I was born by a river old manAnd this little old town, ohJust like this riverI've been running ever sinceIt's been a long, long, long, long, longLong time coming, but I know, I knowChange has gotta come nowOh yes it is now, oh my, oh my, oh myIt's been too hard living, oh myAnd I'm afraid to dieI don't know what's up thereBeyond the cloudsIt's been a long, long, long, longLong time coming, but I know, I knowChange has gotta comeOh yes it is now, oh my, oh myThere's a time I would go to my brotherOh myI've asked my brother, will you help meOh now, oh myHe turned me downAnd then I asked my dear mother, ohI said mother, I said motherI'm down on my kneesIt's been a time that I've knownLongest and last very long, oh now, ohSomehow I thought I was still ableTo try to carry onIt's been a long, long, long, longLong time coming, but I knowChange is gonna comeOh yes it isJust like I said, I went to my little bitty brotherOh my, my little brother nowI asked my brother, brother help meOh nowHe turned me downAnd then I go to my little motherMy dear mother, oh nowI said mother, I said motherI'm down on my kneesBut there was a time that I thoughtLongest and last very long, oh nowSomehow I thought I was still ableTo try to carry onIt's been a long, long, long, longLong time coming, but I knowChange is gonna comeIt's been so long, it's been so longI've lived too long, but a change has gotta comeI'm so tired, so tired of sufferin'Standin' by myself and standin' up aloneBut a change has gotta comeYou know, and I know, and you know thatYou know, and you know thatI know, I know, and you knowThat a change is gonna come