Annotated captions of Bob Randall- Song: "Brown Skin Baby (They Took Me Away)" in English

globaloneness project

Bob Randall: "Brown Skin Baby (They Took Me Away)"

[♪ guitar strumming throughout ♪] This next song is a story of our experiences of the Stolen Generation.

The system came into my life.

Bob Randall Murujula, Uluru, Australia Yankunytjatjara Elder

Just 150Ks from here to where the sun rises in the east.

The policeman arrived on his camel, saw me there with my family, and because I was who I was, I was stolen.

This is a song I composed for that time.

[♪ Singing in native language ♪]

♪ My brown skin baby, they take him away ♪

♪ As a young preacher I used to ride a quiet pony 'round the countryside ♪

♪ In a native camp I'll never forget, a young black mother, her cheeks all wet ♪

[♪ Singing in native language ♪]

♪ My brown skin baby, they take him away ♪

♪ Between her sobs I heard her say, police been taking my baby away ♪

♪ From white man was that baby I had. Why he let them take baby away? ♪

[♪ Singing in native language ♪]

♪ My brown skin baby, they take him away ♪

♪ To a children's home a baby came with new clothes on and a new name ♪

♪ Day and night he would always say, Oh mommy, mommy, why they take me away? ♪

[♪ Singing in native language ♪]

♪ The child grew up and had to go from the mission home that he loved so ♪

♪ To find his mother, he tried in vain. Upon this earth they never met again. ♪

[♪ Singing in native language ♪]

♪ My brown skin baby, they take him away [♪ guitar strumming ♪]

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