The name Aretha Franklin is synonymous with respect.
Maybe she taught you the how to spell the word R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Maybe she taught you the meaning. Maybe she taught you how to bellow strong melodies in the shower or car.
The news of Franklin’s death at age 76 wasn’t unexpected. News outlets across the country notified readers of her poor health at the beginning of this week.
That’s when the artist’s name spiked on Google and when Spotify began curating a playlist specific to her voice.
Franklin’s vocal repertoire, which earned her the name “The Queen of Soul,” is what made her a star. But, for many women, it’s the lyrics themselves and the ways in which Franklin portrayed them that resonate most.
In her interviews over the years, she never claimed to shoot for the secondary title of “feminist icon.” Still, many women crowned her with that weight — something she carried well, through a long-spanning career.
“I think that’s Gloria Steinem’s role,” Franklin said in a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone. “I don’t think I was a catalyst for the women’s movement. Sorry. But if I were? So much the better.”
Franklin’s name wasn’t always synonymous with the word respect. She struggled. Her stardom didn’t appear in overnight fame via the internet. She was an African American woman looking for financial stability and power during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
Years before the #METOO Movement even began, women like Aretha Franklin — women with big voices and something to say.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
Her yearslong playlist includes some of the greats: “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “A Natural Woman” and “A Change is Gonna Come.” Perhaps the song that screams meaning beyond sound is “Respect,” arguably the most anthemic sung by “The Queen of Soul.”
It was Otis Redding who first released “Respect” in 1965. But, Franklin’s 1967 spin on and interpretation of the song is what spoke to generations of women, generations of people.
Similar to a rally cry, a march a social media movement, Franklin’s songs resonated deeply with the marginalized, the hurt, the quiet and the outspoken. She had a way with the words, but more effectively, she had a way of living out those words. Franklin was not to be disrespected — no one was to be disrespected.
Listen to the Redding version of “Respect,” then take a listen to Franklin’s version. The change in tune and the notable spelling out of the word is what might seem most stark. Melody aside, Franklin turned something for men into something for all — a true activist for the people, whether she knew it or not.
Her music, a running commentary on the times, didn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Franklin didn’t pretend the difficulties of her life and the lives of others shouldn’t be shared.
Celebrity deaths often bring about reflection. Let’s share Franklin’s long life and successful activist, artistic career as a way to bring about action.
Next time you hit play on an Aretha Franklin song, listen to the lyrics — listen for the call to action.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at argopinion.uidaho.edu or on Twitter at @Hailey_ann97