Respect Yourself
The Staple Singers
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If you disrespect anybody that you run in to How in the world do you think anybody's s'posed to respect you If you don't give a heck 'bout the man with the bible in his hand, y'all Just get out the way, and let the gentleman do his thing You the kind of gentleman that want everything your way, yeah Take the sheet off your face, boy, it's a brand new day Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself If you don't respect yourself Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself If you're walking 'round think'n that the world owes you something 'cause you're here You goin' out the world backwards like you did when you first come here yeah Keep talkin' bout the president, won't stop air pollution Put your hand on your mouth when you cough, that'll help the solution Oh, you cuss around women and you don't even know their names, no Then you're dumb enough to think that'll make you a big ol' man Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself If you don't respect yourself Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself Respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself, respect yourself Respect yourself, yeah yeah respect yourself, respect yourself yeah, respect yourself You oughta you oughta respect yourself yeah, respect yourself
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Written by: Luther Thomas Ingram, Mack Rice
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Originality"Respect Yourself" was originally recorded by The Staple Singers and released in late 1971.
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Chart PerformanceThe song became a huge hit, reaching number two on the Billboard R&B chart and number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972.
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SongwritersThe song was written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice. Luther Ingram is best known for his song "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right."
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Inspirational ThemeThe song is known for its message of self-respect and self-empowerment, imparting a social message that was common in many of The Staple Singers' songs.
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Popular CoverIt has been covered by various artists over the years, including Bruce Willis, whose version reached the top five on the UK Singles Chart in 1987.
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Music AwardsThe Staple Singers' version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Unique Song StructureUnlike most popular songs, "Respect Yourself" doesn't have a traditional chorus. Instead, each verse ends with the line "Respect yourself," which acts as a refrain.
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Critical AcclaimRolling Stone ranked the song number 468 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2004.
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Cultural ImpactIn 2011, the song was added to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
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Band LegacyThe Staple Singers, consisting of patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples and his children Cleotha, Mavis, and Pervis Staples, are often remembered for this song, marking it as a signature number in their discography.
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Citation
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"Respect Yourself Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Nov. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/27210009/The+Staple+Singers/Respect+Yourself>.
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