A Change Is Gonna Come – Aretha Franklin (originally by Sam Cooke)

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