Callin… Read Full Bio ↴The Prodigals are a New York Irish band that started in 1997.
Calling their genre of music "jig punk", the Prodigals fall within a tradition epitomized by the Pogues and Black 47, merging traditional Irish melodic roots with rock rhythms. As of 2007, the band members are Gregory Grene (button accordion and lead vocals), Ed Kollar (bass and backup vocals), Dave Fahy (guitar and lead vocals), Darren Maloney (banjo), and Chris Higginbottom (drums). The Prodigals call Paddy Reilly's (the world's only all-draft Guinness bar) their home when in New York City. The band has its own distinctive sound, particularly distinguished by the lead melodic roles being filled by button-key accordion and bass along with the vocals, and has received substantial critical notice through the years.
Albums
* The Prodigals (1997)
* Go On (1999), effectively the band's breakout album
* Dreaming in Hell's Kitchen (2001, produced by Scottish fiddler and record producer Johnny Cunningham)
* Needs Must When the Devil Drives (2003, produced by Howie Beno, who notably also produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers single Give It Away Now)
* a live album/DVD, Beachland Bootleg (2005) recorded at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio.
* Momentum (2006)
Comrades In The Dark
The Prodigals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across the darkened skies,
It woke the bondsman from his dream
As it fell upon his eyes.
It lit the ways of freedom's path
Sent forth the singing lark
And bore a weeping blossom 'pon
The flowers in the dark.
They bloomed by country lane and town
In freedom's fragrant scent,
Giving heart to a weary folk
When dark days came and went.
And grew they strong and beautiful
Midst fortune cold and stark
The fairest flowers of their kind
These roses of the dark.
The winds of war came sweeping cruel
The blossom would not cry.
Oh how it broke the freeman's heart
To see the first rose die.
Some soldiers plucked the garden's joy
And left a burning mark
Upon the silver petalled bloom
Now fettered in the dark.
These flowers weep in dank cold cells
No sun to light the gloom
They suffer torture's vilest scorn
To wither in their bloom.
But e'er they yield these lovely things
O hear they freedom's mark
They are the light to guide the poor
These flowers in the dark.
I care not should we freemen die
To see the garden flower,
And humble bluebells lift their heads
To rise in all their power.
I hold a tear, torn sore in heart,
'Twere e're a Joan of Arc.
'Tis each one of these saintly flowers
Who be in dungeons dark.
The lyrics of The Prodigals' Comrades In The Dark paint a portrait of strength, struggle and resilience amid trying times. The opening verse is a vivid description of a golden sun breaking through the darkness, a metaphorical representation of hope and possibility dawning on the oppressed. The following lines speak of the blooming flowers of freedom, a touching symbol of resistance and resilience in the darkest of times. The song then takes a poignant turn, as it describes the soldiers who pluck the garden's joy, an act of oppression that leaves a burning mark on the silver petalled bloom. The song portrays the flowers as a light guiding the poor, as well as an embodiment of strength in the face of subjugation and a reminder that freedom and justice are worth fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
There came a splendid golden sun,
A symbol of hope and freedom emerged amidst the darkness.
Across the darkened skies,
In the midst of oppression and suffering.
It woke the bondsman from his dream
Inspiration and hope to those who had given up on freedom.
As it fell upon his eyes.
This hope became real and tangible for the oppressed.
It lit the ways of freedom's path
It showed a way out of oppression.
Sent forth the singing lark
Symbolizing the joy and freedom that was bringing a change.
And bore a weeping blossom 'pon
The arrival of hope to where it was least expected- in the darkness.
The flowers in the dark.
The oppressed people who were receiving this hope and change.
They bloomed by country lane and town
This hope and freedom was not limited by location.
In freedom's fragrant scent,
This freedom brought true joy and prosperity.
Giving heart to a weary folk
This hope brought life to those who had given up on change.
When dark days came and went.
This hope sustained people through the hardest of times.
And grew they strong and beautiful
This hope grew and blossomed, becoming more than anyone could have expected.
Midst fortune cold and stark
Despite the odds and difficult circumstances.
The fairest flowers of their kind
These oppressed people became exceptional in their strength and beauty.
These roses of the dark.
Symbolizing the strength and beauty that can come from despair and darkness.
The winds of war came sweeping cruel
A reminder of the constant danger and challenges these people faced.
The blossom would not cry.
Despite this danger, the hope and strength of these oppressed people remained resilient.
Oh how it broke the freeman's heart
Those who had experienced freedom empathized with the pain these people felt.
To see the first rose die.
The pain felt by all when one of these oppressed people fell.
Some soldiers plucked the garden's joy
Those in power were threatened by the power and beauty of this oppressed group.
And left a burning mark
The agony and scars left behind from oppression and violence.
Upon the silver petalled bloom
These beautiful and resilient people who were targeted by oppression.
Now fettered in the dark.
Held captive by their oppressors, these people suffered in the darkness.
These flowers weep in dank cold cells
These people who had blossomed despite their darkness now suffer great torture.
No sun to light the gloom
The hope and freedom that once sustained them is now gone.
They suffer torture's vilest scorn
These once-strong people are now at the mercy of those who seek to destroy them.
To wither in their bloom.
To have their spirits and strength broken by the cruelty of their oppressors.
But e'er they yield these lovely things
These oppressed people still hold on to hope and resilience.
O hear they freedom's mark
They still hold onto the idea of freedom, even in the midst of their oppression.
They are the light to guide the poor
These oppressed people still inspire hope and resilience, even in those who are struggling most.
These flowers in the dark.
Those who have blossomed in the midst of darkness, inspiring hope and resilience in all who observe them.
I care not should we freemen die
Even if we die in the fight for freedom.
To see the garden flower,
To see hope and change brought to those in darkness.
And humble bluebells lift their heads
Even those considered insignificant or weak would rise up in the fight for freedom.
To rise in all their power.
To be filled with strength and dignity despite past oppression.
I hold a tear, torn sore in heart,
The pain and sadness experienced by all who have seen the suffering of the oppressed.
'Twere e're a Joan of Arc.
These oppressed people are more than just victims- they are heroes, like Joan of Arc.
'Tis each one of these saintly flowers
Each oppressed person is deserving of respect and honor, despite their current circumstances.
Who be in dungeons dark.
Despite their captivity and oppression, these people are deserving of hope and freedom.
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.