I was born by a river in this little old tent
Oh just like this river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it is
On my!
It's been too hard living, oh my
And I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there
Beyond the clouds
It's been a long long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it is
On my!
There was a time I would go to my brother
I asked my brother, "Will you help me please?"
He turned me down and then I ask my dear mother, oh
I said "Mother!"
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"
It's been a time that I thought
Lord this couldn't last for very long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh, yes it is
Just like I said, I went to my little bitty brother, my littele brother
I asked my brother "Brother help me please?"
He turned me down and then I go to my little mother, my dear mother
I said "Mother!"
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"
But there was a time that I thought
Lord this couldn't last for very long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it will
So tired of standing by myself
You know that I know that a change is gotta come