Bb 
There's an old friend
 F       Gm           Bb 
That I once heard say
Eb                           Cm
Something that touched my heart
C5                    F
And it began this way

Bb          Dm          Gm7
I was born by the river
Bb               Cm7
In a little tent
                        Gm
And just like the river
                    F        Bb
I've been runnin' ever since
                        Eb          D7
He said it's been a long time comin'
        Gm                       Gm7
But I know my change is gonna come
     Bb
Oh, yeah

( Cm7  F7  Bb )

                                 Gm
He said it's been too hard livin'
            Bb        Cm7
But I'm afraid to die
                     Cm
I might not be if I knew
              Gm        F        Bb 
What was up there beyond the sky

              Bb7    Eb7M           Eb  D7
It's been a long, a long time comin'
       Gm
But I know my change has got to come
      Bb  Cm
Oh, yeah

       Gm                    Cm
I went, I went to my brother
                         Gm
And I asked him: brother
                          Cm7
Could you help me, please?
                     Gm
He said: good sister

I'd like to, but I'm not able
         C                    C7
And when I, when I looked around

I was right back down
      F       
Down on my bended knees
               F7  Bb
Yes, I was, oh

                            D      Gm
There've been times that I thought
                     Bb                 Cm7
I thought that I wouldn't last for long
                     Gm
But somehow right now I believe
                    F               Bb7
That I'm able, I'm able to carry on

I tell you that it's been along
     Eb
And oh, it's been an uphill journey
           D7
All the way
         Gm
But I know, I know, I know
      Eb7                      Bb
I know my change is gonna come
      Bb7               Eb7
Sometimes I had to cry all night long

Yes, I did

Bb7       Eb7
Sometimes I had to give up right

For what I knew was wrong
Bb7
Yes, it's been an uphill journey
                       Eb7
It's sure's been a long way comin'

Yes, it has
Bb7
It's been real hard
                      Eb7
Every step of the way

But I believe, I believe
        Bb7
This evenin' my change is come