Aural Elements in “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

            The song begins in a very grandiose manner, carried by a melodic string section. The mood quickly changes, however, when Cooke comes in with his first words, beginning to tell of his own personal experiences, which reflect the struggles Black Americans encountered during this time period. The instrumentation pulls back and becomes very melancholy to mirror the solemn mood of Cooke’s words. With every verse change, the instrument that carries the section changes as well. The French horn leads the first verse, and as the second verse starts, the strings take over. This subtle change in sound with every verse coincides with Cooke’s vision of a gradual, but inevitable change in America’s treatment of Black Americans. With the beginning of the third verse, the beat changes from relaxed to more upbeat and stringent, conveying a sense of urgency. The bridge, which acts as the climax of the song, builds up to the line, “But he winds up knockin’ me back down on my knees.” This line is significant, because while he says it’s his brother who knocks Cooke down in his time of need, he may have just meant a fellow human, emphasizing the heinousness of humans treating one another so unjustly. The song ends how it started: grand and upbeat, signifying hope for a better future.
-Amrita