Check out all of my Kipling songs at https://suno.com/playlist/e7734351-134d-4907-a64d-b7843d34d399 . See below for full sheet music. === Basic Lyrics === Here come I to my own again, Fed, forgiven and known again, Claimed by bone of my bone again And cheered by flesh of my flesh. The fatted calf is dressed for me, But the husks have greater rest for me, I think my pigs will be best for me, So I'm off to the Yards afresh. I never was very refined, you see, And it weighs on my brother's mind, you see, But there's no reproach among swine, d'you see, For being a bit of a swine. So I'm off with wallet and staff to eat The bread that is three parts chaff to wheat, But glory be! - there's a laugh to it, Which isn't the case when we dine. My father glooms and advises me, My brother sulks and despises me, And Mother catechises me Till I want to go out and swear. And, in spite of the butler's gravity, I know that the servants have it I Am a monster of moral depravity, And I'm damned if I think it's fair! I wasted my substance, I know I did, On riotous living, so I did, But there's nothing on record to show I did Worse than my betters have done. They talk of the money I spent out there - They hint at the pace that I went out there - But they all forget I was sent out there Alone as a rich man's son. So I was a mark for plunder at once, And lost my cash -- can you wonder? -- at once, But I didn't give up and knock under at once, I worked in the Yards, for a spell, Where I spent my nights and my days with hogs. And shared their milk and maize with hogs, Till, I guess, I have learned what pays with hogs And - I have that knowledge to sell! So back I go to my job again, Not so easy to rob again, Or quite so ready to sob again On any neck that's around. I'm leaving, Pater. Good-bye to you! God bless you, Mater! I'll write to you! I wouldn't be impolite to you, But, Brother, you are a hound! === Sheet music (ABC format convertible to MIDI or score) === X:1 T:The Prodigal Son C:Rudyard Kipling A:Isaac AI/Suno L:1/4 Q:1/4=165 M:4/4 K:C "Am" z2 "Em" E E | "Am" A, A,/A,/ "C" C E | "Am" E2 C A, | "G" D/D/ C "Bm" B, F | w: Here come|I to my own a-|gain, Fed, for-|giv- en and known a-| w: So I was a|mark for plun- der at|once, And lost my|cash can you won- der at| w: |||| "Em" E2 E E | "F" A, B,/B,/ C A, | "Dm" F3/2 F/ C E | "C" E2 "G" D B, | w: gain, Claimed by|bone of my bone a-|gain And cheered by|flesh of my| w: once, But I did- n't give|up and knock un- der at|once, I worked in the|yards for a| w: |||| "Am" A,2 z/ E/ E/E/ | "Am" A, B, C A, | "Am" E E/E/ A, A, | "G" D B, B, F | w: flesh. The fat- ted|calf is dressed for|me, But the husks have|great- er rest for| w: spell, * Where I|spent my nights and my|days with _ hogs. And|shared their milk and| w: |||| "Em" E3/2 E/ E E | "F" A, A,/B,/ C A | "Dm" c B/c/ B A/c/ | "Em" B3 G | w: me, I think my|pigs will be best for|me, So I'm off to the|Yards a-| w: maize with hogs, Till, I|guess, I have learned what|pays with _ hogs and I|have that know- ledge to| w: |||| "Am" A2 E E/E/ ||2 "Am" z2 "Em" z/ E/E/E/ | "Am" E E/E/ "Em" A, E | "Am" E z "Em" E E/E/ | w: fresh. I ne- ver|My fa- ther|glooms and ad- vi- ses|me my bro- ther| w: sell. so back I|||| w: |||| "G" D B,/B,/ B, F | "Em" E2 z E | "Am" A,/A,/ C A, C | "F" A/ c c/ c/ A F/ | w: sulks and de- spi- ses|me, And|Mo- ther cat- e- chi-|ses me Till I want to| w: |||| w: |||| "Em" E2 E F | "Em" E2 z E/E/ | "Am" E A,/A,/ A, E | "Am" E/ A c3/2 B | w: go out and|swear And, in|spite of the but- ler's|gra- vi- ty, I| w: |||| w: |||| "G" B G/G/ B G | "Em" B/G/ E z B,/B,/ | "F" A, A,/F/ F/ A, A,/ | "Dm" F/ A c/ "Am" c c | w: know that the ser- vants|have it I am a|mon- ster of mo- ral de-|pra- vi- ty And I'm| w: |||| w: |||| "Bm" B B/B/ "Em" B/ A3/2 | "Am" A2 z A || "Dm" F2 F G/F/ | "Am" E A, A, E/E/ | w: damned if I think it's|fair! I|was ve- ry re-|fined, you see, And it| w: ||wasted my sub- stance I|know I did on _| w: ||go to my job a-|gain * Not so _| "Em" D D/D/ E/ D3/2 | "Am" C A,/A,/ z A,/C/ | "Dm" D C/ D D/ D | "Am" C A, A, E | w: weighs on my bro- ther's|mind, you see, But there's|no re- proach a- mong|swine, d'you see, For| w: ri- o- tous li- ving I|know I did But there's|no- thing on re- cord to|show I did _| w: eas- y to rob a-|gain _ _ quite so|rea- dy to sob a-|gain on a- ny| "Bm" B, B,/B,/ C/D/ E | "Em" E2 z E/E/ | "Dm" F F F/G/ F | "Am" E C A, A, | w: be- ing a bit of a|swine. So I'm|off with wal- let and|staff to eat The| w: worse than my bet- ters hav|done. They _|talk of the mo- ney I|spent out there. They| w: neck _ _ thats _ a-|round lea- ving|Pa _ ter _ Good-|bye to you God| "Em" D D/D/ E D | "F" C C/ A, B,/ C/C/ | "Dm" D2 D D | "Am" C A,/ A,3/2 B, | w: bread that is three parts|chaff to wheat, But glo- ry|be! There's a|laugh to it, Which| w: hint at the pace that I|went out there But they _|all for- get I was|sent out there a-| w: bless you Ma- ter I'll|write to you _ I _|wouldn't be im- po-|lite to you but| "Em" B,/ B, C/ B, C/B,/ | "Am" A,4 :| w: is- n't the case when we|dine| w: lone as a rich man's _|son.| w: Bro- ther you are a _|hound.|
