I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I been a runnin' ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
A change gon' come oh yes it will
It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
A change gon' come oh yes it will
I go to the movie, and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin' me 'don't hang around'
It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know
A change gon' come oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say 'brother, help me please'
But he winds up knocking me
Back down on my knees
There been times that I thought I wouldn't last for long
Now think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, along time coming but I know
A change gon' come, oh yes it will