Aretha Franklin, la Reina del Soul, va ser molt coneguda, sobretot, per les seves cançons d'amor, però també va ser una cantant compromesa amb el moviment dels drets civils dels afroamericans i amb el feminisme. Hem destacat cinc de les seves cançons més combatives.
Respect
Aretha Franklin va versionar el 1967 un tema d'Otis Redding i va convertir-lo en tot un cant als drets de la dona i en contra dels maltractaments.
Think
Si Aretha Franklin va arribar a convertir en immortals cançons d'altres autors, Think és una cançó composada per ella i per Teddy White. Es tracta, també, d'un tema en què reivindicava els drets de les dones.
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves (Than Never to Have Loved)
El 1985, quan els drets de les dones ja estaven molt més reconeguts, Aretha Franklin va interpretar amb Eurythmics un tema que era tot un cant a l'alliberament femení.
A Change Gonna Come
Aretha Franklin va estar molt involucrada en el moviment dels drets civils i va interpretar també A Change Gonna Come, una cançó de Sam Cooke que va ser un dels grans himnes de la lluita pels drets civils.
People Get Ready
La Reina del Soul també va versionar People Get Ready, un tema de The Impressions que s'inspirava en el "ferrocarril subterrani", la cadena d'evasió que permetia als esclaus del sud dels Estats Units fugir fins al Nord.
Respect
What you want
Baby, I got it
What you need
Do you know I got it
All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect when you get 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 gonna do you wrong cause I don't wanna
All I'm askin'
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)
Ooo, your kisses
Sweeter than honey
And guess what?
So is my money
All I want you to do 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) when you come home
(Re, re, re ,re) 'spect
Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I'm gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit).
Think
You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
Let's go back, let's go back
Let's go way on back when
I didn't even know you
You couldn't have been too much more than ten (just a child)
I ain't no psychiatrist, I ain't no doctor with degrees
It don't take too much high IQ's
To see what you're doing to me
You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Yeah, think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
Oh, freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom)
Oh, freedom, yeah, freedom
Freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom)
Freedom, oh freedom
Hey, think about it, think about it
There ain't nothing you could ask
I could answer you but I won't (I won't)
I was gonna change, but I'm not
To keep doing things I don't
You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
People walking around everyday
Playing games, taking score
Trying to make other people lose their minds
Ah, be careful you don't lose yours, oh
Think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me, ooh
Think (think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
You need me (need me)
And I need you (don't you know)
Without each other there ain't nothing people can do, oh
Think about it, baby (What are you trying to do me)
Yeah, oh baby, think about it now, yeah
(Think about, ah me, think about, ah me)
(Think about, ah me, think about, ah me)
Oh, come on, baby
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves (Than Never to Have Loved)
Now there was a time when they used to say
That behind every - great man.
There had to be a - great woman.
But in these times of change you know
That it's no longer true.
So we're comin' out of the kitchen
'Cause there's somethin' we forgot to say to you (we say)
Sisters are doin' it for themselves.
Standin' on their own two feet.
And ringin' on their own bells.
Sisters are doin' it for themselves.
Now this is a song to celebrate
The conscious liberation of the female state!
Mothers, daughters and their daughters too.
Woman to woman
We're singin' with you.
The inferior sex got a new exterior
We got doctors, lawyers, politicians too.
Everybody, take a look around.
Can you see, can you see, can you see
There's a woman right next to you.
Sisters are doin' it for themselves.
Standin' on their own two feet.
And ringin' on their own bells.
Sisters are doin' it for themselves.
Now we ain't makin' stories
And we ain't layin' plans
'cause a man still loves a woman
And a woman still loves a man
(just a same though)
A Change Gonna Come
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ev'r since
It's been a long time, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there, beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin' me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees, oh
There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
People, get ready
People, get ready
There's a train a-coming
You don't need no ticket
You just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesels humming
Don't need no ticket
You just thank the Lord
People get ready
For the train to Jordan
Picking up passengers
From coast to coast
Faith is the key
Open the doors and board them
There's room for all
Amongst the loved the most
There ain't no room
For the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind
Just to save his own
Have pity on those
Whose chances are thinner
'Cause there's no hiding place
From the kingdom's throne
So people get ready
For the train a-comin'
You don't need no ticket
You just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesels humming
Don't need no ticket
You just thank the Lord
I'm getting ready
I'm getting ready
This time I'm ready
This time I'm ready
I'm getting ready
Getting ready, oh yeah
I'm getting ready, yes I am