Ab                                             Bbm
I was born by a river in this little old tent
Bbm                      Fm
Oh just like this river  I've been running ever since
Ab                     Bbm       Db
It's been a long long, long time coming
Db    C                  Fm
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Ab
Oh yes it is

[Verse 2]
Ab
It's been too hard living, oh my
Ab                   Bbm
And I'm afraid to die
Bbm                           Fm
I don't know what's up there
Fm
Beyond the clouds
Ab                     Bbm
It's been a long long, long time coming
Db          C          Fm                     Bbm
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Ab
Oh yes it is

[Bridge]
Bbm                            Ab         Bbm
There was a time I would go to my brother
Bbm                                Fm          Bbm
I asked my brother, "Will you help me please?"
Bbm                                 Fm
He turned me down and then I ask my dear mother, oh
Bb7
I said "Mother!"
Bb7                         Eb
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"

[Verse 3]
Ab
It's been a time that I thought
Ab                                    Bbm
Lord this couldn't last for very long
Bbm                                    Fm
But somehow I thought I was still able   to try to carry on
Ab                     Bbm
It's been a long long, long time coming
Bbm Db  C  Fm
But I know a change is gonna come
Ab
Oh, yes it is

[Bridge]
Bbm                                   Ab                               Bbm
Just like I said, I went to my little bitty brother, my littlee brother
Bbm                                 Fm       Bbm
I asked my brother "Brother help me please?"
Bbm                             Fm                                  Bb7
He turned me down and then I go to my little mother, my dear mother
Bb7
I said "Mother!"
                         Eb
I said "Mother! I'm down on my knees"

[Verse 4]
Ab
But there was a time that I thought
Ab                               Bbm
Lord this couldn't last for very long
                                   Fm
But somehow I thought I was still able to try to carry on
Ab                     Bbm
It's been a long long, long time coming
Db           Cm          Fm
But I know, but I know a change is gotta come
Fm               Db                         Cm
Ooh it's been so long, it's been so long, a little too long
Cm           Fm
But a change has gotta come

[Outro]
Ab                        Db
I'm so tired, so tired of standing by myself
Cm       C
And standing by my self
Fm
And standing up alone
Fm
But a change has gotta come
Fm
You know and I know
Fm            Db
You know that I know
Db          Cm
I know that you know, honey
Cm            Fm                     Ab   Db
That a change is gonne come, oh my