“Took the Children Away”

Archie Roach’s classic album “Charcoal Lane” was a breakout hit, bringing his distinctive storytelling about experiences of child removal to a mainstream audience. Its centrepiece, “Took the Children Away,” was not the first song about the Stolen Generations, but it possibly had the biggest impact, making Archie Roach a household name. He won two ARIA Awards in 1991 – for Best New Talent, and Best Indigenous Release, and “Took the Children Away” was nominated for Best Breakthrough Single. “Took the Children Away” also won an International Human Rights Achievement Award.