I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like the river,
I've been running ever since
It's been 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
Cos I don't know what's up
there beyond the sky
It's been a long time, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come,
oh yes it will

I go to the movie, and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me
"Don't hang around"
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come,
oh yes it will

Then I go to see my brother and I say,
"help me please"
And he winds up knocking me back
down on my knees

There were been times when I thought
I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come