I was born by the river   In a tentament   And oh, my poor mother she could hardly pay the rent   It's been a long, a long time coming but I know   A change is gonna come, oh yes it will      Its been too hard of living   And im afraid to die   I dont' know what's out there beyond the sky   Its been a long, a long time coming but I know   A change is gonna come, oh yes it will      See I go to my brother   And I say brother, "help me please"   And he winds up knocking me   Back down on my knees      Its been times when I didn't think   that I would last for long   But now we think we are all to carry on   Its been a long, a long time coming but I know   a change is gonna come, oh yes it will