I was born by the river   In a little tent   And gorgeous like the river   I've been runnin, ever since     It's been a long   A long time coming   But I, I know a change gonna come   Ooooh yes it will     It's been to hard living,   But I am 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, I know a change gonna come   Ooooh yes it will     There's been times that I thought   I wouldn't last for long (naww)  But somehow   I think I'm able to carry on     It's been a long   A long time coming   But I know, I know a change is gonna come   Oooh yes you will     And then I go to my mother   I said mother could you help me please?   She said: I'd like to, I really would,   But I'm just not able   Then I looked around   And I was right back down,   Down on my knees     There's been times that I thought   I wouldn't last for long   But somehow   I think I'm able to carry on     It's been a long   A long time coming   But I know ... a change gonna come   Ooooh yes it will...