[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