A Change is Gonna Come
I was born by the river
In a little tent
And just like the river
I've been runnin' ever since
It's been a long,
A long time comin'
But I know
A change is gonna come
It's been too hard livin'
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 comin'
But I know
A change is gonna come
I go to the movies
And I go down town
But someone keeps telling me
Don't hang around
It's been a long,
A long time comin'
But I know
A change is gonna come
Then I go to my brother
And I say "Brother, help me please"
But he just winds up knocking me
Back down on my knees
There's been times when I felt
I couldn't last too long
But now I think I'm able
To carry on
It's been a long,
A long time comin'
But I know
A change is gonna come
Sam Cooke wrote "A Change is Gonna Come" in resonse to having heard Bob
Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind". It was released posthumously, unfortunately,
in 1965, after Sam Cooke died in December 1964. My second favorite version
of it was done in a stronger gospel style by Otis Redding, another artist
who died far too soon.
Karen Allen
Another Old Head
From: Wilma de Soto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Wilma de Soto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Glenn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, UnivCity listserv
<UnivCity@list.purple.com>
Subject: Re: [UC] Update on Free Speech
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:11:49 -0400
First of all, JUST how old is this dude Mr. Riley?
How dare he sing ³Change is Gonna Come², by Sam Cooke, one of the most
important R&B songs ever, who only Sam Cooke or Aretha Franklin (Sam
Cooke¹s
Church member) could sing properly?
I feel more rage about that song being sung in an improper context and used
to disturb any peace because it is so poignant.
THIS song was NEVER meant for that purpose and is almost sacred because it
is so reminiscent of the Black struggle and so few people can sing it well.
Perhaps a different song would have been more appropriate, but not this
one.
Not as long as the oldheads¹ like me are alive.
It desecrates Sam Cooke¹s memory in my opinion to be used as a loud and
wrong¹ disturbance under the guise of Free Speech. The context in which
that song was written and sung is so significant to the times which Blacks
were in a deep civil rights struggle.
There is truly a synapse short circuit between Mr. Riley¹s generation and
mine I suppose. I would rather him sing ³The Banana Boat Song² by Harry
Belafonte than this one.
----
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
<http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
