A Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke Lyrics
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ev'r since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change 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 up there, beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Somebody keep tellin' me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change 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, oh
There have been times that 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 is gonna come, oh yes it will
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Sam Cooke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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A Change Is Gonna Come is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the sixties Civil Rights Movement. The song has gained in popularity and critical acclaim in the decades since its release.
Origins
Cooke was greatly moved upon Read Full BioA Change Is Gonna Come is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the sixties Civil Rights Movement. The song has gained in popularity and critical acclaim in the decades since its release.
Origins
Cooke was greatly moved upon hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" in 1963 and was reportedly in awe[citation needed] that such a poignant song about racism in America could come from someone who was white. While on tour in May 1963, and after speaking with sit-in demonstrators in Durham, North Carolina following a concert, Cooke returned to his tour bus and wrote the first draft of what would become "A Change Is Gonna Come."
In a sense, "A Change Is Gonna Come" is an answer to Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind", as well as a song of hope for the Civil Rights Movement. The hypothetical questions posed by Dylan, most obvious being "how many years can some people exist, before they're allowed to be free?", were answered by an implied "Fewer than you think." Though Cooke recognized "it's been a long/a long time coming", the song states that change is inevitable. A similar sentiment was echoed by Dylan in "The Times They Are a-Changin'", written and released after "A Change Is Gonna Come." The song also reflected much of Cooke's own inner turmoil. Known for his polished image and light-hearted songs such as "You Send Me" and "Twistin' the Night Away", he had long felt the need to address the situation of discrimination and racism in America, especially the southern states. However, his image and fears of losing his largely white fan base prevented him from doing so.
The song, very much a departure for Cooke, reflected two major incidents in his life. The first was the death of Cooke's eighteen-month-old son, Vincent, who died of an accidental drowning in June of that year. The second major incident came on October 8, 1963, when Cooke and his band tried to register at a "whites only" motel in Shreveport, Louisiana and were summarily arrested for disturbing the peace. Both incidents are represented in the weary tone and lyrics of the piece, especially the final verse: "there have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long/but now I think I'm able to carry on/It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come."
Recording
After remaining confined to Cooke's notebooks for months of touring, "A Change Is Gonna Come" was finally recorded on December 21, 1963. Recording took place at the RCA Studios in Los Angeles, California during sessions for Cooke's 1964 album, Ain't That Good News.
According to author Peter Guralnick's biography of Cooke, "Dream Boogie", Cooke gave arranger Rene Hall free rein on song's musical arrangement. Hall came up with a dramatic orchestral backing highlighted by a mournful French horn. For his vocal, Cooke reached back to his gospel roots to sing the song with an intensity and passion never heard before on his pop recordings.
Release
The song made its first appearance on Ain't That Good News, the last album to be released within Cooke's lifetime. The LP did well, peaking at number 34 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, making it more successful than Cooke's previous LP, 1963's Night Beat.
However, Cooke and his new manager Allen Klein thought the song deserved greater exposure. According to Guralnick's book, Klein persuaded Cooke to sing "A Change Is Gonna Come" on his February 7, 1964 appearance on The Tonight Show. Cooke sang the song; unfortunately, any impact it made was dimmed by The Beatles' history-making appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show just two days later. In a further misfortune, NBC did not save the tape of Cooke's performance, which has never turned up in private collections either. RCA Records had bypassed "Change" for Cooke's early 1964 single, instead releasing the tracks "Good Times" and "(Ain't That) Good News". But the company agreed to put the song out as a single late in the year, as the B-side to Cooke's latest potential hit, "Shake." At one of his last recording sessions, Cooke approved an edit to the song that would shorten it by about 30 seconds, increasing its chance for airplay on American radio stations.
Finally given proper attention, "A Change Is Gonna Come" became a sensation among the black community, and was used an anthem for the ongoing civil rights protests. On R&B radio, the song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Black Singles chart, and topped many local playlists, most notably in Chicago. The song had more limited success on top 40 radio. By February 1965, the song had peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and fallen off. Cooke, however, did not live to see the song's commercial success. On December 11, 1964, he was killed at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California under what many consider mysterious circumstances.
Legacy
Though only a moderate success sales-wise, "A Change Is Gonna Come" became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement, and is widely considered Cooke's best composition. Over the years, the song has garnered significant praise and, in 2005, was voted number 12 by representatives of the music industry and press in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and voted number 3 in the webzine Pitchfork Media's The 200 Greatest Songs of the 60s.The song is also among three hundred songs deemed the most important ever recorded by National Public Radio (NPR) and was recently selected by the Library of Congress as one of twenty-five selected recordings to the National Recording Registry as of March 2007.
Despite its acclaim, legal troubles have haunted the single since its release. A dispute between Cooke's music publisher, ABKCO, and record company, RCA Records, made the recording unavailable for much of the four decades since its release. Though the song was featured prominently in the 1992 film Malcolm X, it could not be included in the film's soundtrack. By 2003, however, the disputes had been settled in time for the song to be included on the remastered version of Ain't That Good News, as well as the Cooke anthology Portrait of a Legend.
"A Change Is Gonna Come" was a precursor to many later socially-conscious singles, including Marvin Gaye's lauded "What's Going On". Al Green, a self-professed fan of Cooke, covered the song for the concert celebrating the 1996 opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Green's live rendition was included in the soundtrack to the 2001 Michael Mann film Ali. James Taylor recorded a version specially for an episode of the same title of the television drama The West Wing. The Allman Brothers Band captured their performance of the song on their 2003 DVD Live at the Beacon Theatre.
Origins
Cooke was greatly moved upon Read Full BioA Change Is Gonna Come is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the sixties Civil Rights Movement. The song has gained in popularity and critical acclaim in the decades since its release.
Origins
Cooke was greatly moved upon hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" in 1963 and was reportedly in awe[citation needed] that such a poignant song about racism in America could come from someone who was white. While on tour in May 1963, and after speaking with sit-in demonstrators in Durham, North Carolina following a concert, Cooke returned to his tour bus and wrote the first draft of what would become "A Change Is Gonna Come."
In a sense, "A Change Is Gonna Come" is an answer to Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind", as well as a song of hope for the Civil Rights Movement. The hypothetical questions posed by Dylan, most obvious being "how many years can some people exist, before they're allowed to be free?", were answered by an implied "Fewer than you think." Though Cooke recognized "it's been a long/a long time coming", the song states that change is inevitable. A similar sentiment was echoed by Dylan in "The Times They Are a-Changin'", written and released after "A Change Is Gonna Come." The song also reflected much of Cooke's own inner turmoil. Known for his polished image and light-hearted songs such as "You Send Me" and "Twistin' the Night Away", he had long felt the need to address the situation of discrimination and racism in America, especially the southern states. However, his image and fears of losing his largely white fan base prevented him from doing so.
The song, very much a departure for Cooke, reflected two major incidents in his life. The first was the death of Cooke's eighteen-month-old son, Vincent, who died of an accidental drowning in June of that year. The second major incident came on October 8, 1963, when Cooke and his band tried to register at a "whites only" motel in Shreveport, Louisiana and were summarily arrested for disturbing the peace. Both incidents are represented in the weary tone and lyrics of the piece, especially the final verse: "there have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long/but now I think I'm able to carry on/It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come."
Recording
After remaining confined to Cooke's notebooks for months of touring, "A Change Is Gonna Come" was finally recorded on December 21, 1963. Recording took place at the RCA Studios in Los Angeles, California during sessions for Cooke's 1964 album, Ain't That Good News.
According to author Peter Guralnick's biography of Cooke, "Dream Boogie", Cooke gave arranger Rene Hall free rein on song's musical arrangement. Hall came up with a dramatic orchestral backing highlighted by a mournful French horn. For his vocal, Cooke reached back to his gospel roots to sing the song with an intensity and passion never heard before on his pop recordings.
Release
The song made its first appearance on Ain't That Good News, the last album to be released within Cooke's lifetime. The LP did well, peaking at number 34 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, making it more successful than Cooke's previous LP, 1963's Night Beat.
However, Cooke and his new manager Allen Klein thought the song deserved greater exposure. According to Guralnick's book, Klein persuaded Cooke to sing "A Change Is Gonna Come" on his February 7, 1964 appearance on The Tonight Show. Cooke sang the song; unfortunately, any impact it made was dimmed by The Beatles' history-making appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show just two days later. In a further misfortune, NBC did not save the tape of Cooke's performance, which has never turned up in private collections either. RCA Records had bypassed "Change" for Cooke's early 1964 single, instead releasing the tracks "Good Times" and "(Ain't That) Good News". But the company agreed to put the song out as a single late in the year, as the B-side to Cooke's latest potential hit, "Shake." At one of his last recording sessions, Cooke approved an edit to the song that would shorten it by about 30 seconds, increasing its chance for airplay on American radio stations.
Finally given proper attention, "A Change Is Gonna Come" became a sensation among the black community, and was used an anthem for the ongoing civil rights protests. On R&B radio, the song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Black Singles chart, and topped many local playlists, most notably in Chicago. The song had more limited success on top 40 radio. By February 1965, the song had peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and fallen off. Cooke, however, did not live to see the song's commercial success. On December 11, 1964, he was killed at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California under what many consider mysterious circumstances.
Legacy
Though only a moderate success sales-wise, "A Change Is Gonna Come" became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement, and is widely considered Cooke's best composition. Over the years, the song has garnered significant praise and, in 2005, was voted number 12 by representatives of the music industry and press in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and voted number 3 in the webzine Pitchfork Media's The 200 Greatest Songs of the 60s.The song is also among three hundred songs deemed the most important ever recorded by National Public Radio (NPR) and was recently selected by the Library of Congress as one of twenty-five selected recordings to the National Recording Registry as of March 2007.
Despite its acclaim, legal troubles have haunted the single since its release. A dispute between Cooke's music publisher, ABKCO, and record company, RCA Records, made the recording unavailable for much of the four decades since its release. Though the song was featured prominently in the 1992 film Malcolm X, it could not be included in the film's soundtrack. By 2003, however, the disputes had been settled in time for the song to be included on the remastered version of Ain't That Good News, as well as the Cooke anthology Portrait of a Legend.
"A Change Is Gonna Come" was a precursor to many later socially-conscious singles, including Marvin Gaye's lauded "What's Going On". Al Green, a self-professed fan of Cooke, covered the song for the concert celebrating the 1996 opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Green's live rendition was included in the soundtrack to the 2001 Michael Mann film Ali. James Taylor recorded a version specially for an episode of the same title of the television drama The West Wing. The Allman Brothers Band captured their performance of the song on their 2003 DVD Live at the Beacon Theatre.
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a day in the life
Sam had wanted to write a political song for a long time, but his record company was worried it wouldn’t sell to white folk. One night, Sam was racially discriminated against at a Hotel, and that was the final straw.
That, plus the fact Bob Dylans “Blowing in the wind” was popular, and actually a part of Sams regular set, was all he needed to pursue writing this song.
He performed it once on live tv, it was the same night The Beatles debuted on American TV infront of 70m people. No one saw it, no one kept it, it’s a mystery where that video is today.
Sam was friends with Malcolm, mainly through his best friend Muhammad Ali, and had a lot of respect for the black muslim movement, but Sam was never pushed by Malcolm to record this song. That was just a movie scene.
Sam performed the song for the first time to his friend J.W Alexander late December, 1963. The one night in Miami was February, 1964.
Dgenrate
I was born by the river
In a little tent
Oh, and just like the river, I've been running
Ever since
It's been a long
A long time coming, but I know
A change gon' come
Oh yes, it will
It's been too hard living
But I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there
Beyond the sky
It's been a long
A long time coming, but I know
A change gon' come
Oh yes, it will
I go to the movie
And I go downtown
And somebody keep telling me
"Don't hang around"
It's been a long
A long time coming, but I know
A change gon' 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, oh
There been times that 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 gon' come
Oh yes, it will
Жұмабек Маратов
A change is gonna come
Перемены грядут
I was born by the river
Я был рожден у реки
In a little tent
В лачуге без стен,
And just like that river I've been a-running
И, как и эта река, я все бегу
Ever since
С тех пор.
It's been a long time coming
Это копилось так давно,
But I know oh-oo-oh a change gon' come, oh yes it will
Но я знаю, перемены грядут, о да, грядут.
It's been too hard living
Жизнь была так тяжела,
But I'm afraid to die
Но смерть вызывает страх,
Cause I don't know what's up there
Ведь не известно мне, что там,
Beyond the sky
На небесах.
It's been a long time coming
Это копилось так давно,
But I know oh-oo-oh a change gon' come, oh yes it will
Но я знаю, что перемены грядут, о да, грядут.
I go to the movie
Я иду в кино,
And I go downtown
В центр города прогуляться,
Somebody keep telling me don't hang around
Обязательно кто-то скажет мне, нечего тут болтаться.
It's been a long time coming
Это копилось так давно,
But I know oh-oo-oh a change gon' come, oh yes it will
Но я знаю, перемены грядут, о да, грядут.
Then I go oh-oo-oh to my brother
Тогда я иду к брату
And I say brother help me please
И говорю, брат, прошу, помоги мне,
But he winds up knockin' me
Но он толкает меня встать смиренно
Back down on my knees
Опять на колени.
Oh, there've been times when I thought I couldn't last for long
Были времена, когда мне казалось, что не могу больше,
But now I think I'm able to carry on
Но теперь я думаю, что могу продолжить.
It's been a long time coming
Это копилось так давно,
But I know oh-oo-oh a change gon' come, oh yes it will
Но я знаю, перемены грядут, о да, грядут.
She said it Hmmm
I was born by the river, in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river
I've been running ever since
… It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change 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 up there
Beyond the sky
… It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
… I go to the movie
And I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me
Don't hang around
… It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know, a change 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
… Oh, there been times that 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 gonna come
Oh, yes it will
Some God loving dude
LYRICS:
I was born by the river, in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river
I've been running ever since
It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change 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 up there
Beyond the sky
It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
I go to the movie
And I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me
Don't hang around
It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know, a change 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
Oh, there been times that 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 gonna come
Oh, yes it will
roblw44
My two best friends recently died. One of them a month ago, the other a year ago. One night the three of us were hanging out on a Saturday night having ourselves a good time, laughing and driving around when my friend in the passenger seat asked my friend sitting in the backseat to sing for us. My friend in the backseat could sing very well and was in a gospel group with his brothers. He sang "a change gonna come". Little did I know that he was going to end up singing it to his funeral months later and now he's gone now too. These men were literally like brothers to me and now each time I hear this beautiful song, I dedicate it to them. Junie and JD, this is for you. My brothers
Andre Hernandez
I'm sorry friend. I'm hugging you friend.
I_Luv_JESUS
✝️✝️✝️✝️♥️♥️
justin 4619
Rip
Kerry Martin
💔 Man, I am so sorry! That's rough.
AmoNNey
Yeah ur comment made me cry bruh🤦🏽♂️😭
David Liebowitz
It's been 60 years since Sam Cooke wrote this song, bless his soul. Not enough change has come in that time. But let's all never give up, never give in to hate. #stopthehate
Paul Rogers
The Golden Age Is Coming.
Dan McHale
Never fails to bring a tear to my eye. The greatest song ever. God bless you Sam.
Sam Katz
Me, as well. Just can't hear it without the weight of the world coming down.