Took the Children Away

[Verse 1] This story's right, this story's true I would not tell lies to you Like the promises they did not keep And how they fenced us in like sheep Said to us, "Come take our hand" Set us up on mission land Taught us to read, to write and pray Then they took the children away [Chorus 1] Took the children away The children away Snatched from their mother's breast Said "This is for the best" Took them away [Verse 2] Welfare man, the policeman Said you got to understand We'll give to them what you can't give Teach them how to really live "Teach them how to live," they said Humiliated them instead Taught them that and taught them this And others taught them prejudice [Chorus 2] You took the children away The children away Breakin' their mother's heart Tearing us all apart Took them away [Verse 3] One dark day on Framingham Came and didn't give a damn My mother cried, "Go get their dad" He came runnin', fightin' mad Mother's tears were falling down And Dad shaped up, and he stood his ground, he said "You touch my kids and you'll fight me" Then they took us from our family [Chorus 1] Took us away They took us away Snatched from our mother's breast Said this is for the best Took us away [Verse 4] Told us what to do and say Taught us all the white man's ways Then they split us up again And gave us gifts to ease the pain Sent us off to the foster homes As we grew up, we felt alone 'Cause we were acting white yet feeling black One sweet day all the children came back [Chorus 3] The children came back The children came back Back where their hearts grow strong Back where they all belong The children came back I said the children came back The children came back Back where they understand Back to their mother's land The children came back [Outro] Back to their mother Back to their father Back to their sister Back to their brother Back to their people Back to their land All the children came back The children came back The children came back Yes, I came back