Collected by Max Hunter (H-9)
For Mary C. Parler
Transcribed by Frances Majors
Sung by Fred Smith
Bentonville, Arkansas
June 22, 1958
Reel 251-52, Item 9
The Prodigal Son
The oldest son was a goodly man,
He was, he was,
He was built on the moody and sanky plan,
He was, he was;
With a common sanctimonious face,
He talked about love and undying grace,
And hoped for a seat in that heavenly place.
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
The youngest son was a son-of-a-gun,
He was, he was,
He shuffled the cards and he played for mon,
He did, he did;
He wore a red tie and a high-standing collar,
Go out with the boys, get drunk and then holler,
Oh, he's a regular fim-dandy-loller.
Sing tra-lar- la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
The old man tried to do his best,
He did, he did,
The prod took his share and he went out west,
He did, he did;
Fell in with some cowboys and had a big time,
Woke up in the morning with ne'er a dime,
Stranded way off in a foreign clime.
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
A telegraph man in his office sat,.
Out west, out west,
Went in and registered without any hat
Or coat, or vest;
He says, send this message right over the track,
"The prod is wrecked and is coming back,
Have plenty of veal for one on the racks."
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
The Prodigal Son (Cont'd)
Reel 251-52, Item 9 (Cont'd)
The answer he got was both short and direct,
It was, it was,
It said, "Yours received, go to thunder, collect,"
It did, it did;
But the prod was quite used to these knock-downs of fate,
So he p awned his suspenders and put on a skate,
And started for home on a limited freight.
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
To a lawyer's office he went next day,
He did, he did,
And sued the old folks for his pay while away,
He did, he did;
Got out an injunction and turned them both out,
Oh, repeal the law you'll hear me shout,
That's the kind of a prod I'm singing about,
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
That's all that there are yours truly knows,
It is, it is,
I went as far as the parable goes,
I have, I have;
I never heard what become of Pa,
The religious brother's tending bar,
And the prodigal is driving a car.
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
Sing tra-la-la-la-la-la-la