A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Artist: Sam Cooke
Song: A Change Is Gonna Come
Year: 1964
Album: Ain't That Good News

"A Change Is Gonna Come" was released as a single shortly after Sam Cooke's death. Sam never lived to see the success of this song, but he always believed in it. Sam's manager pushed for the song to be sung all throughout appearances in 1964. He sang a moving rendition of the song on the Tonight Show, but was trumped by the Beatles first appearance on Ed Sullivan two days later.

NBC ended up not saving the broadcast tape, as was the practice at the time. No known copy of this performance exists. This is the same reason that no video of Johnny Carson's first Tonight Show performance exists. Hopefully, a bootleg copy will come forward at some point. This is an important, but neglected performance.

This song became an important battle cry in the civil rights movement. It's a shame that Sam didn't live to see the impact that the song had on ordinary people. It is still a powerful song that inspires hope and unity.

After four decades worth of legal troubles, the song finally saw another release in 2003. It has been included on the remastered version of Ain't That Good News, as well as a greatest hits compilation. A version of this song has hit the charts in 2008, by Seal. He is just one in a long line of artists to pay tribute to the song by covering it.

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 is gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
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
It's been a long, a long 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

Oh, 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