Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedRespect
Soul1960s117BPM
D majKey
More around 120 BPM → · More in D major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Otis Redding), no adversarial dispute between people. The real significance is a structural legal-mechanics fact: because pre-1972 recordings had no US federal performance right, radio royalties for Aretha Franklin’s signature recording went to the credited songwriter, not the performer — a legacy gap only partly closed by the 2018 Music Modernization Act.
Quick Facts
Released1965
AlbumOtis Blue
GenreSoul, R&B
LabelVolt / Atlantic Records
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Otis Redding (estate)
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Atlantic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A cultural landmark (Grammy Hall of Fame, National Recording Registry) — but note the structural pre-1972 royalty gap in Rights Status.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; clearance runs through the songwriter/label — and the pre-1972 legal-mechanics gap is directly relevant here.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Franklin’s catalog (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Otis Redding (estate)
A structural legal-mechanics fact (not an accusation)This is about how the LAW worked, not a dispute between people. Because Redding was the credited songwriter and pre-1972 sound recordings had NO federal public-performance right under US copyright law, radio airplay of Franklin’s iconic recording — reportedly ~7 million plays — generated royalties that went to the songwriter (Redding/estate), never to Franklin as the performer. She still earned from record sales, advances and live shows, but not radio-airplay royalties, purely for this structural reason. The gap was only partly addressed by the Music Modernization Act of 2018, signed months before her death.
An honest authorship notePer one account the song may have originated with Redding’s friend Speedo Sims and guitarist Bobby Smith rather than Redding alone; Sims reportedly was promised a royalty share that never materialized — a real, documented grievance, presented as reported.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Redding’s own gracious acknowledgment
At Monterey Pop (1967) Redding playfully called it “a girl took away from me,” acknowledging the irony with good humor — he reportedly told Wexler the song now belonged to Franklin.
Wikipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Aretha Franklin’s definitive 1967 #1 cover
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itAretha Franklin
Who to Contact
RE
Otis Redding (estate) / Atlantic
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 10)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass