Patti Smith: People Have The Power

WNYC's Spinning on Air brought poets, musicians, writers and actors together in The Greene Space on April 8 for an inspiring, thought-provoking evening around climate change.

[wendycooper]

Love this Patti Smith… I am 81 live in NZ and I think the BIG CHANGE. Has started. I the hands of the young ones. Ghandi proved people have the power.

[nikkismuts]

PLEASE come sing this for us in SOUTH AFRICA :))) Pretty Patti PLEASE!!!

[curiouslee]

So gorgeous, & so very moving... Patti Smith is a beacon of hope & love & light!

[marksmith]

The People Have The Power To Wrestle The World From Fools...and The Duty To Do It NOW ! 😎

[nikkismuts]

The DREAM is happening worldwide now :))) Well done on the vision "People Have the Power" To wrestle the World from Fools Yay - let it happen now already !!!!

[murilohenrique]

I was dreaming in my dreaming
Of an aspect bright and fair
Oh, and my sleeping it was broken
But my dream it lingered near
In the form of shining valleys
Where the pure air recognized
Oh, and my senses newly opened
And I awakened to the cry

That the people have the power
To redeem the work of fools
From the meek the graces shower
It's decreed the people rule

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

Vengeful aspects became suspect
And bending low as if to hear
Well, and the armies ceased advancing
Because the people had their ear
And the shepherds and the soldiers
And they laid among the stars
Exchanging visions, laying arms
To waste in the dust

In the form of shining valleys
Where the pure air recognized
And my senses newly opened
And I awakened to the cry

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

Where there were deserts, I saw fountains
Like cream the waters rise
And we strolled there together
With none to laugh or criticize
There is no leopard and the lamb
And lay together truly bound
Well I was hoping in my hoping
To recall what I had found

Well, I was dreaming in my dreaming
God knows a pure view
As I lay down into my sleeping
And I commit my dream to you

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the Earth from fools
But it's decreed, the people rule
But it's decreed, the people rule

Listen, I believe everything we dream
Can come to pass through our union
We can turn the world around
We can turn the Earth's revolution

We have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools
But it's decreed, the people rule
But it's decreed, the people rule

We have the power
We have the power
People have the power
We have the power

[packman]

I choose not to make this a political song but a song for spiritual growth and make me a better person

[laurievandewiele]

Each of Pattis' performances of this song are different, yet the same in conviction. I have yet to come across a poor version of this eloquent womans' song/anthem