Took The Children Away Chords by Archie Roach
Tempo:
110.2 bpm
Chords used:
G
C
D
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
This story's right, this story's true, I would not tell lies to you, like [C] the promises they did not keep.
[G] And have they fenced us in like sheep, said to us, come take our hand, set us up on mission land.
[C] Told us to read, to write and pray, [D] then they took the children away, took [G] the children away, [C] the children away.
[G] Snatched from their mother's [D] grace, said this is for the [G] best, took them away.
Well, the man with holy hands, said you've got to understand, [C] we'll give to them what you can't give.
[G] Teach them how to really live, teach them how to live by self, humiliate them instead.
[C] Taught them that, and taught them this, [D] and others taught them prejudice.
You took [G] the children away, [C] the children away.
[G] Breaking down my [D] mother's heart, tearing us all [G] apart, took them away.
One locked their own trembling hands, came and didn't give a damn.
[C] My father cried, go get their dad.
[G] He came running, fighting mad, mother's tears were falling down.
That traped up, and stood his ground, he [C] said, you touch my kids and you find me.
[D] Then they took us from the family, [G] took us away, [C] they took us away.
[G] Snatched from our [D] mother's grace, said this is for [G] the best, took us away.
[C]
[G] They took us away, they took us [D] away.
[C] [G]
Told us what to do and say, taught us all the white man's way.
[C] Then they split us up again, [G] and gave us gifts to ease the pain.
Sent us off to foster homes, as we grew up, we felt alone.
Cause [C] we were acting white, yet feeling black.
[D] One sweet day, all the children came back, [G] the children came back.
[C] The children came back.
[G] Back where their hearts [D] were strong, back where they all [G] belonged, the children came back.
Said the children came back, [C] the children came back.
[G] Back where they [D] understand, back to their mother's [G] land, the children came back.
Back to their mother, back [C] to their father, back [G] to their sister, [D]
back [G] to their people.
[C]
All the [G] children came back, [C] the [G] children came back.
[C] The children came back.
[C] Yes I came [G] back.
[G] And have they fenced us in like sheep, said to us, come take our hand, set us up on mission land.
[C] Told us to read, to write and pray, [D] then they took the children away, took [G] the children away, [C] the children away.
[G] Snatched from their mother's [D] grace, said this is for the [G] best, took them away.
Well, the man with holy hands, said you've got to understand, [C] we'll give to them what you can't give.
[G] Teach them how to really live, teach them how to live by self, humiliate them instead.
[C] Taught them that, and taught them this, [D] and others taught them prejudice.
You took [G] the children away, [C] the children away.
[G] Breaking down my [D] mother's heart, tearing us all [G] apart, took them away.
One locked their own trembling hands, came and didn't give a damn.
[C] My father cried, go get their dad.
[G] He came running, fighting mad, mother's tears were falling down.
That traped up, and stood his ground, he [C] said, you touch my kids and you find me.
[D] Then they took us from the family, [G] took us away, [C] they took us away.
[G] Snatched from our [D] mother's grace, said this is for [G] the best, took us away.
[C]
[G] They took us away, they took us [D] away.
[C] [G]
Told us what to do and say, taught us all the white man's way.
[C] Then they split us up again, [G] and gave us gifts to ease the pain.
Sent us off to foster homes, as we grew up, we felt alone.
Cause [C] we were acting white, yet feeling black.
[D] One sweet day, all the children came back, [G] the children came back.
[C] The children came back.
[G] Back where their hearts [D] were strong, back where they all [G] belonged, the children came back.
Said the children came back, [C] the children came back.
[G] Back where they [D] understand, back to their mother's [G] land, the children came back.
Back to their mother, back [C] to their father, back [G] to their sister, [D]
back [G] to their people.
[C]
All the [G] children came back, [C] the [G] children came back.
[C] The children came back.
[C] Yes I came [G] back.
Key:
G
C
D
G
C
D
G
C
_ _ _ _ _ This story's right, this story's true, _ I would not tell lies to you, like [C] the promises they did not keep.
_ [G] And have they fenced us in like sheep, _ said to us, come take our hand, _ set us up on mission land.
[C] Told us to read, to write and pray, _ [D] then they took the children away, took [G] the children away, _ _ _ [C] the children away.
_ _ _ [G] Snatched from their mother's [D] grace, said this is for the [G] best, took them away.
_ _ _ _ Well, the man with holy hands, _ said you've got to _ understand, _ [C] we'll give to them what you can't give.
_ [G] Teach them how to really live, _ _ teach them how to live by self, _ _ humiliate them instead.
_ [C] Taught them that, and taught them this, _ [D] and others taught them prejudice.
_ You took [G] the children away, _ _ _ _ [C] the children away.
_ _ _ _ [G] Breaking down my [D] mother's heart, tearing us all [G] apart, took them away.
_ _ _ _ One locked their own trembling hands, _ came and didn't give a damn.
_ [C] My father cried, go get their dad.
[G] He came running, fighting mad, _ _ mother's tears were falling down.
_ That traped up, and stood his ground, he [C] said, you touch my kids and you find me.
[D] _ Then they took us from the family, _ [G] took us away, _ _ _ [C] they took us away.
_ _ _ _ [G] Snatched from our [D] mother's grace, said this is for [G] the best, took us away. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] They took us away, they took us [D] away. _ _
_ [C] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Told us what to do and say, _ taught us all the white man's way.
[C] _ Then they split us up again, _ [G] and gave us gifts to ease the pain.
_ Sent us off to foster homes, as we grew up, we felt alone.
Cause [C] we were acting white, yet feeling black.
[D] One sweet day, all the children came back, [G] the children came back.
_ _ [C] The children came back.
_ _ _ [G] Back where their hearts [D] were strong, back where they all [G] belonged, the children came back.
_ Said the children came back, _ _ [C] the children came back.
_ _ [G] Back where they [D] understand, back to their mother's [G] land, the children came back.
_ Back to their mother, _ _ _ _ back [C] to their father, _ _ _ back [G] to their sister, _ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
back _ _ _ [G] to their people.
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ All the [G] children came back, [C] _ the [G] children came _ back.
[C] The children came _ back.
[C] _ Yes I came _ [G] back. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] And have they fenced us in like sheep, _ said to us, come take our hand, _ set us up on mission land.
[C] Told us to read, to write and pray, _ [D] then they took the children away, took [G] the children away, _ _ _ [C] the children away.
_ _ _ [G] Snatched from their mother's [D] grace, said this is for the [G] best, took them away.
_ _ _ _ Well, the man with holy hands, _ said you've got to _ understand, _ [C] we'll give to them what you can't give.
_ [G] Teach them how to really live, _ _ teach them how to live by self, _ _ humiliate them instead.
_ [C] Taught them that, and taught them this, _ [D] and others taught them prejudice.
_ You took [G] the children away, _ _ _ _ [C] the children away.
_ _ _ _ [G] Breaking down my [D] mother's heart, tearing us all [G] apart, took them away.
_ _ _ _ One locked their own trembling hands, _ came and didn't give a damn.
_ [C] My father cried, go get their dad.
[G] He came running, fighting mad, _ _ mother's tears were falling down.
_ That traped up, and stood his ground, he [C] said, you touch my kids and you find me.
[D] _ Then they took us from the family, _ [G] took us away, _ _ _ [C] they took us away.
_ _ _ _ [G] Snatched from our [D] mother's grace, said this is for [G] the best, took us away. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] They took us away, they took us [D] away. _ _
_ [C] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Told us what to do and say, _ taught us all the white man's way.
[C] _ Then they split us up again, _ [G] and gave us gifts to ease the pain.
_ Sent us off to foster homes, as we grew up, we felt alone.
Cause [C] we were acting white, yet feeling black.
[D] One sweet day, all the children came back, [G] the children came back.
_ _ [C] The children came back.
_ _ _ [G] Back where their hearts [D] were strong, back where they all [G] belonged, the children came back.
_ Said the children came back, _ _ [C] the children came back.
_ _ [G] Back where they [D] understand, back to their mother's [G] land, the children came back.
_ Back to their mother, _ _ _ _ back [C] to their father, _ _ _ back [G] to their sister, _ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
back _ _ _ [G] to their people.
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ All the [G] children came back, [C] _ the [G] children came _ back.
[C] The children came _ back.
[C] _ Yes I came _ [G] back. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _