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, long, a long time coming 
But I know a change is gonna 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 is gonna come
Oh, yes it will

(A change is gonna come now...)

It's been a long, a long time coming 
But I know a change is gonna come

Then I go to my brother and I say: "Brother help me, please"
But he winds up, he winds up knocking me 
Knocking me back on my knees again

Oh, there's been a time that I thought I couldn't last for long, no
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming 
But I know, I know a change is gonna come

It's been a long, a long time coming 
But I know a change is gonna come

It's been a long, been a long, a long time coming 
But I know a change is gonna come
I know, it's been a long, a long time coming 
But I know a change is gonna come