Respect
Aretha Franklin & The Blues Brothers Band Lyrics

What you want
Asking what the other person desires

Baby, I got it
Informing the other person that they have what they want

What you need
Asking the other person what they require

Do you know I got it
Making sure the other person is aware that they have what is needed

All I'm askin'
Saying that they are not asking for much

Is for a little respect when you get home (just a little bit)
Requesting the other person to give some respect upon returning home

Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home
Addressing the other person as 'baby' and reminding them to show respect when they come home

(Just a little bit) mister (just a little bit)
Addressing the other person as 'mister' and continuing to ask for a little bit of respect

I ain't gonna do you wrong while you're gone
Promising not to do anything wrong while the other person is away

Ain't gonna do you wrong 'cause I don't wanna
Reiterating that they have no desire to do anything wrong to the other person

All I'm askin'
Repeating the request for respect

Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
Asking again for respect, but specifying to show it when they come home

Baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit)
Calling the other person 'baby' again but reiterating the need for respect upon returning home

Yeah (just a little bit)
Affirming the request for respect with a 'yeah'

I'm about to give you all of my money
Telling the other person they are about to give them all their money

And all I'm askin' in return, honey
Saying that all they want in exchange is respect

Is to give me my propers
Asking for recognition, or acknowledgment of their worth

When you get home (just a, just a, just a, just a)
Requesting respect with the added emphasis of repeating 'just a'

Yeah baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)
Calling the other person 'baby' once again and again emphasizing the need for respect

Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)
Asking the other person to provide the respect they requested earlier

When you get home, now (just a little bit)
Reminding the other person to show the respect when they arrive home

Ooh, your kisses
Complimenting the other person's kisses

Sweeter than honey
Saying that the other person's kisses are very sweet

And guess what?
Announcing that they have more good news

So is my money
Saying that their money is as valuable to them as the other person's kisses

All I want you to do for me
Stating their desire for the other person to do something for them

Is give it to me when you get home (re, re, re, re)
Asking the other person to give them their worth (respect), but repeating 're' to emphasize the request

Yeah baby (re, re, re, re)
Addressing the other person as 'baby' and repeating the request with emphasis

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Spelling out the word 'respect'

Find out what it means to me
Saying that the other person needs to determine what respect means to the singer

Take care, TCB
Warning the other person to be careful and 'take care of business'

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
Expressing excitement and anticipation with four repetitive 'sock it to me'

A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
Connecting the excitement expressed earlier with the need for respect, and repeating 'sock it to me' four times to emphasize

Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
Showing surprise or awe with the other person's response, but continuing to insist on 'just a little bit' of respect

A little respect (just a little bit)
Reiterating once again the request for respect

I get tired (just a little bit)
Admitting to feeling tired, but qualifying it with 'just a little bit'

Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)
Encouraging the other person to continue to try, but saying 'just a little bit' to avoid overwhelming them

You're runnin' out of fools (just a little bit)
Saying that the other person is running out of chances to show respect, but again qualifying it with 'just a little bit'

And I ain't lyin' (just a little bit)
Asserting that they are not lying, but again using 'just a little bit' to avoid sounding too forceful

(Re, re, re, re) when you come home
Repeating 're' once again to emphasize the importance of respect, specifically when the other person comes home

(Re, re, re, re) 'spect
Repeating 're, re, re, re' again, but adding the word 'spect' to indicate what kind of respect they want

Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
Suggesting that if the other person doesn't show respect, they might walk in to find that the singer is gone - again qualifying the request with 'just a little bit'

And find out I'm gone (just a little bit)
Warning the other person that if they don't give respect, they may find that the singer is gone - again using 'just a little bit' to soften the warning