Album of the Day

It took quite a singer to upstage Otis Redding, but Aretha Franklin managed to do it. Redding had written “Respect,” scoring a Top 40 single with it in 1965, but it was the Queen of Soul who transformed the song into an anthem two years later. Where the original was a plea from a tired working man, Aretha's version – with some subtle changes in lyrics and arrangement - was a demand for R-E-S-P-E-C-T, and became a rallying cry for both the civil rights and women's rights movements. Her iconic performance of “Respect” became a Billboard No.1 hit and has been named to both the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry; more recently it was given an orchestral setting on Franklin's A BRAND NEW ME album. In honor of African American Music Month, it's our Song Of The Day!