There’s a lot to say about this song. Ranging from my own personal identity to our current national political upheaval. It would take a much longer blog post or journal entry (don’t know what to call these things yet) to give you my personal backstory in addition to a synopsis of what is going on in today’s society (not that you need me to tell you).
What I will say is that I have been long outraged by the direction this country has taken over the past 10 years. Personally, I have to hold my tongue to protect my own mental health. Rage can turn into despair pretty quickly and I have too much good work on my plate to get distracted. But I have always believed that silence is complicity and it was past time to not just end a silence but put forth a perspective to counter that silence. My biggest obstacle wasn’t just what to say but how to say it. Once I figured that out, I knew I had a song in me. I’m grateful to some close peers who provided some early feedback on the first version of this song. Their thoughts and comments gave me the encouragement and direction to make it clearly, and ultimately, more meaningful, and more powerful.
- René
“When They Go Missing”
Music & Lyrics by René Moffatt
It was a Tuesday morning
They didn’t let him say goodbye
When they threw him in their unmarked van
Yelling “Only pussies cry!”
A little girl waits in the office
No one by her side
That’s where teachers send ‘em
When they don’t have a ride
Looks like another day in paradise
Freedom and democracy on ice
Welcome to America
Speak up if you dare
Home to silent majorities
To fortunate to care
When they finally come for you
What’ll go through your mind
Do you think you’ll still believe that
Everything’s gonna turn out fine?
Is that what you tell yourself
When they go missing
Now, you don’t have a record.
You’ll get the benefit of the doubt.
And I don’t hear an accent
So, you got nothing to worry about
But it don’t take a law degree
To see what’s going down
You shouldn’t have to fear the white man
Before you stand up for black and brown
Now that you’ve given up your voice
You have to reckon with your choice
Welcome to America
Speak up if you dare
Home to silent majorities
To fortunate to care
When they finally come for you
What’ll go through your mind
Do you think you’ll still believe that
Everything’s gonna turn out fine?
Is that what you tell yourself
When they go missing
From the ashes, dust to dust
How did you treat the least of us?
When you go down in history
What’ll be your legacy
When your prophet opens up the gates
Will your heart be full of love or filled with hate?
Come on, tell me what you see
When you look into that mirror
A citizen? A patriot?
Accomplice to the fear?
Welcome to America
Speak up if you dare
Home to silent majorities
To fortunate to care
When they finally come for you
What’ll go through your mind
Do you think you’ll still believe that
Everything’s gonna turn out fine?
Is that what you tell yourself
Is that what you tell yourself
Is that what you tell yourself
When you go missing
It was a Tuesday morning
They didn’t let me say goodbye
© René Moffatt Music 2026, BMI