LogFAQs > #957304013

26. Sam Cooke A Change Is Gonna Come (1964)
from the album Aint That Good News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4

Key lyrics:
Its been too hard livin
But Im afraid to die
Cause I dont know whats up there
Beyond the sky

A Change Is Gonna Come is an eternal classic of the Civil Rights Movement, a song as devastating as it is inspirational. Even as Sam Cooke details his experiences with racism, he insists that change is possible. Instead of matching pop sensibilities of the time like most of Cookes other hits, the song was produced with a symphonic quality. Built more as a mission statement, its enduring success proves the intelligence of that choice this is a work of sweeping beauty that captures the spirit of America in its time. Though Cooke was writing from an African American perspective, his chorus works as a universal battle cry for the disenfranchised of all varieties. Nearly sixty years on, its message hits just as hard.

Playing against strings and horns as the leading instruments can be a challenge, but there is such depth and warmth in Cookes voice that he earns the heightened presentation. This is a sound one typically associates with extravagant show-stopping numbers, but Cooke keeps everything grounded through his stark lyricism. The strings swell behind him as he reaches the apex of the later verses, emphasizing his powerful delivery. This is peak soul singing, spiritual power with the instrumentation to match.

A Change is Gonna Come hit a lot of perfect notes to land among the quintessential Civil Rights songs, but most important is its realistic approach. The mixing of strife and hope is key; strife without hope is devastating, while hope without strife is a bit too optimistic. A Change is Gonna Come strikes a perfect balance while featuring such grand sonic power as to immediately capture attention.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/