A Change Is Gonna Come

(album: Otis Blue - 1965)

I was born by a river in this little old tent
Oh just like this river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it is
On my!

It's been too hard living, oh my
And I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there
Beyond the clouds

It's been a long long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it is
On my!

There was a time I would go to my brother
I asked my brother, "Will you help me please?"
He turned me down and then I ask my dear mother, oh
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 for very long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh, yes it is

Just like I said, I went to my little bitty brother, my littele brother
I asked my brother "Brother help me please?"
He turned me down and then I go to my little mother, my dear mother
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 for very long
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Oh yes it will

So tired of standing by myself
You know that I know that a change is gotta come