Patti Smith & Fred “Sonic” Smith Perform a Stripped-Down, Beautiful Version of “People Have the Power”

It’s fitting for the day, even though it was recorded long ago (1990). The footage above features Patti Smith and her departed husband Fred “Sonic” Smith performing a stripped-down, acoustic version of her classic “People Have the Power.” A rare recording of Smith and Sonic performing together, this is a little treasure. Savor the moment.

People have the power
The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the world from fools
It’s decreed: the people rule
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!

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Related Content:

Patti Smith’s List of Favorite Books: From Rimbaud to Susan Sontag

Patti Smith Sings “People Have the Power” with a Choir of 250 Fellow Singers

Hear Patti Smith’s First Poetry Reading, Accompanied by Her Longtime Guitarist Lenny Kaye (St. Mark’s Church, 1971)


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