Album: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You (1967)

Charted: 10 1

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• (Ooh) what you want
  (Ooh) baby, I got
  (Ooh) what you need
  (Ooh) do you know I've got it?
  (Ooh) all I'm askin'
  (Ooh) is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
  Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home
  (Just a little bit) mister (just a little bit)
  
  I ain't gonna do you wrong, while you're gone
  Ain't gon' do you wrong (ooh) 'cause I don't want to (ooh)
  All I'm askin' (ooh)
  Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
  Baby (just a little bit), when you get home (just a little bit)
  Yeah (just a little bit)
  
  I'm about to give you all of my money
  And all I'm askin' in return, honey
  Is to give me my propers
  When you get home (just a, just a, just a, just a)
  Yeah, baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)
  When you get home (just a little bit)
  Yeah (just a little bit)
  
  Ooh, your kisses (ooh)
  Sweeter than honey (ooh)
  And guess what (ooh)
  So is my money (ooh)
  All I want you to do (ooh) for me
  Is give it to me when you get home (re, re, re ,re)
  Yeah, baby (re, re, re ,re)
  Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)
  When you get home, now (just a little bit)
  
  R-E-S-P-E-C-T
  Find out what it means to me
  R-E-S-P-E-C-T
  Take care, TCB
  
  Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
  A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
  Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
  A little respect (just a little bit)
  I get tired (just a little bit)
  Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)
  You're runnin' out of fools (just a little bit)
  And I ain't lyin' (just a little bit)
  (Re, re, re, re) 'spect
  When you come home (re, re, re ,re)
  Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
  And find out I'm gone (just a little bit) Writer/s: Otis Redding
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Cloud9, Downtown Music Publishing, Exploration Group LLC, Royalty Network, Sentric Music, Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, TuneCore Inc., Wixen Music Publishing
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 31

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: www.legacy.com
  Roger Hawkins, the drummer with the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, passed away at his home in Sheffield, Alabama on May 20th, 2021. He was 75 years old...
  Hawkins began playing with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section – also known as the Swampers – in the 1960s. As session musicians, their names weren’t well known, and they often weren’t even credited on the records they played for, but their sound became influential and was heard on many Top 40 hits. Playing as the house band for FAME Studios, they created the Muscle Shoals Sound and attracted top recording artists. In the group’s early days, they played on hits that included Aretha Franklin’s “Respect", Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman,” and Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1000 Dances”. In 1969, Hawkins and the Swampers founded their own studio, Muscle Shoals Sound, where they had hits including Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome,” The Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There,” and Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll.”
  May he R.I.P.
• Del from Los AngelesYou may not be aware, but the phrase "Sock it to me" also later became HUGE on the show Laugh-In.
• Camille from Toronto, OhIt’s amazing how wrongly this song is interpreted. Aretha sings: “What you want, you know I got it.” She is telling her man she knows he wants sex and she is very confident in her own sexual appeal and abilities. “What you need, you know I got it.” This could apply to both sex and money. She is not the one wanting the man to lavish sex upon her. She means she wants him to recognize and acknowledge the qualities she has that he wants and needs and not take her for granted. He thinks all he has to do is start smooching up on her and she’ll open her pocketbook to him. But guess what? Cash is just as important to her as are his kisses. (ooo, your kisses, sweeter than honey, but guess what? So is my money.) So, yeah, give her the lovin’ AND give her the respect she deserves. She is a woman who knows she is the whole package and he would be the smart one to recognize it and act accordingly. No woman sees “sock it to me” as a sexual term, including Aretha. Sock it to me and whip it to me mean she wants true, immediate respect! Pronto, baby! Whip it to me! Give the woman her propers! And I ain’t lyin’.
• Camille from Toronto, OhFrom a New York Times article by Wesley Morris: “Ms. Franklin’s respect lasts for two minutes and 28 seconds. That’s all — basically a round of boxing. Nothing that’s over so soon should give you that much strength. But that was Aretha Franklin: a quick trip to the emotional gym. Obviously, she was far more than that. We’re never going to have an artist with a career as long, absurdly bountiful, nourishing and constantly surprising as hers. We’re unlikely to see another superstar as abundantly steeped in real self-confidence — at so many different stages of life, in as many musical genres.”
• Michael E from Rockford IllinoisThere's no denying she made that song an anthem. Being an Otis Redding fan I like to think "sock it to me sock it tom sock it to me was a nod to Otis because everything he sang he turned into to Sock it to me.
  
  
  
• Patti from MichiganI just listened to the original recording, and she does say "Take care, TCB." (I used to hear "Take out T-C-P"). As for Elvis, he was inspired to make TCB his mantra by a Motown special TV show called "TCB." Read all about it here. - http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/03/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-find-out-what-it-means-to-me/
• Raunchy from Tulsa, Ok"Respect" by Aretha is still a favorite of mine. Back in '67 I bought her album "I Never Loved A Man..." which had so many cool songs on it, including "Respect." Then I bought about all the rest of her hits over the decades. Yep, in "Respect" I do recall the phrases "whip it to me" and "sock it to me" making the older folks turn red or blush. Back then, they were a bit risque' I recall. After that became #1 hit, one of my college professors would go around the halls muttering "WHIP IT TO ME, Kids!" That was just prior to him going off his rocker. Anyway... Whip it to me!!!
• Rotunda from Tulsa, OkBack in '67 when this song was #1, I think I was age 7. My older brothers loved this song, so I did too. They'd tell me they liked it cause it was a nasty song. Haa! Well, our Dad heard that my brothers bought the 45 rpm single & he broke it in two because he claimed it was filthy because it said "sock it to me" and an even worse exclamation, "whip it to me!" Back then, most records weren't supposed to say such stuff. I think that kids were drawn to the records that went ahead and put those words to record anyway. It was the true emotion of the composer anyway. At age 7, even with a religious upbringing, I didn't see anything wrong with "Respect." Well, a few months after that, Daddy got hauled off to prison anyway so we didn't have to worry about him breaking any more of our records!
• Elmer H from Westville, OkTruly a great hit for Aretha. And I recall her interview on "60 Minutes" on CBS with the late great Ed Bradley. He asked Aretha about "sock it to me" and "whip it to me" and what they meant. By that time, I think most everyone knew they meant sex. When the record came out in 1967, I was a wet-behind-the-ears kid in school & hearing "sock it to me" and "whip it to me" drew me to the record & other soul music all the more. Yeah! Whip it to me!
• Bubblesk from Memphis, TnOooo child, I remember this hit. In 1967 "Respect" was climbing the charts fast & I had just graduated University of Kansas and got my first job in nearby Saint Joseph, Missouri. When I first heard Aretha's "Respect" I was wild when I heard the "sock it to me" reference to sex. But later in the song she said "whip it to me" which just about caused me to bust a gut! At the time, I don't think anyone else ever made such a blatant reference to getting laid as "whip it to me" stated! Yeah. I liked it for being such an "in yo face" attitude for 1967. Well, it's for sure that the lyrics "sock it to me" and WHIP IT TO ME!!!" really got lots of attention back then. Mercy!!!
• Nina from Prunedale, CaThis song was played played in the movie The Blues Brothers.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyTruly the 'Queen of Soul"; in 1969 she pulled off a rare feat, she had a two-sided Top Ten hit. "The House That Jack Built" peaked at #6 while the flip-side, "I Say A Little Prayer" reached #10!!!
• Cafenitro from Tulsa, OkTCP means The Colored People. Elvis Presley changed it to TCB Takin' Care of Business for his version but Aretha sings TCP Take care...The Colored People. TCB is just plain wrong if you're talking about Aretha, thanks.
• Jenni from Lincoln, NeHey, that's not bad. I thought the kept saying "Take that PCP"... a drug reference.
• Doug from Boston, MaI've wondered about the "Take out T-C-P" line for years. First, it sounds more like P than B to me. I also thought about the spelling thing (taking out TCP in RESPECT spells "Rese") which only makes sense if you consider that the backups respond with "Ree, ree, ree" which are "Rees" when you think about it.
• Nicole from N/a, Wigood point roberta. you could say that it is the best cover in rock n roll. She is the queen of soul and always will be. She rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Cindylouise from Buxton, NcSince Elvis' company was called TCB for Taking Care of Business, could this have been a tip o' the hat to him?
• Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesIn 1967 the sheet music for this had the lyric "take out T-C-P". I've also seen it written as "take care of pleasin' me" even though it's clear that is not what she says. Has anyone written to Ms. Franklin and asked her?
• Mjn Seifer from Not Listed For Personal Reason, EnglandI used to think (Until JUST NOW!) that the line was "Take out TCP" which made no sense. TCP is for body cuts, but that had no relovense in the song. So then I tried taking out TCP in RESPECT but that spelled "Rese" which again is irlovent
• Aulden from Miami, FlI believe TCB means, "Taking Care of Business", but I think what Aretha Franklin sings is, "TCP", which would stand for, "This Colored Person". This would be consistent with the language of the era and the song.
• Bill from Dallas, TxGreat song, great lyrics, great vocals. An awesome song, and it should be on the list for greatest songs.
• Don from Newmarket, CanadaOtis was aware that Aretha' version of this song was truly great. His comment was "that woman stole my song."
• David from Ashland, OrI believe the "take care, TCB" line which is described above as being misheard and meaning "Take care, taking care of business" is actually, "Take care o' TCP" which was taken by so many of us to mean, during that time of much racial and social upheaval, "Take care of The Colored People."
• James from I Am Sinking, LaIt was also played in"Major Pain"
• Maria from Grand Rapids, MiFYI When Otis Redding originally wrote this, it was customary to show proper respect for your elders. His original line "...Is to give me my proper respect when you get home" was interpreted by Aretha as "Give me my propers, when you come home," NOT ..."give me my profits..." as stated in the lyrics posted here. Interestingly, this has been shortened to "Let's give so-and-so props" in today's lingo.
• Ydur from Knoxville, TnI've always enjoyed listening to this song, as well as "Think", from a racial context; sure, it's an obvious relationship song, but when you consider the time of release and the circumstances of that period, both can be easily interpreted as civil rights songs. That just makes them even more enjoyable for me.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScDyh. of course she's the Queen Of Soul. Why wood anyone dispute that?
• Roberta from Lawrence, KsNot only is "Respect" #5 on the Rolling Stone list, numbers one through four are original - so one could say this is officially the greatest cover version in rock and roll.
• Eloise from London, EnglandHey, Matt. You get around a bit. Last saw you posting on Nirvana SLTS! And Aretha is indeed the Queen of Soul!
• Matt from Millbrae, CaAretha Franklin is the queen of soul. I think she got like #1 on the 50 greatest women in music or somethin like that.
• Ross from Independence, MoThis is also #5 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs. Why is this the first comment here. I mean come on. R-E-S-P-E-C-T

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