I was born by the river, oh my
In this little old tent, oh
Just like this river
I've been runnin' ever since
It's been a long, long time comin'
But I know, but I know
A change has gotta come now
Oh yes it is now, oh my, oh my, oh my

It's been too hard livin', oh my
And I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there
Beyound the clouds
It's been a long, long time comin'
I know, I know
A change has gotta come
Oh yes it is now, oh my, oh my, oh my

There's a time
I will go to my brother, oh my
I've asked my brother
Will you help me, please?
Oh now, oh my
He turned me down
And then I asked my dear mother
Oh now, oh now
I said: Mother
I said: Mother, I'm down on my knees

It's been a time that I thought
Lord, this couldn't last very long
Oh now, oh
But somehow I thought I was still able
To try to carry on
It's been a long, long time comin'
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is

Just like I said
I went to my little bitty brother
Oh my, my little brother now
I asked my brother
Brother, help me please, oh now
He turned me down
And then I go to my little mother
My dear mother, oh now
I said: Mother
I said: Mother, I'm down on my knees

But there was a time that I thought
Lord, this couldn't last so very long
Oh my, oh
Somehow I thought I was still able
To try to carry on
It's been a long, long time comin'
But I know, but I know
A change gotta come

Ooh it's been so long
It's been so long, a little too long
But a change has gotta come
I'm so tired, so tired of suffering
And standing by myself
And standing up alone
But a change has gotta come
You know and I know
You know that I know
That I know that you know, honey
That a change is gonne come, oh my