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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Zack de la Rocha
Zack de la Rocha
Vocals
Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Electric Guitar
Brad Wilk
Brad Wilk
Drums
C Timmy
C Timmy
Bass
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Zack de la Rocha
Zack de la Rocha
Songwriter
Brad Wilk
Brad Wilk
Songwriter
Thomas B Morello
Thomas B Morello
Songwriter
Tim Commerford
Tim Commerford
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Producer
GGGarth Richardson
GGGarth Richardson
Producer
Stan Katayama
Stan Katayama
Recording Engineer
Jeff Sheehan
Jeff Sheehan
Assistant Engineer
Craig Doubet
Craig Doubet
Assistant Engineer
Andy Wallace
Andy Wallace
Mixing Engineer
Bob Ludwig
Bob Ludwig
Mastering Engineer
Vlado Meller
Vlado Meller
Mastering Engineer
Mark Santangelo
Mark Santangelo
Assistant Mastering Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
In the right light, study becomes insight
But the system that dissed us
Teaches us to read and write
So-called facts are fraud
They want us to allege and pledge
And bow down to their God
Lost the culture, the culture lost
Spun our minds and through time
Ignorance has taken over
Yo, we gotta take the power back
Bam, here's the plan
Motherfuck Uncle Sam
Step back, I know who I am
Raised up the ear, I'll drop the style and clear
It's the beats and the lyrics they fear
The rage is relentless
We need a movement with a quickness
You are the witness of change
And to counteract
We gotta take the power back
[Chorus]
We gotta take the power back
Come on, come on
We gotta take the power back
[Verse 2]
The present curriculum
I put my fist in 'em
Eurocentric, every last one of 'em
See right through the red, white and blue disguise
With lecture, I puncture the structure of lies
Installed in our minds and attempting to hold us back
We've got to take it back
Holes in our spirit causin' tears and fears
One-sided stories for years, and years, and years
I'm inferior? Who's inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
Of the system who cares about only one culture
And that is why
We gotta take the power back
[Chorus]
We gotta take the power back
Come on, come on
We gotta take the power back
[Bridge]
The teacher stands in front of the class
But the lesson plan he can't recall
The students' eyes don't perceive the lies
Bouncing off every fucking wall
His composure is well kept
I guess he fears playing the fool
The complacent students sit
And listen to that bullshit that he'd learned in school
[Verse 3]
Europe ain't my rope to swing on
Can't learn a thing from it
Yet we hang from it (Gotta get it, gotta get it together then)
(Like the motherfuckin' weathermen) To expose and close the doors on those who try
To strangle and mangle the truth
'Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react
We gotta take the power back
[Chorus]
We gotta take the power back
Come on, come on
We gotta take the power back
[Bridge]
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
[Outro]
Ugh!
Yeah!
[Outro]
Take it back, y'all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back, y'all, come on!
Take it back, y'all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back, y'all, come on!
[Outro]
Ugh!
Yeah!
Written by: Zack de la Rocha

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