I was born by the river in a little tent
Just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know change is gonna come, ooh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes

And I go to the movies and I go downtown
Everybody they keep telling me don't you come around
It's been a long, oh it's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yeah

Then I go, go to my brother, I say brother help me please
He just winds up knocking me down, back down on my knees

And there are times I thought I wouldn't last too long
But now I know that I, I, I, I can carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know my change is gonna come, ooh yeah
It's gonna come