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Native Born Lyrics by Archie Roach

Charcoal Lane

1990

Albert Namatjra painted
Not so much the things he saw
But what he felt inside and how he loved the Flinders Range
The only thing he ever wanted
The reason that he painted for
Was that everybody share the dream
His land would never change

Ah but change it did and through the years
They introduced some foreign plants
Familiar things are strange
While strangers play upon the lawn
And mother land has shed her tears
For lives that never stood a chance
And Albert Namatjra cried, as we all cry

The Native Born

So bow your head old Eucalypt and Wattle Tree
Australia's bush losing its identity
While the cities and the parks that they have planned
Look out of place because the spirit's in the land
Look out of place because the spirit's in the land

Do you remember Joseph Banks?
Who stood upon this sacred earth
And what he felt inside when he looked around and saw
The land to whom we give our thanks
Our mother land who's given birth
To trees and plants and animals he'd never seen before?

So bow your head old Eucalypt and Wattle Tree
Australia's bush losing its identity
While the cities and the parks that they have planned
Look out of place because the spirit's in the land

But no one knows or no one hears
The way we used to sing and dance
And how the Gum Tree stood and stretched to greet the golden morn
And mother land still sheds her tears
For lives that never stood a chance
And Albert Namatjra cried as we all cry

The Native Born

We cry the Native Born
Credits
Archie Roach

Archie Roach

About “Native Born” by Archie Roach

Read the complete lyrics to "Native Born" by Archie Roach from the album "Charcoal Lane" in 1990. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"Native Born" is performed by Archie Roach. from the album "Charcoal Lane" in 1990 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Native Born", explore more songs by Archie Roach using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Archie Roach · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Native Born" is credited to Archie Roach. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Native Born" appears on "Charcoal Lane" in 1990.

Visit the Archie Roach artist page at /artist/archie-roach for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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