[Verse 1]
I was born by a river in this little old tent
And just like this river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know change is gotta come
Oh, yes it is

[Verse 2]
It's been too hard living, oh
But I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there
Beyond the clouds
It's been a long long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it is

[Pre-Chorus]
There was a time I would go to my brother
I asked my brother, "can you help me, please?"
But he turned me down, so I go to my mother, oh
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"

[Chorus]
But there was a time that I thought
Lord this couldn't last for long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know change is gotta come
Oh, yes it is
[Pre-Chorus]
Just like I said, I went to my little bitty brother, my little brother
I asked my brother, "can you help me, please?"
But he turned me down, so I go to my mother, oh
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"

[Chorus]
But there was a time that I thought
Lord this couldn't last for long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know change is gotta come
Oh yes it will

[Outro]
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know change is gotta come