[Intro]
I was born by a river, oh man, in this little old tent
Oh, just like this river I've been running ever since

[Chorus]
It's been a long, long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come now
Ooh, yes it is
On my, oh my, oh my, oh my

[Verse 1]
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

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

[Verse 2]
There was a time I would go to my brother, oh my
I asked my brother, "Will you help me please?" Oh my, oh my
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, oh now, oh
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
[Chorus]
It's been a long long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh, yes it is

[Verse 3]
Huh, just like I said, I went to my little bitty brother, oh my little brother
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 for very long, oh my, oh
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on

[Chorus]
It's been a long, long, long time coming
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come, ooh
It's been so long, it's been so long, a little too long
But a change has gotta come

[Outro]
I'm so tired, so tired of standing by myself
And standing by my self and standing up alone
But a change has gotta come
You know and i know, you know that I know
I know that you know, honey that change is gonne come, oh my
I got to feel good, I got to have a good time
A change