Prodigal Son

Album: Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Prodigal Son is a Biblical story about forgiveness: the son blows his inheritance money on selfish things, but is welcomed home by his father nonetheless. It's also the name of a song by The Rolling Stones, which is based on an old Blues song.

    This Sevendust song was written by their drummer, Morgan Rose, and lead singer Lajon Witherspoon. When Songfacts spoke with Witherspoon in 2013, he explained: "When I wrote that song, I was staring over the back of my balcony into these woods, and the moon was right there. I felt like I could touch the sky. The moon was so bright, and it was just a weird night.

    I feel like you have to believe in something. Not to get all wound up in Christian stuff, but I am. I believe in the Lord, I pray every day. I'm a Baptist. I was able to put in a little bit of my growing up beliefs into a song and tell a story and it was really cool to be able to do."
  • When we asked Lajon Witherspoon how his life relates to the Prodigal Son parable, he explained, "I might have got off the beaten path there for a little while."

    Lajon adds that he enjoyed the Rock Star lifestyle for a while, but points out that his experience was similar to what many young people went through, except that instead of having a blast in college, he was doing it on a tour bus. As he got older, he matured and became a family man, moving to Kansas after having two children with his wife.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Boy Bands

Boy BandsFact or Fiction

From NKOTB to 1D, how well do you know your boy bands?

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Brenda Russell

Brenda RussellSongwriter Interviews

Brenda talks about the inspiration that drove her to write hit songs like "Get Here" and "Piano in the Dark," and why a lack of formal music training can be a songwriter's best asset.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.