A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke

1963

Sam Cooke Turned Away From Hotel

Shreveport, Lousiana

Sam Cooke - one of the most influential soul artists, made a reservation at the Holiday Inn in Louisiana, however when he got there he was turned away because he was black.

This event, along with various other events in his life, inspired Cooke to write 'A Change Is Gonna Come'

Listen to A Change Is Gonna Come

By Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke · A Change Is Gonna Come
Artist Sam Cooke
Release Date 1964
Album Ain't That Good News
Label RCA, Hollywood, Californa
Genre Soul, R&B
Producer(s) Hugo & Luigi
Writer(s) Sam Cooke
Duration 3:11
Language English
Country USA
Some notable versions:

The Supremes (1965)
Otis Redding (1965)
Aretha Franklin (1967)

Check out more versions here

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

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

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

About A Change Is Gonna Come:

It is said that another event which inspired Sam Cooke was inspired to write this song after watching Bob Dylan perform 'Blowing in the Wind' at the march on Washington on TV. Cooke used this song as a way to contribute to the movement. He donated the funds of the song to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Voted #3 in Pitchfork’s Media’s the 200 Greatest songs of the 1960s

Voted #12 by representatives of music industry and media in Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time

Labelled as ‘the most important song ever recorded' by NPR

Selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, with the National Recording Registry deeming the song "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important.", 2007

Bibliography and more sources here