Munjana – Archie Roach

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Times were hard in old Swan Hill
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And her circumstances got harder still
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The only thing this woman ever knew was pain
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It seemed she’d never know sweet happiness again

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Kicked around, treated bad
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It’s not right for one so young to be so sad
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A koori child should not have had this cross to bear
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It makes me wonder if anybody really cares

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Troubled woman is your name
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Through no fault of yours it seems you always got the blame
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And an old man’s voice calls from afar
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Who will shed a tear for Munjana?

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Fond memories of Moulamein
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The only happy times her family had seen
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Wishing that those happy times would never end
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With uncle John who at the time was their best friend

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But this young girl just couldn’t win
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She got in to trouble in Deniliquin
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Had a lovely child way down in old Fitzroy
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Then the Welfare came and took her baby boy

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Baby Russell was his name
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They took him from her arms and made her feel ashamed
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Took him away to America
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Who will shed a tear for Munjana?

They changed his name and changed his home
While he was growing up he always felt alone
And through the years his history remained untold
He questioned why so they kicked him out at 12 years old

He was on the streets for many years
No-one ever knew his pain or saw his tears
He took to using drugs and booze just to escape
Then one night they arrested him for murder and rape

Troubled woman, troubled man
Doesn’t anybody out there give a damn?
And an old man’s voice calls from afar
Who will shed a tear for Munjana?

His one true mother who’d searched in vain 
For her son she never thought she’d see again
She received a phone call from Florida
They found her son and more bad news for Munjana

Hello Russell, this is your mother calling
Please forgive me I can’t stop the tears from falling
You come from this land and sun above
And always remember the strength of your mother’s love

They took you there when you were five
Now you’re in some jail trying to survive
And if the truth be told when all have testified
Another crime committed here was genocide

Troubled woman is your name
Through no fault of yours it seemed you always got the blame
And an old man’s voice calls from afar
Who will shed a tear for Munjana?