The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck “Pops” Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February 21, 2013), Pervis (November 18, 1935 – May 6, 2021), and Mavis (b. July 10, 1939). Yvonne (October 23, 1937 – April 10, 2018) replaced her brother when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and again in 1970
Lyrics below
“Respect Yourself”
If you disrespect anybody
That you run in to
How in the world do you think
Anybody’s s’posed to respect you
If you don’t give a heck ’bout the man
With the Bible in his hand
Just get out the way
And let the gentle man do his thing
You the kind of gentleman
That want everything your way
Take the sheet off your face, boy
It’s a brand new day
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don’t respect yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you’re walking ’round
Think’n that the world
Owes you something
‘Cause you’re here
You goin’ out
The world backwards
Like you did
When you first come here
Keep talkin’ ’bout the president
Won’t stop air pollution
Put your hand on your mouth
When you cough, that’ll help the solution
Oh, you curse.. around women folk
And you don’t even know their names
And you dumb enough to think
That’ll make you a big ol man
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don’t respect yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na na na na
Respect yourself, respect yourself
Respect yourself, respect yourself
Flippant, Comic, and Serious 