Dylan’s Christian Excursion Revisited in ‘Bootleg Series’

By ROB PATTERSON

Even though I am a Bob Dylan fanatic, there are parts of his career that have gotten short shrift from my attention. Most notably the era from the late ’70s into the early ’80s when he was making his version of Christian and gospel music. Or as I have been cheekily referring to it by using a pun from an album by John Prine – one of the “new Dylans” that emerged in the early 1970s – “Jesus: The Missing Years.” But with the release of Trouble No More, the 13th edition of the Dylan Bootleg Series, they are missing to me no more.

At the time my attentions were elsewhere and my Dylanism had yet to blossom into the full-blown admiration it is today (though my critical ear does hear highlights and lesser lights in his catalog). I’d also been somewhat put off Bob by his Street Legal album and tour (due as well for a re-listen and new assessment) that preceded this time.

As a Christian myself – these days I must qualify that by saying I’m a very progressive and leftist Episcopalian, lest some if not many get the wrong idea – I was a bit put off back then by not so much that Dylan declared himself “born again” but just how the notion felt weird, kinda like (no pun intended) Jews For Jesus. But I liked “Gotta Serve Somebody,” which was a #24 pop hit and earned him a Grammy.

With the perspective of time this period in Dylan’s fascinating if sometimes quixotic creative journey does make more sense, even if it still isn’t fully comprehensible. But no matter there, really, even if Bob is a compelling study of a creative genius. In the end it’s all about the music when it comes to appreciating Dylan. Which parallels what he said about his spirituality when he emerged out of this phase.

Now I like “Gotta Serve Somebody” even more, thanks to the six alternate studio and live versions included in this sumptuously packaged and well-annotated set. Like all the best Dylan songs, it’s quite pliable in how it can be delivered. And carries easily-multiple meaning and application well beyond any association with Dylan.

I can say the same of another song from this era also featured more than once here that as well has multiple and pliable meanings: “I Believe In You,” a heartwarming and rich devotional that can just as easily be about the highest romantic love as faith in a higher power. Plus there are other glittering Dylan gems within that I’d already come to love from hearing other artists’ takes: “Man Gave Names to All The Animals” (done wonderfully by Tim O’Brien on his superb collection of Dylan covers, Red On Blonde) and “Ain’t No Man Righteous, Not One” (in a delicious take by the reggae group Jah Malla). And great songs that I hadn’t yet been that familiar with, such as “Ain’t Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody,” “Every Grain of Sand” and “When You Gonna Wake Up” that are burrowing their way into my longterm consciousness. As others will here as well.

That’s one of the great things about Dylan: The brilliance of so many songs is so stunning you can miss others that are also that or damn close. Which means, even for an ardent fan, there’s more from the past to discover and savor. And the Bootleg Series serves us so well.

On the two full concerts included, as well as studio tracks, it’s worth the price of admission alone to hear the drums played by Jim Keltner, who – as much as I almost always eschew making such statements – is hands down the greatest drummer in rock’n’roll. The keyboards by Spooner Oldham – co-writer of such stone cold classic songs as “A Woman Left Lonely” and “Cry Like a Baby” – and guitar work by Fred Tackett and Steve Ripley (Bob has one hell of an ear for guitarists) are as well.

When Dylan released his first album after this excursion, Infidels, I was right back on his beam. And have been ever since, more and more as time goes on.

Populist Picks

TV Documentary: The Space Race – This 2005 National Geographic series now on Netflix follows a story that I lived alongside and followed rather closely as it happened. Yet I learned much new and relived its drama and triumphs as I watched this.

TV Documentary: Hired Guns – Admittedly, this doc about musicians who are hired to back stars on tour and in the studio draws from a rather narrow pool. And spends way too much time letting the players show off and not near enough showing how their ability to focus on the music of who they work for enables them to do the work they do. Nonetheless it does reveal some truths about those who labor in the shadow of stardom.

Rob Patterson is a music and entertainment writer in Austin, Texas. Email orca@prismnet.com.

From The Progressive Populist, April 15, 2018

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