People Have the Power

"People Have the Power" is a rock song written by Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith, and released as a lead single from Patti Smith's 1988 album Dream of Life. The cover photograph is by Robert Mapplethorpe. The music video is filmed mostly in black-and-white and features Patti Smith singing, writing and walking.

"People Have the Power"
Single by Patti Smith
from the album Dream of Life
B-side"Where Duty Calls",
"Wild Leaves"
ReleasedJune 1, 1988 (1988-06-01)[1]
RecordedThe Hit Factory
GenreRock
Length5:07
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Patti Smith, Fred Smith
Producer(s)Fred Smith, Jimmy Iovine
Patti Smith singles chronology
"So You Want
to Be (A Rock 'n' Roll Star)"
(1979)		 "People Have the Power"
(1988)		 "Looking for You (I Was)"
(1988)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

The song was ranked number 22 on NME magazine's list of the "Singles of the Year".[2]

Live performances

In 2019, Smith performed the song with 250 volunteer singers at The Public Theater.[3] For most of U2's 2015 Innocence + Experience Tour, the group used "People Have the Power" as their entrance music. Smith herself joined them to close their show with a performance of the song at London's O2 Arena on October 29, as well as the December 6 show at Accorhotels Arena in Paris. On December 7, to close their show and the tour at Accorhotels Arena, U2 invited Eagles of Death Metal on-stage to perform the song with them. It was Eagles of Death Metal's first public performance since the attack on their 13 November 2015 concert at the Bataclan in Paris that resulted in 89 fatalities.

Charts
Chart (1988)[4][5] Position
Mainstream Rock Tracks 19
UK Singles Chart 97

Notes
  1. https://www.song365.mobi/album/patti-smith-dream-of-life-27755.html
  2. "End of Year Lists". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  3. https://www.openculture.com/2019/10/patti-smith-sings-people-have-the-power-with-a-choir-of-250-fellow-singers.html
  4. "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  5. "UK chart". Retrieved 2008-03-04.


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