Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' is tragic in its beauty. At once, it was his last hit, artistic breakthrough and parting shot. Released weeks after his death in 1965, 'A Change Is Gonna Come' was dissimilar from what made him a star.

It was clearly political, guaranteeing it would never be confused with the love songs and Twist anthems responsible for his celebrity. He questions what lies in the hereafter, something he never would have done as the lead singer of the gospel supergroup, The Soul Stirrers. Instead of following any of those tried-and-true routes, Cooke sang a song colored by exhaustion, a Fannie Lou-ish track about being sick and tired of being sick and tired while still having the strength to press on.

In 1992, the song took on a new identity after its inclusion in Spike Lee's 'Malcolm X' (it's worth noting that Cooke and Malcolm were more than acquaintances). Those in charge of his catalog are famously strict about how his music will be used, but they allowed Lee to use its violins throughout the movie and its verses to set the stage for Malcolm's assassination. In that scene, the song and situation matched perfectly. One could easily believe Cooke wrote the song from the back row of the Audubon Ballroom.

'A Change Is Gonna Come' is a tale of optimistic weariness, one made clear by the inimitable note-bending of Cooke's irreplaceable voice. Though he was soul music's first star, his final release is the one that shines the brightest. About the Author

About the Author

Bomani Jones is a freelance writer and a BV Music blogger. Read the blog here.