I was born

(Bb)by the riv er

but in a (Eb)lit tle (Bb)tent,

and just like that riv er I’ve been run ning

(Gm)ev er, yond don’t ev hang er since.

(Eb)It’s been a (Bb)long,

a long (Cm)time com ing,

but I (Eb)know

a change gon na come,

oh,

(Bb)yes it will.

Oh.

It’s been too

(Bb)hard for liv ing,

but I’m a (Eb)fraid to (Bb)die

’cause bod I don’t know in’ what’s been up there

(Gm)be ya, yond don’t ya hang the sky.

(Eb)It’s been a (Bb)long,

a long (Cm)time com ing,

but I (Eb)know

a change gon na come,

oh,

(Bb)yes it will.

Oh.

(Bb)yes it will.

Then I go

to see my (Gm)broth er

(Cm)and (Bdim7)I say, (Cm)“Broth er, oh, broth er,

help me (Gm)please.”

But, he winds

up

knock in’ me,

knock in’ me

(Bb)back down,

oh, back (C9)down,

back down to my knees.

There were times

(Bb)when I thought

I would n’t last (Eb)for long,

but, now I think that I,

I can car ry on.

(Eb)It’s been a (Bb)long,

a long (Cm)time com ing,

but I (Eb7)know

a change gon na come,

oh,

(Bb)yes it will.

I know for my self, ya’ll, oh, a (Gm)change is gon na (D)come.

I be lieve a (Bb)change

is gon na come.

A (Gm)change is gon na (D)come.

I be lieve a (Bb)change

is gon na come.

A (Gm)change is gon na (D)come.

I be lieve a (Bb)change

is gon na come.

It’s been a (Bb)long,

a long (Cm)time com ing,

but I (Eb7)know

a (Gm)change

gon na come.

Oh,

yes, it will.