I was born by a river, oh man, 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 Ooo yes it is Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh 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 Oh my, oh my, oh my There's 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 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, oh 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 my 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 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, ooo It's been so long, it's been so long, a little too long A change has gotta come So tired, so tired of standing by myself And standing up alone A change has gotta come You know and I know, and you know that I know I know that you know, honey That a change is gonna come oh yeah oh, I gotta