Em
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'
                         D
It is the groundin' of a foot uncompromisin'
                         C
It's not forgoin' of the lie
            G            B
It's not the openin' of eyes
               Am               Em
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

                              Em
It's not the shade we should be past it
                            D
It's the light and it's the obstacle that casts it
                              C
It's the heat that drives the light
          G       B
It's the fire it ignites
              Am                Em
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

                             Em
It's not the song, it is the singin'
                       D
It's the heaven of the human spirit ringin'
                          C
It is the bringin' of the line
            G             B
It is the barin' of the rhyme
               Am               Em
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

[Chorus]
                Em
And I could cry power (power)
G
Power (power)
C
Power Lord (power)
C
Nina cried power
G             B
Billie cried power
Am           Em
Mavis cried power

                Em
And I could cry power
G
Power (power)
C
Power Lord (power)
C
Curtis cried power
G             B
Patti cried power
Am           Em
Nina cried power

[Verse 2]
                               Em
It's not the war but what's behind it
                    D
Oh, the fear of fellow men, his mere assignment
                          C
And everythin' that we're denied
     G            B
by keepin' the divide
                Am              Em
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

[Chorus]
                Em
And I could cry power
G
Power (power)
C
Power Lord (power)
C
Nina cried power
G         B
Lennon cried power
Am                 Em
James Brown cried power

               Em
And I could cry power
G
Power (power)
C
Power Lord (power)
C
Billie cried power
G            B
Joni cried power
Am          Em
Nina cried power

[Bridge]
                Em
And I could cry power
               Em                           
Power has been cried by those stronger than me
                  G                        B           Am
Straight into the face that tells you to rattle your chains
        Em
If you love bein' free

[Chorus]
                     Em
Ah, lord I could cry power
G
Power (power)
                   C
'Cause power is my love
                   C
when my love reaches to me
                 C
James Brown cried power
G          B
Seeger cried power
Am         Em
Marvin cried power
Yeah ah, power

[Outro]
Em          G
James cried power
C
Millie cried power
C
Patti cried power
C
Billie, power,
G
Dylan, power
B
Woody, power
Am       Em
Nina cried power