Slow Train Coming released: Aug 20, 1979 BUY

In the fall of 1978 Bob had a profound spiritual awakening that resulted in a conversion to Christianity, entering a studio in May 1979 to record an album that shook up the pop music world, and his fans, Slow Train Coming. The album’s opening track lays it out clearly: “It might be the Devil, or it might be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody,” and the rest of the disc goes on to illuminate aspects of that choice in tones alternately devotional and evangelical. The music world was sharply divided at the time over the new turn Dylan had taken, as they had been several times in the past; audiences often heckled him at his live shows, as they had when he began appearing with an electric band in the previous decade. But Dylan showed his characteristic integrity by doing what he felt called to do, and songs like “Gotta Serve Somebody,” “I Believe In You,” and “When He Returns” rank with his best work. Gotta Serve Somebody | listen | Precious Angel | listen | I Believe in You | listen | Slow Train | listen | Gonna Change My Way of Thinking | listen | Do Right to Me Baby | listen | When You Gonna Wake Up? | listen | Man Gave Names to All the Animals | listen | When He Returns | listen |