There´s an old friend
That I once heard say
Something that touched my heart
And it began this way

I was born by the river
In a little tent
And just like the river
I´ve been runnin´ ever since

He said it´s been a long time comin´
But I know my change is gonna come, oh yeah

He said it´s been too hard livin´
But I´m afraid to die
I might not be if I knew what was up there
Beyond the sky

It´s been a long, a long time comin´
But I know my change has got to come, oh yeah

I went, I went to my brother
And I asked him, "Brother
Could you help me, please? "

He said, "Good sister
I´d like to but I´m not able"
And when I, when I looked around
I was right back down
Down on my bended knees, yes I was, oh

There´ve been times that I thought
I thought that I wouldn´t last for long
But somehow right now
I believe that I´m able, I´m able to carry on

I tell you that it´s been a long
And oh it´s been an uphill journey, all the way
But I know, I know, I know
I know my change is gonna come

Sometimes
I had to cry all night long, yes I did
Sometimes
I had to give up right, for what I knew was wrong

Yes it´s been an uphill journey
It´s sure´s been a long way comin´, yes it has
It´s been real hard every step of the way
But I believe, I believe

This evenin´ my change is come
Yeah, I tell you that my change is come