Long before 1968’s Beggars Banquet cemented itself as a rock masterpiece, the Rolling Stones were looking for songs to include that captured a raw, earthy, back-to-basics sound.
They found exactly what they were looking for in a song originally composed by Reverend Robert Wilkins, a Mississippi-born bluesman. It was based on an ancient story found in the Bible that had been told for thousands of years.
“Prodigal Son” took the famous biblical tale and wrapped it in gritty acoustic blues. The song was one of the most surprising and memorable moments on a record that was seriously rock and roll.
The track seamlessly blended holy scripture with the blues, proving just how versatile the Stones really were. Driven by Keith’s sharp acoustic riffs and Mick’s raspy delivery, the song introduced the ancient parable of the lost son to a whole new generation of listeners.
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“Prodigal Son” is the only cover song on the band’s seventh album, Beggar’s Banquet. Two other standout tracks on the LP include “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Street Fighting Man.”
However, while the Stones changed the title to “Prodigal Son,” Wilkins’ original version was called “That’s No Way To Get Along.”
The prodigal son is a story in the bible which tells the tale of a wealthy father who gave his younger son his inheritance early, only for the young man to blow every dime on reckless partying. Broke and humbled, the son returns home expecting punishment.
Instead, his overjoyed father threw him a huge feast. That decision infuriated the man’s other son, who stayed behind and did everything right. This forced the father to explain that forgiveness is always worth celebrating.
Even if it isn’t the flashiest track on Beggars Banquet, “Prodigal Son” shows off just how naturally the Stones could tell a real blues story. With this song, the Rolling Stones laid down a groove that felt straight out of the 1920s.
However, the song was also mired in controversy when early vinyl pressings added Jagger and Richards’ names to the writing credit. In a 1969 Rolling Stone Magazine story, it was revealed that the band insisted the oversight was an administrative mistake made during album production.
It wasn’t until the album was reprinted in subsequent pressings that the mistake was fixed, removing Jagger and Richards’ names from the track’s writing credit and adding Wilkins to ensure he got proper credit and royalties.
Rolling Stone revealed that Wilkins was unaware of the recording. Former bluegrass singer Peter Kuykendall told the publication, “[Robert Wilkins] seemed quite happy that people will be hearing his song. It couldn’t bother him that a rock group has done it.”
In the end, “Prodigal Son” is one of those unexpected music moments that makes you appreciate how deep rock ‘n’ roll’s roots actually go. The Rolling Stones took a story everyone thought they knew, gave it some genuine blues soul, and made it their own.
Related: Linda Ronstadt’s 1977 Classic Cover Thrilled Its Original Songwriters So Much, They Declared She Officially Owned the Song
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