"A Change Is Gonna Come" lyrics - ARETHA FRANKLIN

There's an old friend that I once heard say
Somethin' 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' every 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've had to cry all night long - yes, I did;
Sometimes, I had to give up right for what I knew was wrong...
Yeah, it's been an uphill journey!
It's sure 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 has come...
Yeah! I tell you that my change has come