Nina Cried Power

Hozier

It's not the wakin', it's the risin'
It is the groundin' of a foot uncompromisin'
It's not forgoin' of the lie
It's not the openin' of eyes
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

It's not the shade we should be cast in
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 wakin', it's the risin'

It's not the song, it is the singin'
It's the heaven of the human spirit ringin'
It is the bringin' of the line
It is the bearin' of the lie
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

And I could cry power (power)
Power (power)
Power, Lord
Nina cried power
Billie cried power
Mavis cried power

And I could cry power (power)
Power (power)
Power, Lord
Curtis cried power
Patti cried power
Nina cried power

It's not the war but what's behind it
Lord, the fear of foul men is mere assignment
And everythin' that we're denied by keepin' the divide
It's not the wakin', it's the risin'

And I could cry power (power)
Power (power)
Power, Lord
Nina cried power
Lennon cried power
James Brown cried power

And I could cry power
Power (power)
Power (power)
Power, Lord
B.B. cried power
Joni 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 bein' free

Ah, Lord, I could cry power (power)
'Cause power is my love and my righteous to me
James Brown cried power
Seeger cried power
Woman cried power
Yeah ah, power
James cried power
Millie cried power
Kenny cried power
Billie, power
Dylan, power
Woody, power
Nina cried power


Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by rabbitheartedkid, kimberly7e

Nina Cried Power Lyrics as written by Andrew Hozier-byrne

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Nina Cried Power song meanings
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2 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentPower to the people - that's the meaning I read.

    All of the names checked either sang political songs, or at least sang songs of great passion and power.

    One possible correction: Seeger, not Seager.

    No attempts at identifying all the names yet? I'd like to try for most of them:

    Nina Simone
    Billie Holliday
    Mavis Staples
    (Three great female African American singers)

    Curtis Mayfield
    Patti Smith ("People Have the Power")
    Nina Simone

    Nina Simone
    John Lennon
    James Brown

    James Brown
    Pete Seeger
    Woman

    James (Brown, again?)
    Millie
    Kenny
    Billie Holliday
    Bob Dylan
    Woody Guthrie
    Nina Simone

    I don't know that all of the other names above are correct, but if they are, perhaps somebody could help with "Millie" and "Kenny"?
    prairie11on October 15, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe podcast Song Exploder has an episode dedicated to this amazing song. It goes into depth about the making and meaning of this song as told by Hozier and Mavis Staples.
    thatsn0tmynameon May 24, 2019   Link

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