancy names. Back in my day, we just listened to the radio. We know the song from the radio. Or we ask somebody. We didn’t have no fancy phones to tell us.
Now, if you really don’t know, there are some places on that internet thing. Reddit, they say. You can ask people there, they’ll probably know. Some folks know a lot about music. More than me, that’s for sure. There some place called r/tipofmytongue. That place for asking about songs. If you don’t know the song, you can go there and ask. It’s a whole community, just helping each other find songs. Ain’t that nice? People helping each other.
But that word, “respect,” it in a lot of songs. You hear it here and there. People singing about wanting it, needing it. ‘Cause it’s important. You gotta have respect for yourself, and you gotta give it to others. That’s what my mama always said. She was right. It’s true, you know. Everyone wants to have respect. If you respect someone, you treat them right.
I’m trying to think of other songs with that word. It’s hard, you know. My memory ain’t what it used to be. But those two, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, they for sure got songs with “respect” in ’em. Big songs, too. Everybody know those.
There are probably a bunch of other songs with that word. Lots of songs about love and being good to each other. And respect, that’s part of it. If you love someone, you respect them. You treat them good. You listen to them. That’s important. That’s what makes the world go ’round, you know? Love and respect. They go together.
So, yeah, that word “respect,” it’s a big one. It’s in a lot of songs. Probably more than I can remember. But those two, those are the big ones. The ones everybody knows. And they good songs, too. Make you feel good. Make you think. Make you wanna treat people right. That’s what music’s supposed to do, I guess.
You go listen to those songs. You’ll hear that word. And you’ll think about what it means. It’s a good thing to think about. A good thing to have. Respect. It’s important. Don’t you forget it.
