Sam Cooke, born Samuel Cook, was known as one of the greatest soul musicians in history and is accredited to writing the song of the Civil Rights Movement, A Change Is Gonna Come. Two weeks prior to the song’s release on December 22nd, 1964, Cooke was shot and killed in a whites-only motel in Louisiana, reflecting the irony of his song. He starts the song with ripping vocals, singing, 

“I was born by the river 

In a little tent 

And just like the river, I’ve been running

Ever since”

He was born in Clarkesdale, Mississippi, in 1931, during the The Great Migration; at this time, many black people sought to escape the South to the Midwest, West, and North in the promise of better work and overall lives, after being subjected to racial discrimination and violence there. They would not reach grace for many years to come. By saying, “just like the river… running…” Cooke alludes to the fact that despite his large social standing, he and many other black social figures had to ‘run’ and work harder than their white counterparts. After this verse, and others in the song, the chorus rings through, 

“It’s been a long 

A long time coming, but I know 

A change gon’ come 

Oh yes it will” 

As Cooke repeats this verse, it seems as if he’s assuring the audience, or maybe himself, that change will come. Before this song was released, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed– but as you can imagine, was poorly enforced, especially in the South. After the first chorus, Cooke sings, 

“It’s been too hard living

But I’m afraid to die 

‘Cause I’m don’t know what’s up there 

Beyond the sky”

‘It’s been too hard living,’ illustrates his struggles in life as a person of color, and his longing to experience equality, but is ‘afraid to die’ because ‘I don’t know what’s up there / Beyond the sky.’ As I’ve told you, he unfortunately was murdered before this song was released, making these lyrics feel like a punch in the gut. His friends, family, and friends, were baffled by the mysterious circumstances of Cooke’s death, another sad reality of this time period in America– and dare I say, today.