well i was born by the river in a little old tent 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 gonna 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 is gonna come well i go down to the movies and i go downtown but there s somebody telling me i cannot hang around it s been a long a long time coming but i know a change is gonna come oh yes it is now so i go i go to my brother i say brother help me please he just winds up winds up knockin me down back down on my knees oh there s been times when i thought i couldn t last too long somehow i was able to try to carry on it s been a long a long time coming but i know a change is gonna come