Prodigal Son

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How good is Prodigal Son on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    25
A lush track and the longest on the album, "Prodigal Son" isn't exactly the pinnacle of Maiden's discography, but [back-to-back Davey] solos are nice and Paul isn't terrible. 4
 
Number 6 said:
I'm... pretty sure it isn't. It's not a popular song in any way, shape or form, and one they allegedly never played live, so why would they after 24 years?
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Yeah, I'm just curious because it would have been really strange decision as was to play CTH twice on this tour.
Jer said:
Because it’s a great song that deserves a chance. I think it’s criminal that they’ve played that turd “Journeyman” live, but not this gem...
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''Journeyman'' is a fantastic song - live is even better. My only complaint for it is that it does not contain any solos.
 
Luisma said:
"'Prodigal Son' will be rehearsed prior to the summer tour and if it sounds good enough, it may be included in the group's setlist. " (Nicko McBrain for Batterie Magazine (France) No. 14 - May 2005)
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Thanks for clarifying this, @Luisma :ok: I knew I do not remembered wrong.
 
The title is taken from the parable
of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). In the lyrics, the
man addresses a Lamia. In ancient
Greece and Rome Lamia were female demons
devoured children. They referred to them
adults in order to intimidate the naughty
children. According to legend, Lamia was
queen of Libya whom Zeus loved. The
the resulting child was stolen by the jealous Hera
and Lamia went mad and swore revenge
on all children.
In Africa, the mythical tribe of Lamia
consisted of creatures with heads and chests
female and reptile body which were trapped
men luring them and them
devoured.
According to the approach of those who
interpret the lyrics of the piece as part
a story that unfolds in five
tracks, this song is the first
part of a five-part story. This is our first contact with him
protagonist, a desperate man he thinks has been taken over by
Satan and seeks the help of a Lamia to escape his influence,
to which he attributes his gradual slippage to "evil." Its structure
Our protagonist's thought leads to the hypothesis of some kind of pathology
governs his psyche. Poe was well versed in the trends at the time
psychology and sketched characters with its very realistic manifestations
each mental illness. Of course, the reader has no idea what he will do
follow, since, knowing the deceptive nature of a Lamia, it is
It is obvious that seeking help from her is not only futile, but also
dangerous.


It also shows the delusion that one has when dealing with mystical things and magic. He loses himself through it. I think the essence of the piece is didactic. So that we do not fall into the trap.
 
^Also, there are exactly eleven letters in the song's title. Eleven is the natural number following ten and preceding twelve. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer requiring three syllables.
Not to mention
So eleven, obviously.
 
^And I'm not even mentioning the curious fact that The Clansman, a song some lyrics of which are featured in the above video, also has eleven letters in its title, and it is on Virtual XI.
How weird is this? o_O
 
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5.

Very much a change of pace for this album, but I dig it. It might not be speed metal but the music here is still interesting, especially in juxtaposition to the rest of the album.
 
Still unlike anything Maiden has done before, even counting the reunion era ballads, Prodigal Son is really something special. I love the 12 string guitar textures and Steve really gets his prog love out in the bass playing. Lyrically the song is pretty captivating, it’s an interesting subject matter and well written. The guitar solos are excellent. So melodic and perfect for the song’s vibe. One of the more creative tracks from early Maiden. 10
 
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