As belas e fortes canções populares são de todos os tempos, mas esta, em particular, indica-nos um estado de espírito, aquando da sua composição e da sua primeira edição discográfica por Sam Cooke.
No ano de 1964 era de batalha pelos direitos civis, a luta pela igualdade constitucional e real, dos não-brancos, com os brancos. O estatuto das minorias não-brancas nos USA era de opressão, sujeitos a práticas racistas, por vezes violentas.
Os EUA nunca souberam tirar as lições do seu passado esclavagista. Nisso, infelizmente, não estão sós.
A Diva do Soul introduz o tema com uma pequena frase, talvez em homenagem a Sam Cooke: «There's an old friend that I once heard say something that touched my heart ...»
O Rei do Soul, Otis Redding, prematuramente desaparecido, tem aqui um desempenho inultrapassável.
Talvez seja demasiado nostálgico, mas as minhas músicas preferidas na adolescência incluíam esta, na versão de Otis.
Quanto à esperança na mudança, por muito calejados que estejamos, não devemos deixar de promovê-la, a partir dos nossos corações. Acho que é esta a mensagem sincera e sempre actual da letra.
I was born by the river
In a little tent
And just like the river
I've been runnin ever since
He said it's been a long time comin'
But I know my change is gonna come
Oh yeah
In a little tent
And just like the river
I've been runnin ever since
He said it's been a long time comin'
But I know my change is gonna come
Oh yeah
He said it's been too hard livin'
But I'm afraid to die
I might not be if I knew
What was up there
Beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time comin'
But I know my change has got to come
Oh yeah
But I'm afraid to die
I might not be if I knew
What was up there
Beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time comin'
But I know my change has got to come
Oh yeah
I went, I went to my brother
And I asked him, brother
Could you help me, please?
He said, good sister
I'd like to but I'm not able
And when I, when I looked around
I was right back down
Down on my bended knees
Yes I was, oh
And I asked him, brother
Could you help me, please?
He said, good sister
I'd like to but I'm not able
And when I, when I looked around
I was right back down
Down on my bended knees
Yes I was, oh
There've been times that I thought
I thought that I wouldn't last for long
But somehow right now I believe
That I'm able, I'm able to carry on
I thought that I wouldn't last for long
But somehow right now I believe
That I'm able, I'm able to carry on
I tell you that it's been along
And oh it's been an uphill journey
All the way
But I know, I know, I know
And oh it's been an uphill journey
All the way
But I know, I know, I know
I know my change is gonna come
Sometimes I had to cry all night long
Yes I did
Sometimes
I had to give up right
Sometimes I had to cry all night long
Yes I did
Sometimes
I had to give up right
For what I knew was wrong
Yes it's been an uphill journey
It's sure's been a long way comin
Yes it has
Yes it's been an uphill journey
It's sure's been a long way comin
Yes it has
It's been real hard
Every step of the way
But I believe, I believe
This evenin' my change is come
Every step of the way
But I believe, I believe
This evenin' my change is come
Yeah I tell you that
My change is come
My change is come
Autores de la canción: Sam Cooke
Letra de A Change Is Gonna Come © Abkco Music, Inc