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