"Summertime" and "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke sings "Summertime" by George Gershwin, one of the great
American composers. Cooke recorded it in 1957.

"Summertime"

Summertime, 
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'

And the cotton is high

Oh, Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky

But until that morning
There's a'nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing by

Summertime, 
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

One of America's greatest singers, Sam Cooke's life was cut short when he was shot and killed in Los Angeles. He was 33 at the time. More about Sam Cooke (1931-64) at Songs of Sam Cooke.

Sam Cooke sings "A Change is Gonna Come,"

a Civil Rights anthem he wrote in 1964, the year of his death.

"A Change is Gonna Come"

I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's out there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie
And I go down town
somebody keep telling me don't hang around
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

There were times when 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 gone come, oh yes it will