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Calling The Prodigal/Weary Prodigal Son/God Is Calling The Prodigal
Public Domain Old-Time, Bluegrass Gospel by Charles Gabriel (music & words) 1889;
ARTIST: Carter Family 1931
CATEGORY: Traditional Bluegrass Gospel;
DATE: 1889
RECORDING INFO: Calling the Prodigal [Me III-F 24] - Gabriel, Charles H.
Carter Family. Victor 1931
At - Weary Prodigal, Come
Hawker, Ginny; and Kay Justice. Come All You Tenderhearted, June Appal JA 069C, Cas (1993), trk# 2
Hawker, Ginny; and Kay Justice. Old Time Herald, Old Time Herald, Ser, 4/2, p34(1993)
OTHER NAMES: "God Is Calling The Prodigal" "Weary Prodigal Son (Carter Family)" "Weary Prodigal Come (Ginny Parker & Kay Justice)"
SOURCES: Meade;
NOTES: "God Is Calling The Prodigal" or "Calling The Prodigal" is a hymn written by Charles Gabriel in 1889. A bluegrass/country recording was made first by John McGhee and Thomas Cougar in 1928 and then by the original Carter Family under the title "Weary Prodigal Son" in 1931.
The biblical reference is to the prodigal son: "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Lk. 15.24) The song is based on the parable of the son who was lost and then was found is "God Is Calling The Prodigal" (#278 in Hymns for Worship Revised and #596 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written and the tune was composed both by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856-1932). Born in Wilton, IA, he became a professional musician and was associated with several religious music publishing firms, including those of E. O. Excell and Homer A. Rodeheaver. Though a Methodist, in 1907 he helped T. B. Larimore edit The New Christian Hymn Book for the Gospel Advocate Co.
As a result, many of his songs, for some of which he provided words, some music, and some both, have remained in common usage among churches of Christ. These include "Only A Step," "Higher Ground," "I Stand Amazed," "He Lifted Me," "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart," "Jesus, Rose of Sharon," "Send the Light," "Come to the Feast," "Harvest Time," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," "An Evening Prayer," "Where The Gates Swing Outward Never," "More Like The Master," "Only In Thee," "I Will Not Forget Thee," "The Way Of The Cross Leads Home," "He Is So Precious To Me," and "Glory For Me." In all, he produced around 7000 songs and edited some 108 collections or other musical works.
"God Is Calling The Prodigal" was copyrighted in 1889 by Edwin Othello Excell. By the time of its renewal in 1917 the copyright had passed into the possession of Homer Alvin Rodeheaver. Among songbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century, the song was found in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 all edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. both edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 (Church) Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. The text is used in the 1986 Great Songs Revised; however the editors apparently did not like Gabriel's tune for his own words, and substituted a new one by Jack A. Boyd, the music editor of the book.
CALLING THE PRODIGAL- Charles H. Gabriel 1889
God is calling the prodigal, come without delay,
Hear, O hear Him calling, calling now for thee.
Tho’ you’ve wandered so far from His presence, come today,
Hear His loving voice calling still.
Refrain
Calling now for thee, O weary prodigal, come;
Calling now for thee, O weary prodigal, come.
Patient, loving and tenderly still the Father pleads,
Hear, O hear Him calling, calling now for thee;
Oh! return while the Spirit in mercy intercedes,
Hear His loving voice calling still.
Refrain
Come, there’s bread in the house of the Father, and to spare,
Hear, O hear Him calling, calling now for thee;
Lo! the table is spread and the feast is waiting there,
Hear His loving voice calling still.
Refrain
WEARY PRODIGAL SON- Original Carter Family
God is calling the prodigal, come without delay
Hear, O hear him calling, calling now for thee
Patient, loving, and tender life still the father pleads
Hear his loving voice calling still (oh, calling still)
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
Come there's bread in the house of the father and to spare
Hear, O hear him calling, calling now for thee
Lo, the table is spread and the feast is waiting there
Hear his loving voice calling still (oh, calling still)
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
[INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
Calling now for thee
(Calling now for thee)
Oh, where.........is the prodigal son
(Is the prodigal son, where is the prodigal son)
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