Do We Think About “Think” As We Should?

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Do We Think About “Think” As We Should?
The song Think by Aretha Franklin from the album Aretha Now was released in
1968, and was an instant hit among the people at that time. It describes the feelings of a
woman where she tells her love interest to think of how his flirting with other women would
affect her. This song embodies a bold and free spirited woman who wants her love interest
to understand the consequences of his actions, and she also warns him of the repercussions of
his faulty actions. This song poses a very sensitive question – Why do people cheat in
relationships? And when they do so, do they consider the effects of their actions? Why are
most of them insensitive to the damage caused by the enormity of their actions? Even though
this song was written fifty years ago, it holds ground even today.
WHAT DOES “THINK” SIGNIFY?
Women are supposed to be docile, and resign to their fates without putting up fights.
However, Aretha Franklin destroys this notion, and composes this song as a warning to men
who cheat on her, saying “You better think about what you're trying to do to me” (Franklin).
This song came as a welcome break to all women who were oppressed in patriarchy (Janaro
and Altshuler 446). Ideally, in this song, she means that she would treat the other person right
if she is treated right. Even as she expresses the pain and anguish upon being cheated by her
partner, she brings up the core of the relationship “you need me and I need you (don't you