Written by Sam Cooke
Performed live by Bob Dylan at the 70th anniversary celebration show at the Apollo Theatre, NY
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Capo 1st fret (sounding key C# major)

See tab for chord shapes

The song is played higher up on the neck, and instead of the first-position version below, you can use a capo on the 6th fret and the alternative chords further down on the page. The intro can actually be played fairly comfortably on a single guitar an octave lower than played, as notated:

             C       /b        Am      /g        F Em/b Dm7 Am7   Bb9-5   Ab11+5
  :   .      :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .
-h5---3---|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
----------|3h5---3---1---0---|-3---1-----------|-------------1---|-0---1-----------|
--5-------|----------0-------|-2-------2---0---|-----0---2---2---|-1-------3-------|
----------|--5-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-3---2---0---2---|-0-------4-------|
----------|--3-------2-------|-0---------------|-0---2---3---3---|-1-------3-------|
----------|------------------|---------3-------|-1---------------|---------4-------|

G7 .

      C
I was born by the river, in a little tent,
Dm                                     Am
 just like the river I've been running   ever since
(G/b)            C                 Dm            F   E7
     It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know
  Am                              C    .   Csus4  C
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 up there beyond the sky,
It's been a long time coming, but I know
A change is gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody always tellin' 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

Dm
  Now I go
          Am
to see my brother
      Dm
I say brother,
           Am
help me please
       Dm
But he wind up
           Am
a-knocking me
D7              G11   G7
back down on my knees

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
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

Version with capo on the 6th fret:

      G
I was born by the river, in a little tent,
Am                                     Em
 just like the river I've been running   ever since
            G                 Am            C   B7
It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know
  Em                              G
A change is gonna come, oh yes it will

. . .

      Am
Now I go
          Em
to see my brother
      Am
I say brother,
        Em
help me please
       Am
But he wind up
           Em
a-knocking me
A7              D11   D7
back down on my knees