Prodigal Son (Electronic song)
Encyclopedia
"Prodigal Son" is a rock song
by the English
band Electronic
. It was written by Bernard Sumner
and Johnny Marr
and co-produced with Arthur Baker
. The song was first released as a promotional single
of four remixes
in March 1999, and appeared in the following month on their third album Twisted Tenderness
in its original form.
The promo single was a 10" clear vinyl record. The first two remixes were done by DJ Harvey
; the second by Inch (Keir Stewart and Simon Spencer); and the third by Two Lone Swordsmen
. All four differ greatly from the album version. Another mix by Cevin Fisher appeared on the "Late at Night
" single as "Come Down Now (Cevin Fisher Mix)".
The album version runs to just over seven minutes and is the second longest track on the album after "Make It Happen
". Both Sumner and Marr play guitar
on the song, and Marr also provides some backing vocals
.
The track was described as a "multi-storey epic" by Andrew Collins
in Q
magazine, while Pat Gilbert picked it as a highlight of the "rockier" side of the album in Mojo
.
All five remixes of "Prodigal Son" were included on the second disc of Twisted Tenderness::Deluxe
in 2001, while the original version was one of four album tracks featured on the 2006 compilation Get the Message
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Electronic
Electronic (band)
-Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:-External links:* *...
. It was written by Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
and Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
and co-produced with Arthur Baker
Arthur Baker (musician)
Arthur Baker is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and the British group New Order.-Early career:...
. The song was first released as a promotional single
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
of four remixes
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
in March 1999, and appeared in the following month on their third album Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness is the third album by English supergroup Electronic, released in 1999 by Parlophone in the UK and eighteen months later by Koch Records in the USA...
in its original form.
The promo single was a 10" clear vinyl record. The first two remixes were done by DJ Harvey
DJ Harvey
Dj Harvey, , is a DJ from Cambridge, England. He has achieved a following the world over including places such as Singapore and Japan...
; the second by Inch (Keir Stewart and Simon Spencer); and the third by Two Lone Swordsmen
Two Lone Swordsmen
The Two Lone Swordsmen are British house DJ and producer Andrew Weatherall and studio engineer Keith Tenniswood. Formed in early 1996, following the dissolution of Weatherall's influential Sabres of Paradise techno act, the Swordsmen have explored a variety of styles, from electro and 4/4 techno to...
. All four differ greatly from the album version. Another mix by Cevin Fisher appeared on the "Late at Night
Late at Night (Electronic song)
"Late at Night" is a rock song by the English band Electronic. It was written and produced by its members Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, and co-produced with Arthur Baker...
" single as "Come Down Now (Cevin Fisher Mix)".
The album version runs to just over seven minutes and is the second longest track on the album after "Make It Happen
Make It Happen (Electronic song)
"Make It Happen" is a dance/rock song written and performed by the Bernard Sumner/Johnny Marr band Electronic. Produced by Electronic with Arthur Baker, it is the first track on their third album Twisted Tenderness....
". Both Sumner and Marr play guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
on the song, and Marr also provides some backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
.
The track was described as a "multi-storey epic" by Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins (broadcaster)
Andrew Collins is the creator and writer of Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out .-Personal life:Collins was a member of the Labour Party between the late 1980s and early 1990s, leaving after Labour's...
in Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine, while Pat Gilbert picked it as a highlight of the "rockier" side of the album in Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
.
All five remixes of "Prodigal Son" were included on the second disc of Twisted Tenderness::Deluxe
Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness is the third album by English supergroup Electronic, released in 1999 by Parlophone in the UK and eighteen months later by Koch Records in the USA...
in 2001, while the original version was one of four album tracks featured on the 2006 compilation Get the Message
Get the Message - The Best of Electronic
Get the Message is a compilation album by the Johnny Marr/Bernard Sumner band Electronic, released in September 2006 . It is the first career-spanning collection of the band; a 1999 Japanese compilation was cancelled just before release....
.
Tracklisting
- "Harvey’s Greatly Deluded Mix" (3:17)
- "Harvey’s a Star in Your Own Mind Mix" (10:04)
- "Inch Remix (Touched by the Hand of Inch)" (5:07)
- "Two Lone Swordsmen Instrumental" (5:35)