Chords
A Change's Gonna Come

A Change Is Gonna Come was written by Sam Cooke, inspired both by his own personal struggle with the racial discrimination he faced throughout his life and by the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The song was released in 1964, after Cookes death, and became an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement.

Key: B

Introduction:  F9   Eb9   D7  

difficulty
hard |||||
 G 
I was born by the river, in a little tent
               Am7                                                                             Em 
Oh and, just like that river, I've, been running, ever since
                         G                 Am7                                         C7   B7 
It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
 Em                                                     G 
A change is gonna come, oh yes it will
                     G 
It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
 Am7                                                                 Em 
  'Cos I don't know what's out there, beyond the sky
                         G                 Am7                                         C7                   B7 
It's been a long... a long time coming, but I know, oh-oh-oh
 Em                                                     G 
  A change is gonna come, oh, yes it will
     G 
I go to the movie and I go downtown
 Am7                                                           Em 
Somebody keep telling me don't hang around
                         G                 Am7                                         C7   B7 
It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
 Em                                                     G 
  A change is gonna come, oh yes it will
 Am7                           G6 
  Then I go to my brother
 Am7                                                   Em 
  And I say brother, help me please
 Am7                           Em 
  But he winds up, knockin' me
 A9                             D7 
  Back down on my knees
                       G 
There been times when I thought, I couldn't last for long
 Am7                                                   Em 
  But now I think I'm able to, carry on
                         G                 Am7                                         C7     B7 
It's been a long... a long time coming, but I know
 Em                                                     G 
  A change is gonna come, oh yes it will