[Strophe]
                        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'
[Strophe]
                              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'
[Strophe]
                             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'
[Refrain]
                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
[Refrain]
                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
[Strophe]
                               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'
[Refrain]
                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
[Refrain]
               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
[Pont]
                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
[Refrain]
                     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