listen i was born by the river in a little tent oh just like the river i ve been running running ever since it s been a long a long time coming but i know a change gonna come oh yes it will 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 long time coming but i know a change gonna come oh yes it will then i go to the movie and i go said i go downtown somebody keeps telling me don t hang around it s been a long long a long time coming but i know a change gonna come oh yes it will then i go to my brother and i say brother help me please but he winds up winds up knockin me knockin me back down on my knees oh there were times when i thought i couldn t last for long but now i know i know i m able to carry on it s been a long long a long time coming but i know a change gonna come oh yes it will