Respect is a word that can be hard to define, but it generally means showing appreciation for the work and efforts of others. It doesn’t have to be costly, just as long as you appreciate what this person does, what they say, and who they are. Countless songs will help you develop the right way to show respect to your loved ones. Here are thirty-one best songs about respect of all time:
1. Stevie Wonder – “Respect”
Stevie Wonder doesn’t disappoint with this song about respect, where he acts as a leader and states that he will never do anything to hurt his team. This is a message that everyone would need to hear. It is amazing how he gets into his opponent’s mind and anticipates their next move before they make it. In other words, this guy is good at chess. The key is to remember that respect should be earned, not given freely.
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2. Robyn – “Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)”
In this song, Robyn states that she doesn’t show respect to anyone who doesn’t respect her back. She doesn’t care that they are rich, famous, or have much power in their hands. Instead, she’ll disrespect the hell out of them. She starts very calm and quiet but then lets loose with a barrage of insults and curse words that are sure to leave your ears red. The key is to remember that respect should be earned.
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3. Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
Originally sung by Otis Redding many years before, Aretha Franklin has a way of making any song sound like a prayer. Her powerful vocals and passion are displayed in every word she says, making this song perfect for her. The key is to remember that respect isn’t worth anything if it’s not given out to those who deserve it. In her case, she respects Mr. Redding because he was a talented songwriter who wrote much more than just this one song.
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4. B.B. King – “Respect Yourself”
This song by B.B. King is about choosing to respect yourself rather than other people or your surroundings. We often become so involved with trying to be somebody or fit in with what everyone else is doing that we forget about who we are and where we came from. It has lyrics about accepting others for who they are and never trying to change them into what you want them to be. It promotes self-esteem and positive results from making the proper decisions.
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5. Pink – “Respect”
In this song, Pink pokes fun at her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. She doesn’t want to be like them, who put on a fake show for others to see. She also doesn’t want anyone else to treat her poorly so that they can show affection in public. Whenever you think about respect, remember that it isn’t about how nice you are or how hard you work to get someone to notice you. Respect is something that comes from within your heart and is not formed because of the situation.
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6. Notorious B.I.G. – “Respect”
Regarded as one of the best rappers from the early 1990s, Notorious B.I.G. talks about respect subtly by stating that he doesn’t want to be on a pedestal where everyone thinks of him as perfect and looks up to him for no reason whatsoever. In his lyrics, he states that he is human and doesn’t want to be treated as a better person than anyone else around him. This song is a great reminder that we should all respect ourselves, but we shouldn’t let it turn into something that it isn’t.
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7. Marvin Gaye – “I’m Gonna Give You Respect”
This song by Marvin Gaye is about a woman who wants to make a man’s life more enjoyable. She knows that she isn’t perfect but does her best in every situation. The key to this song is the meaning behind respect. It doesn’t have to be something huge or life-changing, but it can be as simple as respecting someone for who they are as a person.
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8. Erasure – “A Little Respect”
This song by Erasure is about a woman who is tired of people disrespecting her. She wants to be respected, but no one understands that simple fact. She also seems sick of being treated like a joke, so she wants to make people pay attention to her and treat her with some respect. The key is to remember that respect should be earned.
9. Sting – “Show Some Respect”
This song is another rendition of “Respect,” by Sting. This time, he starts talking about the importance of respect in his special way. He states that it means he shouldn’t be treated like everyone else and is no better than anybody else. His next line shows his love for his mother, who taught him to respect every human being as a person created by God. The key is to remember how important respect is.
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10. Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna – “Loyalty”
Here in this song, Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna sing about how they have been loyal to one another for the past year. They have experienced ups and downs in their relationship, but they pull through it by showing one another respect each time. This isn’t a new concept, but sometimes it is nice to hear it re-iterated in a song. The key is to remember that respect should be given out to those who deserve it. If you respect yourself, you will be able to treat others with the same respect.
11. Beyoncé – “Sorry”
In this song, Beyoncé sings about a woman who has been upset with her significant other. In the middle of their argument, he apologizes to her and tells her that he has been acting out of anger rather than respect. This song is a great way to show that listening to your partner can benefit a relationship. The key is to remember that respect is given out to those who deserve it.
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12. Nneka and Ziggy Marley – “Express Yourself”
In this song, Nneka and Ziggy Marley sing about how people want to tell them how to live their lives. They aren’t trying to be rude, but they want to express themselves in whatever way makes them happy. Sometimes people don’t want to listen to us because they try to control us. The key is to remember that respect is given out to those who deserve it.
13. Bobby Wills – “Show Some Respect”
In this song, Bobby Wills emphasizes respecting those around you. You can’t blame your problems on other people and expect them to respect you. Everyone is unique, and we all have different ways of thinking. The key is to respect those around you and not judge them for how they act.
14. Bruno Mars – “Count On Me”
In this song, Bruno Mars sings about his mother and how she is the most important person in his life. He says he wouldn’t know how to do anything without her and count on her forever. He doesn’t want to be alone or live in a world where no one wants him. The key is to remember that respect comes from within your heart.
15. Bob Marley – “One Love”
This song by Bob Marley is about love and how it can make us do anything that we set our minds to. He says that he loves the world and wants everyone in it to know him. He wants them to call his name throughout the land and know that he is there for them. The key to this song is to remember how important people are in your life and, therefore, you should respect others around you.
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16. John Lennon – “Imagine”
In this song, John Lennon sings about the idea that we should all be equal, but it isn’t realistic. He tells us that we need to find a way to respect all of our gifts and talents. If you aren’t good at something, don’t be afraid to use your brain and learn from your mistakes. The key is to remember that you can learn as much from others as possible.
17. Christina Aguilera – “Can’t Hold Us Down”
In this song, Christina Aguilera sings about how everyone always tries to control her. She is tired of people thinking they know what she should and shouldn’t do with her life. She thinks they are out to get her, and she wants them to know the truth. The key is attached to the lyrics of the song. She tells all haters and critics to “watch out for the truth.” She is saying that she will fight for what she believes in and won’t let anyone bring her down.
18. Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”
This song is one of Lady Gaga’s most famous songs. She has tried to stick to what she believes in and loves during her career. She writes about how being gay shouldn’t be a big deal. It shouldn’t be something that people are forced to hide from the world. Everyone should know who they are and stand up for themselves.
19. Nelly Furtado – “Promiscuous”
In this song, Nelly Furtado sings about how everyone is promiscuous in today’s society. She feels like she shouldn’t have to be more than her body, but she wants to be treated as a person with feelings and emotions. She doesn’t want her being to define her and wants people to treat her with the same respect they would give anyone else.
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20. Radiohead – “I Promise”
This song from Radiohead is about a sick person who wants to promise that they will be okay. They are worried that they will be in pain or die and want everyone else to know that they will get through it. It is a good song if you want someone close to you to know that you appreciate and respect what they do for you.
21. Pharrell Williams – “Freedom”
In this song, Pharrell sings about how he wants to be free and live the life he wants. He also explains how other people are afraid of freedom and want to control everyone around them. He doesn’t want that, so he decides to break away from what everyone else is doing and do what makes him happy.
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22. The Lox, DMX, and Lil’ Kim – “Money, Power & Respect”
This song has many different lyrics and speaks about how the world would be better if we didn’t have money, power, and respect. They tell us how it could be nice to live without them, but they also say that we need them to make our lives better.
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23. Miguel – “Sure Thing”
In this song, Miguel talks about how he is sure that life will work out the way it should. He says that he will always do things the right way no matter what happens in life. He tells us to follow his lead. If he is sure about what he is doing, we should follow him, respect him, and do the same. The key to this song is to remember that you have the power to make things happen.
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24. The Rolling Stones – “Respectable”
This song is about respect and how important it is to have. They say that you need to be respectable if you want others to respect you. They say that it is the one thing that everyone wants. The song follows, “I want your good girl, and all the rest of them too.” It is just saying that you need to respect not just the one woman who is in your life, but everyone else as well.
25. Alliance Ethnik – “Respect”
In this song, Alliance Ethnik talks about how she is willing to follow all of the rules and laws of her country. She wants to be respectable but doesn’t want to be treated as an enslaved person. She wants to be judged by her value, not by others. The key is that you should know that you have people who respect you and who will fight for your rights.
26. En Vogue – “Free Your Mind”
In this song, En Vogue talks about how they want to free people’s minds and do away with the lies they are being told. They say that no one should be afraid to be themselves. They tell us to not fake it and pretend like we are okay with everything when we aren’t. We can take control of our lives and fight for what is true. Respect is what we should all be striving for.
27. The Clash – “Rudie Can’t Fail”
In this song, The Clash reference an old poem from Rudyard Kipling. The best part about the poem is about a man who will never be respected for anything he does. He wants his time to shine, but no one respects him. People look at him like crazy, and he doesn’t care.
28. LION BABE – “Wonder Woman”
In the lyrics of this song, LION BABE tells us that we need to think about how we will be treated in life. She says that no one will respect us or treat us well if we don’t respect and treat ourselves well. We need to know ourselves and not pretend to be something we aren’t. Everyone deserves respect. if we follow what makes us happy, we will get respect.
29. Beverley Knight – “100%”
In this song, Beverley tells us that we are all 100% different She wants us to be ourselves and be comfortable in our skin. We need to stop trying to be someone else like we think they want us to be and know who we are. We need to be our people and act the best we can. That’s how we will earn our self-respect.
30. Ani DiFranco – “Amendment”
This is another song in which Ani DiFranco sings about the importance of freedom. She tells us that the Constitution was a great accomplishment, but we need to still fight for our freedom and rights. We need to be out there showing people that we are free, free to love who we love, free to be whatever we want, and free to respect others. That is how we take back our lives. We can decide how to live our lives and what kind of people we want to be.
31. Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu – “Q.U.E.E.N.”
This song by Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu discusses how black women are often seen as not beautiful or deserving of respect. They don’t say that they don’t love themselves or feel less than other women, but they think it is important to be proud of who you are. They tell us that it doesn’t matter where we come from, our skin color, or what we wear. We should be able to respect ourselves and know that we are beautiful.
There are many songs about respect and its importance to life. They all speak of the willpower we have to control our own lives and ensure that we do the right thing. In life, you should be able to do what makes you happy and still be respected by others. It is a simple concept that we need to remember.
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.