Took the Children Away

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

Took the children away
The children away
Snatched from their mother's breast
Said, "This is for the best," took them away

The welfare and the policeman
Said, "You've 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

You took the children away
The children away
Breaking their mother's heart
Tearing us all apart, took them away

One dark day on Framingham
Came and didn't give a damn
My mother cried, "Go get their dad"
He came running, fighting mad

Mother's tears were falling down
And Dad shaped up and stood his ground
He said, "You touch my kids and you fight me"
And they took us from our family

Took us away
They took us away
Snatched from our mother's breast
Said, "This is for the best," took them away

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 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
The children came back
The children came back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children came back

The children came back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother's land
The children came back

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