Nina Cried Power by Hozier and Mavis Staples (2018)

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Hozier returns with the EP 'Nina Cried Power' and revives the spirit of the protest with the influence of American rock with black roots

Nina Cried Power is a song released on September 6, 2018 by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier featuring with American blues and gospel singer Mavis Staples. The song was a lead single from Hozier's second album Wasteland, Baby!.

Hozier looks back on civil rights protests for a century with Mavis Staples’ voice, whose father was personal friends with Martin Luther King Jr, as well as the voices of the movement. [1]

Hozier & Mavis Staples Perform ‘Nina Cried Power’ On The Tonight Show

Key Lyrics

It's not the waking, it's the rising

It's not forgoing of the lie

It's not the opening of eyes

It's not the waking, it's the rising

It's not the shade, we should be past it

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 waking, it's the rising

It's not the song, it is the singing

It's the heaven of a human spirit ringing

It is the bringing of the line

It is the bearing of the rhyme

It's not the waking, it's the rising

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

Hey, power

Curtis cried power

Patti cried power

Nina cried power [2]

Black Empowerment

The song is a classic protest song and a bit tribute to singer Nina Simone, as well as mentioning other artists such John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, and Curtis Mayfield. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the Irish singer-songwriter talked about the song :

"[It’s] a suggestion that the battle for equality these artists championed remains an ongoing and necessary one. “The fights that took place 100 years ago or 200 years ago for whatever — civil rights or workers' right etc. — don’t stop. There is no final victory. [Staples is] the most amazing person, just fucking unbelievable. [Her] energy is still absolutely there.” [3]

“[Nina Cried Power] is best looked at as a little bit of a sampler, four corners of the world the album populates,” he explains. “That’s how I kind of picture it in my head. Every song is standing around the same awful bonfire [of the world]. Some of them are optimistic; some of them are terrified; some of them are really looking forward to just burning within it.” [4].

References

  1. The 50 best protest songs. January 20, 2021. radiox.co.uk. Retrieved January 25, 2021
  2. ina Cried Power Hozier. genius.com. Retrieved January 25, 2021
  3. ina Cried Power Hozier. genius.com. Retrieved January 25, 2021
  4. Hughes, Hilary." Hozier Unpacks His New 'Nina Cried Power' EP: 'It's a Thank You Note to the Spirit of Protest'. September 9, 2016. billboard.com. Retrieved January 25, 2021