The Response Song

As I mentioned before, when a song or piece of art touches you so deeply, how can you not respond with an expression your own?
Let me first delve a little deeper into the concept of the Response Song.
There are many roads one can go on this one, but they will all lead to a change in the point of view. In one example, Aretha Franklin's version of "Respect" flips the original (and lesser known version) of Otis Redding's, by changing the gender positioning, a few words, perhaps a different verse, and thus, the entire social and cultural context.
The Response Song can also bring life to the character that was originally the party sung to in the first place, which also happens in the song "Respect".


Otis Redding's Version:

What you want
Honey you've got it
And what you need
Baby you've got it

All i'm asking
Is for a little respect when i come home

Do me wrong
Honey if you wanna
You can do me wrong
Honey while i am gone

But all i'm asking for
Is for a little respect when i come home

Hey little girl, you're so sweeter than honey
And i am about to just give you all my money

All i'm asking for
Is a little respect when i come home

Hey little girl, you're sweeter than honey
And i am about to give you all my money

But all i want you to do
Just give it, give it
Respect when i come home

Respect is what i want
Respect is what i need
Respect is what i want
Respect is what i need

Got to, got to have it
Got to, got to have it
Gotta, got to have it
Gotta, got to have it


Aretha Franklin's Version:

What you want baby I got it
What you need
You know I got it
All I'm askin' is for a little respect
When you come home
Baby when you come home
Respect

I'm out to give you all my money
But all I'm askin in return honey
Is to give me my proper respect
When you get home
Yeah, baby, when you get home

I ain't gonna do you wrong while you gone
I ain't gonna do you wrong
'Cause I dont wanna
All I'm askin' is for a little respect
When you come home
Baby, when you come home
Respect

Ooh, your kisses, sweeter than honey
But guess what, so here's my money
All I want you to do for me
Is give me some respect when you get home
Yeah, baby, when you get home

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take out T-C-P

A little respect.


Needless to say, Aretha's response song flourished as the ultimate womens' rights anthem, in large part because it rose up to a position and a point of view equally as strong as the man's in Otis' original. In fact, she even ups him one, in the verse where he says "You can do me wrong / If you wanna / While I'm gone" and she replies, "I ain't gonna do you wrong / While you're gone / Cause I dont wanna".