‘Respect Yourself’ by the Staple Singers Is a Self-Empowerment Anthem

‘100 Greatest Soul Songs’ Book Excerpt

Frank Mastropolo

@ 1999 Fantasy, Inc.

“Respect Yourself” was released in 1971 in an era of black self-empowerment that featured songs like James Brown’s “Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud” and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up.” The song was recorded by the Staple Singers, a family group that featured Mavis Staples and her father, Roebuck “Pops” Staples.

Released in late 1971, “Respect Yourself” reached №2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It was included on the Staple Singers’ album Be Altitude: Respect Yourself.

R&B greats Sir Mack Rice and Luther Ingram wrote the song when they were working with Stax Records. Reflecting on the state of the world, Ingram told Rice, “Black folk need to learn to respect themselves.” Rice built a funk groove around the comment and gave the song to the Staples.

“We listened to it and we just couldn’t get it to the studio fast enough,” Mavis told Crossrhythms. “‘Respect Yourself’ earned us a gold disc, of course. It started with the kids, you know they had little slogans saying ‘Respect Yourself’ which they’d attach on the backs of their shirts and stuff.”

“We were very aware of the message of ‘Respect Yourself,’” Mavis explained on the Bullseye podcast. “The sound was such a groove. When Pops would sing his part, it was so comforting and so smooth. Pops could really sing. He would just take his time.

“Mack Rice wrote that. When he came into the studio and told us to say that, ‘Dip deedly dee deedly dee dee.’ Pops said, ‘Mack, we ain’t gonna say that. That doesn’t sound like the Staple Singers.’

“Mack says, ‘Pops, you have all the kids saying dip deedly dee.’ Pops was laughing at him, and said, ‘Okay Mack, we’ll say it.’ That song today is still, out of all of our songs, that’s my favorite. ‘Respect Yourself.’”

Frank Mastropolo is the author of 100 Greatest Soul Songs, part of the Greatest Performances series. For more on our latest projects, visit Edgar Street Books.