Prodigal Son (Dock Boggs) CHO: (Well) I believe I'll go back home I believe I'll go back home I believe I'll go back home Acknowledge I done wrong When I left my native home Well I was well supplied Made a mistake when (and) I did go Now I'm dissatisfied I'll go back to my father's house I'll fall down on face Say I am unworthy I seek a servant's place Well I'll go back to my father's house To the place I love so dear There they had bread to eat While I am starving here Well Father seen him comin' He did greet him with a smile Throw his arms around him sayin' Here's my wanderin' child Father said to his servant Go and kill the fatted calf Invite all the friends and relatives My son's come home at last Well all were seated at the table All sorrow had passed My father's heart was filled with joy His son's come home at last Well, Eldest son he was jealous I believe I heard him say Give my brother his portion 'Cause I never went away Father said to his Eldest son You have been both good and kind Not a calf have I given thee But all I have is thine The song is usually credited to Dock Boggs (1898-1971), who actually learned it from his brother-in-law, Lee Hunsucker, around 1930 or so. (But everyone who pe rforms it today traces their version back to the Dock Boggs recording). Lee Huns ucker was a holiness preacher with many sacred songs in his repertoire. Dock's v ersion was recorded by Mike Seeger in 1963, and issued on Folkways Records; this version has been recently reissued on Dock Bog gs: His Folkways Years 1963-1968, Smithsonian Folkways SF 40108. I was mostly in fluenced by the version recorded by Sara Grey on her Harbourtown recording Sara. Yet another recording can be found on Rick Lee's Natick, Waterbug WBG0016. All three of these recordings are accompanied by banjo; I sing it a cappella. My timing/rhythm is most like that of Sara Grey's version. The recorded versions also vary in the repetitions of th e chorus: Sara Grey repeats it between every verse, while Dock Boggs puts the ch orus only after verses 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8. I like to repeat it every time myself. CB apr00
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