(S. Cooke)
Producers: Martyn Ware and Greg Walsh
Producer (live version): John Hudson
Album: Live In Europe (88), The Collected Recordings (94)

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it will

It's been too hard living and I'm affraid to die
I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it will

I go to the movies and I go around in town
Everybody there keeps telling me "don't hang around"
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it will

Then i go to my mother.
I say "momma, can you help me please?
Help me, 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, oh!

There've been times that I thought
I wouldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it will