"(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People" By The Chi-Lites

The Chi-Lites get political on the ferocious funk/soul protest anthem "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People," released in 1971. The Chi-Lites were generally known for their classic romantic ballads like "Have You Seen Her?" and "Oh Girl," but on this track the group goes ham and blasts the system and the greedy fat cats and crooked politicians who run it.

The track points out the huge imbalance in the distribution of the nation's wealth where you have many people living below the poverty line while a select few get the the bulk of the wealth. The song demands a stronger voice among all American citizens, including minorities and the disadvantaged. The treacherous groove and the Chi-Lites' soulful, angry vocals give the socially conscious track a sense of power and urgency.

The song is the title track from the Chi-Lite's third album (1971) and was written by lead vocalist Eugene Record. The song had a strong showing on the charts. It climbed to #4 on the R&B charts and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it charted at #32 on the UK Singles Chart.

The album itself also did extremely well. It peaked at #3 on the R&B charts and #12 on the pop charts. The collection also featured the smash "Have You Seen Her?," which topped the R&B charts and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was largely written and produced by Eugene Record. Also, "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Panther.



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