[Verse One]

A father sits on his porch reminiscing

About a time when him and his son weren't so distant

And how he misses him

And how if he could just see him again he would run and hug him and kiss him

Miles away a son is thinking the same thing

Until his man hollers and interrupts his day dream

Back to work, but his back it hurts

He's been thinking lately about going back to church

Cuz that would kind of remind him of his roots

Of a time when he wasn't grinding shining others boots

But that's the best he can do now

He's too proud to stay at the group home

Was on his own since he was juvenile

So he sleeps on the streets, using concrete for sheets

And he eats when he eats, and it's so cold

He looks so old but he's young

He hung in the bars all types of scars

Life beat him down it was no holds barred

It's been six years-twenty days

Since he's been gone but how did he get here anyway?

This wasn't how it was supposed to be

Think back to the day before he chose to leave

When he stepped to his dad and he asked for the cash

That he would receive after his dad passed

So that's what he gave him

The father was bothered by the request but after a while he caved in

Said "all of the wealth that I've earned

And saved up must pay for the lessons my son must learn

And I pray that he learns when this is done

This is my one wish for my youngest son"



[Chorus]

How long, how long will the prodigal roam

How long, how long before he comes home

How long, how long will he chase harm

And keep running away from the father's arms



Young, come home

Son, come home

Run, come home

Run, come home

Daughter, come home

You ought to, come home

Run, come home

Run, come home



[Verse Two]

The saga continues

The father gave into the son the son left with his friends who

Really had no cash of their own

Just running the same track wanting too fast to be grown

They figured with these figures in our pockets

We can invest these digits and get even richer than your pop is

Find ourselves a nice good hustle

Buy some protection, find some hood muscle

As soon as we get to another city

We can put this money to work for ourselves and get busy

Buying houses, fixing them up and flipping them

I can just picture getting the dividends rolling in like Michelins

From the time they arrived on the scene

They thrived with his father's business sense in his genes

Of the three he proved to be the smartest

Buy targeted the hottest commodities on the market

They went from knowing and going to the parties

To being the ones with the dough throwing all the parties

Made money money made money money money

And wanted to date honeys so he paid money money

He was killing it, stocking up his chips

Til the economy switched, stock market flipped

At first his properties flying, today nothing's popping

Stocks dropping, nobodies buying

He's over extended in his credit

Selling his cars and cribs to try to pay his dept with

He's left with nada

Friends gone, females bon-voyaged and no one will bother

Is this what chasing pleasure and wealth does

Leaves you out freezing with no help and shelter?

It's helter skelter in his dome

He spends all his time wondering why he left home



[Chorus]



[Verse Three]

Does this sound familiar

I'm sure it's similar the symbolism is bound to kill ya

Who else do we know

That would leave the safety of a loving Father wandering trying to go

To a distant place, and dis His grace

Just to waste His mercy making big mistakes

Then when all is lost and the bridges are burned

And they realize there's nowhere else that they can turn

They turn to the steeple and return to the sheepfold

Isn't that just like God's people?

In every era of time

God's people made the error of severing the ties

With the Father and His love

Aren't you glad He treats us like the father of the prodigal does

When the son finally came to his senses

He realized it was better inside his father fences

Said I wonder if I would returned there

Would I be able to last under the burn of His holy stare

But wasn't aware that the same eyes that hate sin

Had been watching the road and waitin to for him to return again



[Chorus]