[Intro]
You look good out there, baby

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

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

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

[Chorus]
It's been a long
I wish I could come out there where you are, baby
A long time coming but I know
Looka here, a change gon' come, oh yes, it will
Looka here

[Verse 3]
Let me say one more thing
I go to the movie and I go downtown, ha, ha, ha, ha
But all I can hear is somebody keep telling me
Oh boy, don't hang around
[Chorus]
It's been a long, a long
If anybody know what I'm talking about
Let me see you wave your hands
I know a change gon' come, ha, oh yes, it will
But I've gotta take my time and say this here

[Bridge]
Then I go to my brother, yes sir
And I tell him, I say, "Brother, help me please"
But he winds up knocking me
He knocks me back down, back down on my

[Verse 4]
Oh, there's been times that I fall
Somebody say "yeah"
Life could pass me on, no, no, woo
I know I'm able, I'm able, I'm able
I'm able to carry on

[Chorus]
It's been a long, good God almighty
A long time coming but I know, ah
A change gon' come, oh yes, it will
Looka here, one more time
[Bridge]
Then I go to my brother
Somebody take your hands back and forth like this
Everybody, everybody
You sittin' in the first balcony too, help me please
All over the auditorium tonight, all over, hallelujah
But he winds up knocking me, ah
Back down on, back down on my knees, oh

[Verse 5]
I've been down but I thought I could last so long
But oh, I, I know I'm able, I'm able, I'm able

[Outro]
Ha, ha, ha, ooh, ooh
I know, I know, I know when a change gon' come
And oh yes, it will
Somebody say "yeah"
You all back here, let me hear ya say "yeah"
Somebody say "oh yeah"
Say it again, say "oh yeah"
Somebody say "yeah"
Woo, right on