Listening Blog; Week 8

For this week's listening blog, I chose to write about the song "Respect" performed by Aretha Franklin. For starters, I thought it was really interesting how the song was originally written by Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin's friend. I found it really cool that she changes some of the lyrics to fit for a woman singing the song. I feel the lyrics have a deeper meaning than just respect. The action of respecting someone is more than just words. During that time, women's rights was a topic of discussion and I think this song was in a way, a show of power for women. This song has been in countless movies and the beat and tune of the song is great. The way Aretha Franklin is able to sing and change her pitch and tone in the song really shows how talented of a musician she truly is. Even years after her "prime", she can still stand on a stage and rock the crowd. The end of the song when she repeats "sock it to me", I think she is trying to say that she wants to be hit with respect. In a metaphorical way, she is reinforcing the feeling that she wants respect. Rather than just saying it, she is using a more protagonist approach. The passion she sings with in all of her songs is unlike anything else. I think the way that music has an impact on society really makes performers and musicians play a key role in society and social issues we face as a nation. Overall this song was really good and a very influential song for generations before us, and generations to come. Not only is it very influential, it is a definite banger and a party classic.