Change 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, long time coming

But I know, but I know, a change has gotta come, man

Ooh, yes, it is

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 a change's gotta come

Oh, yes, it is

Oh my, oh my, oh my

There's a time I would go to my brother, oh my

I've asked my brother, "Will you help me, please?"

Oh my, oh my

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 very long, oh now, oh

But somehow, I thought I was still able to try to carry on

It's been a long, long, long time coming

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 my

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 very long, oh my, oh

Somehow, I thought I was still able to try to carry on

It's been a long, long, long time coming

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

So tired, so tired of stumbling, standing by myself

And standing up alone

But a change just gotta come

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

I know that you know, honey

That a change is gonna come, oh

Oh, yeah, oh