71 Best Aretha Franklin Quotes That Will Make You 'Think'

Aretha Franklin was an American singer who was known famously as the Queen of Soul because of her voice.

Not only was she was famous for her talents in singing, songwriting, and even acting she was also known for her considerable contributions to society and the black community. Her songs are evergreen hits all across the globe with songs like her biggest hit, 'Respect,' and others like 'Natural Woman,' 'I Never Loved A Man,' 'Think', 'I Say A Prayer' and 'Chain Of Fools' being some of her biggest hits.

She lost her life's battle in 2018 to cancer and the world still mourns an icon whose voice still tugs at our heartstrings. If you are looking for some Aretha Franklin quotes, this list of quotes has been dedicated to her memory. If you like our content, you can check out our other articles like, [Adele quotes] and [Whitney Houston quotes].
 

Aretha Franklin is an iconic figure who is given respect by people all around the world. This is a wholesome list of some of her most famous Aretha Franklin quotes on respect.

1. "We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right."

- Aretha Franklin.

2. "Women absolutely deserve respect."

- Aretha Franklin.

4. "Everybody wants respect. In their own way, three-year-olds would like respect, and acknowledgment, in their terms."

- Aretha Franklin.

6. "As women, we do have it...we have the power. We are very resourceful. Women absolutely deserve respect.

-Aretha Franklin, 'Elle', 2016.

7. "I think women and children and older people are the three least-respected groups in our society."

- Aretha Franklin.

8. "I've been around long enough for people to know who I am and what my contributions are. They know me as more than just an artist. I think they know me as a woman as well."

- Aretha Franklin.

9. "If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody's supposed to respect you?"

- Aretha Franklin.

10. "I think it would be a far greater world if people were kinder and more respectful to each other."

- Aretha Franklin.

Here is a list of some inspirational Aretha Franklin song quotes including 'Respect' and 'Natural Woman' quotes that will fill you up with positivity.

11. "People walking around everyday / Playing games, taking score / Trying to make other people lose their minds / Ah, be careful you don't lose yours."

-Aretha Franklin, 'Think,' 1968.

12. "Cause I ain't never / Never, Never, no, no (loved a man) / (The way that I, I love you)"

-Aretha Franklin, 'I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You),' 1967.

13. "Better friends than lovers. Sugar can't you see? You need you and I really need me."

-Aretha Franklin, 'Better Friends Than Lovers,' 1983.

14. "R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me / R-E-S-P-E-C-T /Take care, TCB / Oh"

-Aretha Franklin, 'Respect', 1967.

Are you looking for some Aretha Franklin quotes? Here is a list of some of the choicest Aretha Franklin quotes on love, faith and fitness.

15. "Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off."

-Aretha Franklin, 'The Independent', 2011.

16. "The love of my life? I'm much too young to answer that question."

-Aretha Franklin, 'The Independent', 2011.

17. "The man who gets me is getting one hell of a woman."

- Aretha Franklin.

18. "Men have always been gentlemen to me, responsible people with healthy attitudes."

- Aretha Franklin.

19. "My faith always has been and always will be important to me."

- Aretha Franklin.

20. "I donate heavily to the church and various churches in the Detroit community and food banks."

- Aretha Franklin.

21. "It's hard. When you love food, and when you've done a high energy concert, you know, a carrot is not gonna work."

- Aretha Franklin.

22. "Let's start with the church. As you know, it's my background, it's a natural setting for me and it's definitely my roots."

- Aretha Franklin.

23. "Who hasn't had a weight issue? If not the body, certainly the big head!"

- Aretha Franklin.

24. "When God loves you, what can be better than that?"

- Aretha Franklin.

Are you look for inspirational Aretha Franklin quotations?

25. "I sing to the realists. People who accept it like it is."

- Aretha Franklin.

26. "As a parent you try to maintain a certain amount of control and so you have this tug-of-war… You have to learn when to let go. And that's not easy."

- Aretha Franklin.

27. "Always semi-retire, never retire...who wants to just sit somewhere? I'm a people person...and I love performing. It's the way it is and the way it's going to be."

-Aretha Franklin, 'AARP Magazine'.

28. "That makes it all worthwhile, just to know I uplifted another person; I wouldn't be doing anything else. In terms of helping people understand and know each other a little better, music is universal, universal and transporting."

-Aretha Franklin, 'Elle', 2016.

29. "Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift."

-Aretha Franklin, 'People Magazine'.

30. "You cannot define a person on just one thing. You can't just forget all these wonderful and good things that a person has done because one thing didn't come off the way you thought it should come off."

- Aretha Franklin.

31. "Yes, I've always been fashion conscious."

- Aretha Franklin.

32. "Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you're doing. If you're not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it."

- Aretha Franklin.

33. "My generation, we came along, we had to really know our craft."

- Aretha Franklin.

34. "Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!"

- Aretha Franklin.

35. "Women have broken through the glass ceiling, and they're now more and more in the power seats."

- Aretha Franklin.

36. "Trying to grow up is hurting. You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don't, it hurts even more."

- Aretha Franklin.

37. "I know people I feel are extremely talented, but I don't know that I've ever heard any geniuses."

- Aretha Franklin.

38. "I'm a big woman. I need big hair."

- Aretha Franklin.

39. "I'm the lady next door when I'm not on stage."

- Aretha Franklin.

40. "Sometimes, what you're looking for is already there."

- Aretha Franklin.

41. "The milk of kindness flows through my body, I shall follow Jesus to the Taco Bell and give thanks."

- Aretha Franklin.

42. "People really don't have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you."

- Aretha Franklin.

43. "I don't feel one's personal medical condition is everybody's business. It just isn't something you advertise, and it's not open to discussion."

- Aretha Franklin.

44. "I don't do crazy things, I just don't."

- Aretha Franklin.

45. "Trying to grow up is hurting. You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don't, it hurts even more."

- Aretha Franklin.

Being the powerhouse of music that she was, she rocked the world to its core with just her voice. Here are a few famous song quotes by the Queen of Soul herself.

46. "I remember singing around the house to records that were playing. All kinds of music. And the great James Cleveland was often in our house, and I grew up with his sound as well."

- Aretha Franklin.

47. "It's very satisfying. To perform the way you want to. And the way you know that you can."

- Aretha Franklin.

48. "Politics are not my arena. Music is."

- Aretha Franklin.

49. "I've never recorded anything I didn't like."

- Aretha Franklin.

50. "Soul is a constant. It's cultural. It's always going to be there, in different flavors and degrees."

- Aretha Franklin.

51. "If a song's about something I've experienced or that could've happened to me it's good. But if it's alien to me, I couldn't lend anything to it. Because that's what soul is all about."

- Aretha Franklin.

52. "Being the Queen is not all about singing and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well."

- Aretha Franklin.

53. "Being a singer is a natural gift. It means I'm using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I'm happy with that."

- Aretha Franklin.

54. "Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It's transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It's uplifting, it's encouraging, it's strengthening."

- Aretha Franklin.

55. "It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I've done my job."

- Aretha Franklin.

57. "52 years of recording for other people...I thought at this point, it's time for you to record for yourself. So that way there wouldn't be so many spoons in the soup. There would just be one Aretha spoon in the soup."

- Aretha Franklin.

58. "Music changes, and I'm gonna change right along with it."

- Aretha Franklin.

59. "I've always felt that rock and roll was very, very wholesome."

- Aretha Franklin.

60. "I am doing what I love to do, and you cannot beat that, especially when the audience appreciates what you prepare for them. It's very, very gratifying."

- Aretha Franklin.

61. "I love all music."

- Aretha Franklin.

62. "If a song's about something I've experienced or that could've happened to me it's good. But if it's alien to me, I couldn't lend anything to it. Because that's what soul is all about."

- Aretha Franklin.

Here is a list of the most inspiring Aretha Franklin quotes about love.

63. "We didn't have music videos. You weren't an overnight sensation. You had to work at it and learn your craft: how to take care of your voice, how to pace your concerts, all that trial and error."

- Aretha Franklin.

64. "Parents have to really talk to their children before they leave home."

- Aretha Franklin.

65. "Gospel goes with me wherever I go. Gospel is a constant with me."

- Aretha Franklin.

66. "I love 'Anne of Green Gables.' I have for years. That's one of my favourite things. She's such a can-do kind of girl, that's why I'm crazy about her."

- Aretha Franklin.

67. "I was in my dad's church, his Baptist church, and I think the first song I ever performed was 'Jesus Be A Fence Around Me.'"

- Aretha Franklin.

68. "I'm never tired of going to the studio. I enjoy recording and documenting everything and trying new things."

- Aretha Franklin.

69. "Now, occasionally I will still have that quarter pounder because I love fast food, but you have to keep it to a minimum."

- Aretha Franklin.

70. "I saw the Supremes when they were still singing in little black skirts and white blouses."

- Aretha Franklin.

71. "And I was booked once to go on 'Ed Sullivan' and I got bumped and ran out the back door crying."

- Aretha Franklin.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Aretha Franklin quotes then why not take a look at [Taylor Swift quotes], or Alicia Keys quotes.