A little-known Aretha Franklin song has resurfaced following the Queen of Soul’s death at the age of 76 earlier this month.
Franklin originally recorded “Stand Up For Yourself” for the AARP circa 2007 for the Divided We Fail coalition, which advocated for congressional bipartisanship on health care and financial security.
The AARP, the nation’s largest organization of retired Americans, retrieved the track from its vaults and played it on its “Take on Today” podcast. Listen to the song from the 15 minute, 50 second mark here:
It also shared the music video for the song on its website:
“Aretha Franklin was not only the Queen of Soul but also a civil rights icon and a champion for all Americans’ access to health care,” said Jo Ann Jenkins, the CEO of AARP.
“In 2007, AARP worked with Ms. Franklin on an original song, ‘Stand Up for Yourself,’ which was the anthem for what, years later, became the Affordable Care Act,” she added via a statement. “Franklin urged us to, ‘Let’s make the choice: We stand as one because divided we fail.’ Her plea is as timeless today as it was more than a decade ago. She will be missed.”
Franklin died Aug. 16 from a form of pancreatic cancer. Her funeral will take place in Detroit on Friday, with artists including Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and Jennifer Hudson performing at the ceremony.