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Power to the People (song)

 

 
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"Power to the People" is a song recorded by John Lennon
John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, Order of the British Empire was an English Rock music musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles....
 at Ascot Sound Studios in London, England and released on 12 March 1971 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and 22 March 1971 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. The song was written by Lennon in response to an interview he gave to Tariq Ali
Tariq Ali

Tariq Ali is a United Kingdom-Pakistani historian, novelist, filmmaker, political campaigner, and commentator. He is a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, CounterPunch , and the London Review of Books....
 and Robin Blackburn
Robin Blackburn

Robin Blackburn is a British socialist historian, a former editor of New Left Review , an author of a number of works on Marxism, and an author of many works on the history of slavery in the New World....
, published in Red Mole (8-22 March 1971). As Lennon explained, "I just felt inspired by what they said, although a lot of it is gobbledygook. So I wrote 'Power to the People' the same way I wrote 'Give Peace a Chance
Give Peace a Chance

"Give Peace a Chance" is a song written by John Lennon and originally credited to Lennon/McCartney . However, when Lennon's posthumous live album with Elephant's Memory, Live in New York City , was reissued in the 1990s, "Give Peace a Chance" was credited solely to Lennon....
,' as something for the people to sing.






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"Power to the People" is a song recorded by John Lennon
John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, Order of the British Empire was an English Rock music musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles....
 at Ascot Sound Studios in London, England and released on 12 March 1971 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and 22 March 1971 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. The song was written by Lennon in response to an interview he gave to Tariq Ali
Tariq Ali

Tariq Ali is a United Kingdom-Pakistani historian, novelist, filmmaker, political campaigner, and commentator. He is a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, CounterPunch , and the London Review of Books....
 and Robin Blackburn
Robin Blackburn

Robin Blackburn is a British socialist historian, a former editor of New Left Review , an author of a number of works on Marxism, and an author of many works on the history of slavery in the New World....
, published in Red Mole (8-22 March 1971). As Lennon explained, "I just felt inspired by what they said, although a lot of it is gobbledygook. So I wrote 'Power to the People' the same way I wrote 'Give Peace a Chance
Give Peace a Chance

"Give Peace a Chance" is a song written by John Lennon and originally credited to Lennon/McCartney . However, when Lennon's posthumous live album with Elephant's Memory, Live in New York City , was reissued in the 1990s, "Give Peace a Chance" was credited solely to Lennon....
,' as something for the people to sing. I make singles like broadsheets. It was another quickie, done at Ascot."

It entered the charts on 20 March 1971, and remained there for nine weeks. It was John Lennon's fourth solo single and it was credited to John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, which on this occasion comprised of Lennon, Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann

Klaus Voormann is a Germany artist, musician, and record producer known for his long association with the The Beatles, for whom he designed the cover of their album Revolver , as well as for being the bass guitar with the British Invasion group Manfred Mann and later a respected session musician and record producer....
, Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)

Alan White is an England rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes . In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists from John Lennon and George Harrison to Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker and The Ventures....
, Bobby Keys
Bobby Keys

Bobby Keyes is an United States saxophone player and together with Jim Price and occasionally Jim Horn formed the most in-demand horn section of the 1970s....
 and Billy Preston
Billy Preston

William Everett "Billy" Preston was an United States soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his successful, Grammy-winning career as a solo artist, Preston collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Nat King Cole, Little...
. Additional backing vocals were supplied by Rosetta Hightower
Rosetta Hightower

Rosetta Hightower is an United States singer,and the former lead singer of the 1960s girl group The Orlons.Rosetta's primary mark was the lead singer of The Orlons, the prime US girl group who scored several top 10 US hits between 1962-1964, including ?The Wah Watusi,' ?Don't Hang Up', ?South Street,' and ?Not Me.'...
 and "44 others." Phil Spector
Phil Spector

Harvey Philip Spector is an United Statesn record producer and songwriter.The originator of the "Wall of Sound" production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s' girl group sound and clocked in over twenty-five Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965....
, John Lennon
John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, Order of the British Empire was an English Rock music musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles....
, and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono

, born in Tokyo on February 18, 1933, is a Japanese people artist and musician. She is known for her work as an avant-garde artist and musician, and her marriage and works with musician John Lennon....
 were credited as producers.

John Lennon's perception of the song changed during the 1970s. In Skywriting by Word of Mouth
Skywriting by Word of Mouth

Skywriting by Word of Mouth is the third, and last, book written by John Lennon. Subtitled "and Other Writings Including the Ballad of John and Yoko", it was published posthumously in 1986 and included an afterword by his widow, Yoko Ono....
 he called the song "rather embarrassing" and supported Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Stockton Thompson was an United States journalist and author, most famous for his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas . He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of journalism where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become central figures of their stories....
's claim that the anthem was "ten years too late." In 1980, he stated that the song "didn't really come off" as it had been "written in the state of being asleep and wanting to be loved by Tariq Ali and his ilk."

The B-side featured "Open Your Box
Open Your Box

"Open Your Box" is a song by Yoko Ono, originally released in 1971 on the B-side to John Lennon's single "Power to the People", and remixed by Orange Factory in 2001....
" in the UK and "Touch Me" in the US. Both songs are by Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono

, born in Tokyo on February 18, 1933, is a Japanese people artist and musician. She is known for her work as an avant-garde artist and musician, and her marriage and works with musician John Lennon....
.

The song was covered by Black Eyed Peas on the album Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur.

In 2000, Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon

Eric Victor Burdon is best known as a founding member and singer of The Animals, a rock band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and his multi-racial project the Funk rock band War ....
, Billy Preston
Billy Preston

William Everett "Billy" Preston was an United States soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his successful, Grammy-winning career as a solo artist, Preston collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Nat King Cole, Little...
 and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr

Richard Starkey Order of the British Empire , better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an England musician, singer-songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles....
 released a live performance of this song. It was featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture Steal This Movie!
Steal This Movie!

Steal This Movie is an United States biographical film of 1960s radical figure Abbie Hoffman. It was directed by Robert Greenwald and the screenplay was written by Bruce Graham....
.

Personnel

The musicians who performed on "Power to the People" were as follows:
  • John Lennon
    John Lennon

    John Winston Ono Lennon, Order of the British Empire was an English Rock music musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles....
     - vocals, guitar, piano
  • Rosetta Hightower
    Rosetta Hightower

    Rosetta Hightower is an United States singer,and the former lead singer of the 1960s girl group The Orlons.Rosetta's primary mark was the lead singer of The Orlons, the prime US girl group who scored several top 10 US hits between 1962-1964, including ?The Wah Watusi,' ?Don't Hang Up', ?South Street,' and ?Not Me.'...
     and other singers - backing vocals
  • Bobby Keys
    Bobby Keys

    Bobby Keyes is an United States saxophone player and together with Jim Price and occasionally Jim Horn formed the most in-demand horn section of the 1970s....
     - saxophone
  • Billy Preston
    Billy Preston

    William Everett "Billy" Preston was an United States soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his successful, Grammy-winning career as a solo artist, Preston collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Nat King Cole, Little...
     - piano, keyboards
  • Klaus Voormann
    Klaus Voormann

    Klaus Voormann is a Germany artist, musician, and record producer known for his long association with the The Beatles, for whom he designed the cover of their album Revolver , as well as for being the bass guitar with the British Invasion group Manfred Mann and later a respected session musician and record producer....
     - bass
  • Alan White
    Alan White (Yes drummer)

    Alan White is an England rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes . In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists from John Lennon and George Harrison to Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker and The Ventures....
     - drums