Personnel
Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, piano
Donny Hathaway – electric piano, organ
Bernard Purdie – drums
Cornell Dupree – guitar
Richard Tee – organ
Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
The Sweethearts of Soul (Brenda Bryant, Margaret Branch, Pat Smith) — backing vocals
Robert Popwell, Dr. John – percussion
The Memphis Horns
Wayne Jackson – trumpet
Andrew Love – tenor saxophone
Gene Paul – engineer
Jerry Wexler – production
Tom Dowd – horn arrangement, production
Arif Mardin – production
Rock Steady
Aretha Franklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what I feel now
Let's call the song exactly what it is
Step and move your hips with a feeling from side to side
Sit yourself down in your car and take a ride
And while you're moving, rock steady
Rock steady, baby
Let's call this song exactly what it is (what it is, what it is, what it is)
It's a funky and low down feeling (what it is)
In my hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is, is I might be doin' (what it is)
This funky dance all night, ohh
(Wave your hands up in the air)
(Got a feeling and ain't got a care) ohh
(What fun to take this ride, rock steady will only slide)
Rock steady, rock steady, baby
Rock steady, rock steady, baby
Step and move your hips with a feeling from side to side
Sit yourself down in your car and take a ride
While you're moving, rock steady
Rock steady
Let's call this song exactly what it is (what it is, what it is, what it is)
It's a funky and low down feeling (what it is)
In my hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is, is I might be doin' (what it is)
This funky dance all night, ohh
(Wave your hands up in the air)
(Got a feeling and ain't got a care) ohh
(What fun to take this ride, rock steady will only slide)
Rock steady, baby
Rock steady, woo
Rock steady
Rock steady
Rock steady
(What it is)
It's a funky and low down feeling (what it is)
In my hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is, is I might be doin' (what it is)
This funky dance all night, ohh
(Wave your hands up in the air) ohh
(Got a feeling and ain't got a care) ohh
(What fun to take this ride) ohh
(Rock steady will only slide)
Rock steady, steady, baby, uh
Rock steady, baby
Baby (what it is)
Baby, baby (what it is), baby
In "Rock Steady," Aretha Franklin sings about feeling the groove and moving her hips to a funky beat. She encourages listeners to step, sit down in their cars and take a ride while moving to the rhythm. The song is catchy and upbeat, perfect for dancing the night away.
The lyrics suggest that "rock steady" means to groove to the beat of the music, with a feeling from side to side. The song is a celebration of music and dancing, and encourages listeners to let loose and enjoy the moment. Aretha's powerful and soulful voice adds to the energy of the song.
The repetition of "what it is" in the chorus emphasizes that the song is about the feeling of the music sending vibrations through the body. The lyrics indicate that the energy of the music can be felt in the hips and to the left and right. The song ends with Aretha encouraging listeners to keep dancing and enjoying the ride.
Overall, "Rock Steady" is an uplifting and fun song that celebrates the joy of dancing and moving to the rhythm of the music.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock steady, baby
Let's dance steadily without any hesitation
That's what I feel now
I am feeling the rhythm to move my hips
Let's call the song exactly what it is
This is a funky song that makes us groove
Step and move your hips with a feeling from side to side
Move your body in rhythm with the music
Sit yourself down in your car and take a ride
Relax in your car and enjoy the ride
And while you're moving, rock steady
As you move, keep dancing steadily
Let's call this song exactly what it is (what it is, what it is, what it is)
This song is truly funky and makes us groove
It's a funky and low down feeling (what it is)
The song arouses a funky and low-down feeling in us
In my hips from left to right (what it is)
It makes us move our hips from left to right
What it is, is I might be doin' (what it is)
We will keep dancing this dance rhythm all night long
(Wave your hands up in the air)
Put your hands up in the air and sway them to the rhythm
(Got a feeling and ain't got a care) ohh
We are carefree and enjoying the moment
(What fun to take this ride, rock steady will only slide)
This dance is so much fun, it will make us keep dancing
Rock steady, baby
Keep on dancing without any hesitation
Rock steady, woo
Enjoy the funky and groovy beat of the song
Rock steady
Keep on dancing this funky dance rhythm
(What it is)
This song is really funky and groovy
(Wave your hands up in the air) ohh
Sway your hands to the rhythm of the song
(Got a feeling and ain't got a care) ohh
We are enjoying ourselves without any worry
(What fun to take this ride) ohh
This dance takes us on a fun-filled journey
(Rock steady will only slide)
This funky dance rhythm will never stop
Rock steady, steady, baby, uh
Dance steadily and enjoy the moment
Rock steady, baby
Keep dancing with a steady rhythm and enjoy yourself
Baby (what it is)
This is a funky song, baby!
Baby, baby (what it is), baby
This song is so funky, baby! Let's keep dancing!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aretha Franklin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ilariaimbrogno3898
Rock steady, baby
That's what I feel now
Let's call this song exactly what it is
Just move your hips with a feeling from side to side
Sit yourself down in your car and take a ride
And while you're moving, rock steady
Rock steady, baby
Let's call this song exactly what it is
(What it is, what it is, what it is)
It's a funky and lowdown feeling (what it is)
Move your hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is, is I might be doin' this funky dance all night, ah (What it is)
(Put your hands up in the air)
(Got a feelin' you ain't got a care)
(Wouldn't you wanna take this burn?)
(That sail us all inside)
Rock steady, rock steady baby
Rock steady, rock steady baby
Jump and move your hips with a feeling from side to side
Sit yourself down in your car and take a ride
While you're moving, rock steady
Rock steady
Let's call this song exactly what it is
(What it is, what it is, what it is)
It's a funky and lowdown feeling (what it is)
Move your hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is, is I might be doin' this funky dance all night, ah (What it is)
(Put your hands up in the air)
(Got a feelin' you ain't got a care)
(Wouldn't you want to take this burn?)
(That sail us all inside)
Rock steady baby, rock steady, woo
Rock steady
It's a funky lowdown feeling (what it is)
Move your hips from left to right (what it is)
What it is is I might be doin' this funky dance all night, ah (What it is)
(Put your hands up in the air)
(Got a feelin' you ain't got a care)
(Wouldn't you wanna take this burn?)
(That sail us all inside)
Rock steady, steady baby, rock-rock steady, baby
Baby (what it is), baby, baby (what it is), baby (what it is
@jaysee27
Some may disagree, but what makes this song “what is is” is the band and that funky groove. You can listen to it and tell they are having a good time and just jammin’. Especially that horn line when they take over parts of the song. As a sax player myself, I can tell you that it is one of the coolest and funkiest horn lines ever in R&B.
@susandavidson3344
Couldn't agree more lol ... seems like anything w/ Bernard Purdie is bound to land in the pocket sooner or later ... can't hardly help but wonder what King Curtis might have done with this ... decade or more ago my nephew was learning sax and I said "no kidding - King Cutis was the real deal" and he responded "my high school teacher said it's all about the King!" and about all I could say was "stick with THAT" Later I read Bobby Key's autobio: Every Night's A Saturday Night and remember him saying "Near everything I do was influenced by King Curtis" - nearly fell out of my chair. Jeez. ... really wouldn't know the Stones anything like they would [eventually] become without Jim Horn and most especially Bobby Keys. What a cry from Erskine Hawkins, Tuxedo Junction and Louis Jordan ... and makes me think of Early In The Morning w/ Wild Bill Davis on piano ... and w/o that would we have Ray Charles as-we-know-him? similar, Johnny Johnson piano influence w/ Chuck Berry? Man what a tangled history from Bop to Jump Blues & stomp blues and R&B ... surprising how few are really familiar w/ Duane Allman's take on Soul Serenade (King Curtis) yet do know Aretha's [I think she got a Grammy] or e.g., Lynyrd Skynyrd's turning "Alabama Bound" (Jordan's take) into "Mississippi Kid" ... itself goes back to Leadbelly I'm guessing and who knows where he got it (Traditional?) Bob Dylan must have known (or eventually learned) almost all of it.
@alessandrocorreaa
the chemistry is the mix between an amazing singer and a groovy band. if the singer was bad, it would disturb the band's groove and vice versa
@infinidude7710
lk
@20005amhsraptor
@Susan Davidson This is just a bad jam!. The drum solo especially does it for me!
@jimmybryan6760
Tom Dowd mentions putting the horns on after the original recording session here at 11:10 .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxBjc6jCNc0
@adanmatitus6487
You just can't stay still when you hear this classic.
@deanivan3951
Phonky!
@EarthsAngels
Yass!
@leonlawrence3760
@@EarthsAngels😮uu😢 yes t😅😅 my