Respect | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: C7 | F7 :||
Verse 1
||: G7 | F7 :||
(Oh) What you want, (Oh) Baby, I got it.
(Oh) What you need, (Oh) Do you know I got it?
(Oh) All I’m askin’, (Oh) Is for a little
Chorus 1
||: C7 | F7 :||
Respect when you come home (just a little bit). Hey baby (just a little bit).
When you get home (just a little bit). Mister (just a little bit).
Verse 2
I ain’t gonna do you wrong, while you’re gone.
Ain’t gonna do you wrong, (Oh) ‘Cause I don’t wanna.
(Oh) All I’m askin’, (Oh) Is for a little
Chorus 2
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).
Verse 3
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.
Chorus 3
(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).
Solo
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
| F#m | F#m | G7 | G7 |
Verse 4
Ooh, your kisses, (Oh) Sweeter than honey.
(Oh) And guess what? (Oh) So is my money.
(Oh) All I want you to do (oh) for me, is give it to me when you get home
Chorus 4
(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).
Breakdown
| C N.C Bb | F N.C Bb |
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.
| C N.C Bb5 | F N.C |
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take care TCB.
Outro (as chorus)
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 foolin’ (just a little bit),
and I ain’t lyin’ (just a little bit).
‘Spect (re, re, re, re),
when you come home (re, re, re, re).
Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit),
and find out I’m gone (just a little bit).
Respect Chords: Learn the progressions
The ultimate soul song to learn is Aretha Franklin‘s version of Respect.
Since you will play this one in every soul band you join, we practice all sections, all over the neck so Respect can be played in a free and improvised way for many years to come.
Being in the key of C, the two verse chords are simply G7 and F7 (V – IV).
The chorus is C7 and F7 (I – IV).
To find a good part for these sections, we must explore the fretboard using different chord shapes and copy rhythms from the original recording.
I found inspiration from the horn section, the original guitar, and the BV’s to create the parts you hear me playing in the video below.
Using ideas from the original recording as our foundation, we can find guitar parts that make sense. In the course, there are six verse examples for this.
As we also do this with the chorus chords, this becomes a great exercise in mapping out the fretboard with dom7 chords.
Always make this a habit when you play songs in this style so you can play the chords anywhere and improvise your rhythm part – essential in this style of music.
As the chords are so simple, you may only need a chord chart to glance at in case you’ve had to change key, and can’t remember what chord the solo starts on.
Speaking of the solo, it goes outside the blues-like structure we’ve had so far (C7 as chord I, F7 as chord IV, and G7 as chord V).
We start on an F#m, then go to B7. This tells us it must be the II – V in the key of E, nowhere else in the harmonized major scale do we find a minor chord with a major a 4th above.
It is unusual to go from the key of C to E like this. Being a common movement (II – V) helps to make it feel normal.
Next, we go back to F#m before a G7 becomes the chord that brings us back to the verse.
The breakdown section (R – E – S – P – E – C – T) moves from chord I – IV but uses a Bb to pivot. The Bb is chord bVIIx, also known as a backdoor dominant.
Here’s a chord chart I made for you.

Respect Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Respect Chord Chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro, here’s a link to that file: Respect iReal Pro. The main reason you should get this is so that you can change the key last minute when your singer isn’t feeling in top form.
Most of the time when I play Respect, it’s in the key of Bb. That means the solo starts on an Em chord.
But what about if the singer wants it in the key of A? Will you start the solo targeting the right chord notes?
Having a simple chord chart in the right key for the evening really relaxes me, even if I only glance over at it for a second.
Respect TAB | Course Preview
As much fun as it is to learn, develop and improvise around Respect’s chords, the most exciting part is to play the sax solo on the guitar.
There is so much we can learn here, I go into great depth about this in the course, leaving no stone unturned.
This is the first half of Respect’s sax solo on the guitar in TAB.

Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Respect – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Respect is the world’s most famous Soul tune!
The most famous Soul tune of them all, Respect by Aretha Franklin was released in 1967 and became her signature song.
Two years earlier, Otis Redding had written and recorded it with Booker T. & the M.G.’s in a different key.
There are many differences between the two recordings, perhaps most notably the breakdown section (R-E-S-P-E-C-T) and the key change with that legendary Sax solo.
The more you learn about how to play Respect, the more enjoyable it will be to play. As a professional working guitarist, this is most likely the first tune you’ll get asked to play if there is a female singer on a Soul gig.
In my experience, 9 times out of 10, they’ll ask it to be in the key of Bb as well. I would recommend you learn how to play it fluently in this key too, but to begin with, you could use the Digitech drop pedal.
Respect Chords | Related Pages
Respect | 8 Step-by-step Guitar Lessons + TAB
The ultimate soul song to learn we find in Aretha’s version of Respect. To create our guitar part we find inspiration from the horns, BV’s, and the original guitar.
For the solo, we copy what the sax played, note for note. This is a serious challenge but by practicing methodically, we will get there,
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Aretha Franklin tunes
Aretha Franklin – The Queen of Soul, is considered by most critics and peers the greatest singer of all time.
Born in Detroit and looking for a record deal, Aretha seemed like the perfect match for Berry Gordy’s label Motown. However, Aretha’s father had other ideas.
Aretha Franklin on the web
Otis Redding tunes
Dubbed the King Of Soul, Otis Redding was an American singer-songwriter who wrote some of the most famous tunes of all time.
His career was tragically cut short only five years after his first studio album was released as he tragically died in a plane crash in 1967.
Otis Redding on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about Respect’s chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not by practising scales or studying theory in isolation.