I was born by the river, oh my
In this little old tent, oh
Just like this river
I've been runnin' ever since
It's been a long, long time comin'
But i know, but i know
A change has gotta come now
Oh yes it is now, oh my, oh my, oh my

It's been too hard livin', oh my
And i'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there
Beyound the clouds
It's been a long, long time comin'
I know, i know
A change has gotta come
Oh yes it is now, oh my, oh my, oh my

There's a time
I will go to my brother, oh my
I've asked my brother
"will you help me, please?"
Oh now, oh my
He turned me down
And then i asked my dear mother
Oh now, oh now
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 very long
Oh now, oh
But somehow i thought i was still able
To try to carry on
It's been a long, long time comin'
But i know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is

Just like i said
I went to my little bitty brother
Oh my, my little brother now
I asked my brother
"brother, help me please" oh now
He turned me down
And then i go to my little mother
My dear mother, oh now
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 so very long
Oh my, oh
Somehow i thought i was still able
To try to carry on
It's been a long, long time comin'
But i know, but i know
A change gotta come

Ooh it's been so long
It's been so long, a little too long
But a change has gotta come
I'm so tired, so tired of suffering
And standing by myself
And standing up alone
But a change has gotta come
You know and i know
You know that i know
That i know that you know, honey
That a change is gonne come, oh my...