A Change Is Gonna Come

I was born by a river, oh man, 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 change is gotta come

Ooh, yes it is, on my, oh my, oh my, oh 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, long time coming, but I know

But I know change is gotta come

Oh, yes it is

There was a time I would go to my brother

I'd ask 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, long time coming

But I've known a change is gonna come

Oh, yes it is, uh

Just like I said

I went to my little bitty brother, my little 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

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, it's been so long, it's been so long

A little too long, but a change is gotta come

So tired, so tired of suffering, standing by myself

Standing up long, but change is gotta come

You know, and I know, you know that I know

I know that you know that a change is gotta come