[Verse 1]
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river, I've been running ever since

[Chorus]
It’s been a long time, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes, it will

[Verse 2]
It's been too hard living, and I'm afraid to die
’Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

[Chorus]
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes, it will

[Verse 3]
I go to the movies and I go downtown
And somebody keeps telling me
"Don't hang, don't hang around"

[Chorus]
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes, it will
[Verse 4]
Then I go to my brother
And I say, "Brother, help me, please"
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my, on my knees
There’s been times that I thought I, I wouldn’t last for long
But now I think that I'm able to carry on

[Chorus]
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come