The Power
Norman Greenbaum Lyrics


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Sweetwater Johnny got no one to love him
Girlfriend told him she had enough of him
Sweetwater Johnny, love′s gone sour
He lost the power

Sweetwater William, there he is smilin'
Got a new girlfriend, said she′d stand by him
Sweetwater William, head's in a tower
He got the power

The power, the power, if you got the power
Girls either will or they won't
The power, the power, girl, the power
You either got it or you don′t

Now listen, people
Yeah, I′m gonna tell you somethin' about power

Sweetwater Jimmy, shy with the ladies
He′s so bashful, he isn't ready
Sweetwater Jimmy, you need an hour
An hour to power

The power, the power, if you got the power
Girls either will or they won′t
The power, the power, girl, the power
You either got it or you don't





Oh yeah
You either got it or you don′t, no, no, no

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Norman Greenbaum’s song “The Power” is about the significance of power in a person’s ability to attract and retain romantic interests. The song tells the story of Sweetwater Johnny who has lost his power after his girlfriend left him, and Sweetwater William who has gained power with his new girlfriend. It also features Sweetwater Jimmy who is shy and lacking in confidence with women, and needs an ‘hour to power.’


Greenbaum’s lyrics suggest that having power is a crucial factor in successful romantic relationships. The power to attract is not necessarily based on physical appearance or material possessions, but rather a less tangible quality that some people possess and others lack. The song implies that individuals can either have the power or not have it at all, and that it can only be gained or lost through experiences.


The song is a reflection of the '60s and '70s era when self-expression and individualism were being embraced. It highlights the importance of self-confidence and personal power as attractive qualities. It also touches upon societal expectations for men to assert power in romantic relationships.


Overall, “The Power” is a catchy tune that speaks to the human desire for romance and the innate search for personal power and self-confidence in relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

Sweetwater Johnny got no one to love him
Sweetwater Johnny is lonely and has no one to love.


Girlfriend told him she had enough of him
His girlfriend broke up with him because she was tired of him.


Sweetwater Johnny, love′s gone sour
Sweetwater Johnny's love life has turned sour.


He lost the power
Sweetwater Johnny has lost his ability to attract women.


Sweetwater William, there he is smilin'
Sweetwater William is happy and content.


Got a new girlfriend, said she′d stand by him
Sweetwater William has a new girlfriend who will support him.


Sweetwater William, head's in a tower
Sweetwater William is on top of the world.


He got the power
Sweetwater William has the ability to attract women.


The power, the power, if you got the power
The ability to attract women is known as 'the power.'


Girls either will or they won't
Women either find a man attractive or they don't.


The power, the power, girl, the power
The ability to attract women is important.


You either got it or you don′t
Men either have the ability to attract women or they don't.


Now listen, people
The singer wants to make a point.


Yeah, I′m gonna tell you somethin' about power
The singer is going to give an explanation about 'the power.'


Sweetwater Jimmy, shy with the ladies
Sweetwater Jimmy is shy with women.


He′s so bashful, he isn't ready
Sweetwater Jimmy is too shy to pursue women.


Sweetwater Jimmy, you need an hour
Sweetwater Jimmy needs some time to prepare and gain confidence.


An hour to power
Sweetwater Jimmy needs time to gain the ability to attract women.




Writer(s): Norman Greenbaum

Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Brian Bannon

❤💥

Shivyrdin

Ооо да! Я нашел золотую жилу в музыке, и она полностью моя, тут никого

Shivyrdin

@plantedclover сравнительно))

plantedclover

no one here you say?

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