It's not the waking, it's the rising It is the grounding of a foot uncompromising It's not foregoing of the lie, it's not the opening of eyes It's not the waking, it's the rising It's not the shade, we should be past it It's the light and it's the obstacle that casts it It's the heat that drives the light, it's the fire it ignites It's not the waking, it's the rising It's not the song, it is the singing It's the heaven of the human spirit ringing It is the bringing of the line, it is the bearing of the rhyme It's not the waking, it's the rising And I could cry power, power, power Nina cried power, Billy cried power, neighbors cried power And I could cry power, power, power Curtis cried power, Patty cried power, Nina cried power It's not the war but what's behind it Lord, the fear of fellow man is a mere assignment And everything that we're denied by keeping the divide It's not the waking, it's the rising And I could cry power, power, power Nina cried power, Leonard cried power, James Brown cried power And I could cry power, power, power Billy cried power, Johnny cried power, Nina cried power And I could cry power, power has been cried by those stronger than me Straight into the face that tells you to rattle your chains If you love being free Lord, I could cry power Cause power is my love when my love reaches to me James Brown cried power, Sigurd cried power, Mormon cried power James cried power, Leonard cried power, Patty cried power Billy cried power, Dylan cried power, Warren cried power, Nina cried power