Steel Pulse is a British roots reggae band from Birmingham, England. They were the first non-Jamaican act to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for their 1986 album Babylon The Bandit.
Steel Pulse originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, Birmingham, and comprised David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronnie McQueen (bass).
However, it is Hinds who, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
...PRODIGAL SON... by Steel Pulse ------------------...............
*from 'Handsworth Revolution' (1978)*
Intro:
AmEm (x4)
AmEmGDEm, Am (x2)
Break:
AmDmEm Woy! AmDmEm Woy! AmDmEm Woy! AmDmEm Woy!
Chorus 1:
AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so! AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Over yonder, Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so!
Bridge 1:
AmDmEm Wild one, AmDmEm You are like the Prodigal Son, yeah, AmDmEm And if you're the Prodigal Son, my friend, AmDm Then you're the one.
Verse 1:
EmAmDmEm You left, taking your only pos-session; AmDmEm Your culture. AmDmEm To enter a world known for hacklings, AmDmEm In abundance, yeah. AmDmEm The hustlers of life have hooked and drained you. AmDm From the man, from the man, EmAmDmEm (n.C) From the man, from the man that you used to be. AG Turn your back on us.
Verse 2:
AmDmEm Return Rastaman where you came from, AmDmEm The land of your, fore-fa-thers. AmDmEm Reaching the gates with your two long hands, AmDmEm Stretching out for clean water.
Bridge 2:
AmDmEm Wild one, AmDmEm Prodigal Son. AmDmEm And if you're the Prodigal Son, my friend, AmDmEm Then you're the one, eh!
Verse 3:
AmDmEm Prodigal, come forth and re-joice with your voice, AmDmEm To the heavens, chant some song. AmDm Prodigal, come forth and re-pent; EmAmDmEm Rasta-fari sins for-given.
Chorus 2:
AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so! AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Over yonder, Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so!
Interlude:
AmEm (x4)
Verse 4:
AmDmEm One has re-turned without, one's soul, AmDmEm And has squandered all, his pos-sessions. AmDmEm Let us cleanse your body now, AmDmEm From your service to the swine, because; AmDmEm You've been dead and now to a-noint your head; AmDmEm With wisdom, knowledge and over-standing. AmDmEm A lesson has been taught, unto you my friend, AmDmEm Time for a feast and re-joicing.
Bridge 3:
AmDmEm Wild one, AmDmEm Prodigal Son. AmDmEm And if you're the Prodigal Son, my friend, AmDmEm Then you're the one, eh!
Verse 5:
AmDmEm Prodigal, come forth and re-joice with your voice, AmDmEm To the heavens, chant some song. AmDm Prodigal, come forth and re-pent; EmAmDmEm Rasta-fari sins for-given.
Chorus 3:
AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so! AmDmEm Woy! Desperation has re-turn, AmDmEm Over yonder, Sodom and Go-morrah, no deh yah so!
Coda:
AmDmEm Prodigal has re-turned; to his culture, AmDm (n.C) Prodigal has re-turned; give him water. AmDmEm Prodigal has re-turned, has re-turned... AmDm (n.C) Has re-turned, has returned, has re-turned, eh! Em To his culture, AmDm (n.C) Prodigal has re-turned; give him water. AmDmEm Prodigal has re-turned, AmDm (n.C) Am Prodigal has re-turned now.