I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gon' come
Oh, yes, it will

It's been too hard living, and 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 is gon' come
Oh, yes, it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin' me, “don't you hang around”
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gon' come
Oh, yes, it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother, “help me, please”
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees, oh

There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
Somehow I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gon' come
Oh, yes, it will