Well 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 gon' come And 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 Well I go down to the movie And I go down town But there's somebody telling me I cannot hang around It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gon' come, Oh yes it is So I go, I go to my brother I say, "Brother, can you help me please" He just winds up, he just winds up knocking me down Back down on, on my knees Oh there been times when I thought I couldn't last too long Somehow I was able to try to carry on And it's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gon' come