Otis Redding wrote this song to get a little lovin' and respect. Aretha Franklin turned the table, and turned Respect into a feminist anthem.
Respect was recorded on Valentine's Day in 1967. Producer Jerry Wexler said this about the recording:
Aretha added another dimension to the song. This was almost a feminist clarion. Whenever women heard the record, it was like a tidal wave of soronal unity. 'A little respect when you come home' doesn't only connote respect in the sense of having concern for another's position; there's also a little lubricity in there - respect aquires the notion of having to perform conjugally in optimum fashion. It was just a very interesting mix: an intuitive feminist outcry, a sexual statement, and an announcement of dignity.
