I was born by the river In a little tent Oh And just like the river I been a running ever since It's been a long A long time coming but I know a change gon' 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 gon' come Oh, yes it will And I go to the movie and I go downtown Somebody keeps telling me, "Don't hang around" It's been a long A long time coming but I know a change gon' come Oh Yes it will Then I go to my brother and I say, I say "Brother help me please" But he winds up knocking me back down, back down on my knees There've been times that I thought I couldn't last for long Now I think I'm able to carry on It's been a long A long time coming but I know a change gon' come Oh, yes it will But I know a change gon' come