14 FEBRUARY 1967: ARETHA FRANKLIN RECORDS RESPECT.

The article focuses on the song "Respect," originally released by Otis Redding in 1965 on his album *Otis Blue*. Aretha Franklin's 1967 cover of the song, recorded in New York City with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and produced by Jerry Wexler, transformed it into a chart-topping hit and her signature track. Franklin's version notably reversed the song's gender perspective and introduced the memorable phrase "sock it to me," which added a new layer of meaning. Wexler described the intensity of Franklin's performance as demanding respect and conveying a strong sexual undertone.