Lyrics:
I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's out there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie
And I go down town
somebody keep telling me don't hang around
Its been along time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees
There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gone come, oh yes it will
Meaning:
A Change Is Gonna Come was written as a protest song to support the Civil Rights Movement and to encourage other African Americans facing oppression to have hope and to not give up in the Civil Rights Movement. In his song he talks about how life has been hard for him, living as an African American in a segregated country. Also its says that when he goes to the movies or goes downtown someone tells him to not hang around. Sam Cooke, like all African Americans at the time, had to put up with the Jim Crow laws (http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm) that segregated the country. He once was arrested for attempting to register at a whites only hotel, which provided inspiration for the line "I go to the movie, I go downtown, somebody keep telling me don't hang around". Cooke also sings about African Americans who did not openly support the Civil Rights Movement. He says, "Then I go to my brother, and I say Brother help me please, but he winds up knockin' me, back down on my knees". Oftentimes these African Americans did not want any retribution for standing up to whites so they would knock other African Americans down in order to prevent a confrontation. Cooke says that there were times when he thought he couldn't last long but that he knew change was going to come. Cooke, like many other African Americans at the time, knew that it was only a matter of time before blacks would be completely equal. They just had to be patient and keep supporting the Civil Rights Movement until that day came.
I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's out there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie
And I go down town
somebody keep telling me don't hang around
Its been along time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees
There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gone come, oh yes it will
Meaning:
A Change Is Gonna Come was written as a protest song to support the Civil Rights Movement and to encourage other African Americans facing oppression to have hope and to not give up in the Civil Rights Movement. In his song he talks about how life has been hard for him, living as an African American in a segregated country. Also its says that when he goes to the movies or goes downtown someone tells him to not hang around. Sam Cooke, like all African Americans at the time, had to put up with the Jim Crow laws (http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm) that segregated the country. He once was arrested for attempting to register at a whites only hotel, which provided inspiration for the line "I go to the movie, I go downtown, somebody keep telling me don't hang around". Cooke also sings about African Americans who did not openly support the Civil Rights Movement. He says, "Then I go to my brother, and I say Brother help me please, but he winds up knockin' me, back down on my knees". Oftentimes these African Americans did not want any retribution for standing up to whites so they would knock other African Americans down in order to prevent a confrontation. Cooke says that there were times when he thought he couldn't last long but that he knew change was going to come. Cooke, like many other African Americans at the time, knew that it was only a matter of time before blacks would be completely equal. They just had to be patient and keep supporting the Civil Rights Movement until that day came.