[Verse 1] I was born by the river, in a little tent And oh, just like that river I've been running ever since [Chorus] It's been a long, long time coming, but I know A change is gonna come, oh yes it will [Verse 2] It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die Cause I don't know what's up there, beyond the sky [Chorus] It's been a long, long time coming, but I know A change is gonna come, oh yes it will [Verse 3] Now I go to the movies, and I go downtown But somebody keeps telling me don't hang around [Chorus] It's been a long, long time coming, but I know A change is gonna come, oh yes it will Yes, sir [Verse 4] So now I go to my brother And I say, "Brother, help me, please" But somehow, he winds up knocking me Back down on my knees Oh, there were times I thought I wouldn't last for long Now I think I'm able, able to carry on [Chorus] It's been a long, long time coming, but I know A change is gonna come, yes it will, oh, I know A change is gonna come I said I know [Outro] A change is gonna come, hey, yeah A change is gonna come, right now A change is gonna come, I see it now, yeah, oh my, yeah I said a change is gonna come