Shot of Love | Bob Dylan | The Gospel According to Bob Dylan (Part 3 of 3)

Shot of Love | Bob Dylan | Least of the Three Gospel Albums, but still worthy

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Shot of Love

	Shot of Love Bob Dylan Columbia Europe, 1991 average customer review:based on 46 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Out of print tin the U.S.! 1981 album from Mr. Dylan featuring musical backing from Ron Wood, Danny Kortchmar, Steve Douglas, Benmont Tench, Jim Keltner, Donald 'Duck' Dunn and others. 11 tracks. Sony.

The Gospel According to Bob Dylan (Part 3 of 3)

If you have not already noticed, Dylan has a penchant for doing albums in trilogies (whether explicitly intended or not). There is, obviously, the electric trilogy that culminated in Blonde On Blonde, the latest crusty old man series that began with Time Out of Mind and ends with Modern Times. Less stated is the "I am completely out of it and still rock" trilogy from Self Portrait through Planet Waves. And then there is the polarizing Christian trilogy which began with Slow Train Coming, wandered into the chapel with Saved and smacked you right in the face with Shot Of Love.

Shot of Love, however, overlaps into a second trilogy. Where this albums ends the Christian trilogy, it is also the beginning of what I call his "Big 80's" trilogy. This triumvirate also includes Infidels and Empire Burlesque. Though Shot of Love is ripe with Biblical references and exaltations of Christ, the sound is a departure from Saved and previous albums in that he explores the studio space and technology much the same way Bruce Springsteen did in the Reagan decade. The sound is BIG with expert production, the big Keltner drum sound, and an all star line up including guys like Ron "Better than Keith Richards" Wood and Ringo "Cooler than John" Starr. If this sounds like albums prior to Shot of Love, then just listen to it, you will hear what I mean. The recording process reads and sounds like a cocaine California album on Warner Bro's in '77...more like a Steely Dan or Randy Newman outfit than Dylan.

Fortunately, the music is also great. This is my personal favorite Dylan album of the era (a long one stretching from Planet Waves through Good As I Been To You). Starting with the juke joint blues of of the title track, with excellent female backing vocals, this album is clearly more powerful and focused than it's two predecessors. He moves into the sweet and sentimental "Heart of Mine", with a simple hook reminiscent of the easy pop of New Morning. "Property of Jesus" is the most overtly Christian song on the album, and it is classic in-your-face Dylan, not afraid to make the listener examine their own self through song. "Lenny Bruce" people seem to really love, although a major theme seems to be lost on many listeners who consider it a 'secular' song. Clearly Dylan is holding up the life of a troubled man (a sinner and a Jew, no less) who, through his search for truth, is acting a bit Christ like. "Lenny Bruce" also offers a subtle example of God's divine mercy coming down even on a foul mouthed comedian; let us not forget that Lenny is our Brother.

Following the fun and message-laden "Watered Down Love" comes the most powerful track on the album and one of Dylan's all time best...and it was left off the original pressing! "The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" is a burning blues number featuring a Dylan narrative to be reckoned with. Imagine the bounce of "One More Weekend" with lyrics from Highway 61 to get an idea of this song. The lyrics are strong and thought provoking, the guitar rambling, and Dylan's voice vicious with excellent support from the ladies. Other songs of note are "Dead Man, Dean Man", which features a reggae vibe that he would further explore on Infidels and the closer "Every Grain of Sand", a long and somber conclusion with big harmonica interludes, quite reminiscent of "Desolation Row" if you ask me.

Stated earlier, this album belongs as much to the Christian period as it does to his Big 80's material of Infidels and Empire Burlesque. It has a precise and echoic feel that sounds more dated than his folk material does today. However, context and catalog aside, this album is a great ride, full of dynamics and thoughtful numbers. Who should have a problem with Dylan's Christianity of the time should seriously examine the man (who nobody really knows) harder. Dylan was always full of a Holy Spirit of sorts. Consistently penning songs of justice and injustice, hope and despair, light and darkness, death and life. The man's overtly Christian period did not last, but I do not believe it to be something he is ashamed of. Bob Dylan was bound to have a point on his map of a career in which he upheld the ultimate seeker of justice, the suffering servant, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

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Least of the Three Gospel Albums, but still worthy

'Shot of Love' is Bob Dylan's third album of mostly original gospel songs from 1979 - 1981, after 'Slow Train Coming' and 'Saved'. I agree with most people who have reviewed these three albums that this is the least of the three, with 'Slow Train Coming' generally being considered the best. I believe there are two relatively objective aspects about the album which support this evaluation. First, the earlier two were produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, while this was produced by Dylan and the relatively unknown Chuck Plotkin. The difference in the sound is palpable. 'Shot of Love' sounds like either a 'live' album or one recorded in Dylan's basement. The sound capture sounds positively crude. This may be a virtue in some cases, but here, Dylan has some of the very best sidemen in the business at the time, including Jim Keltner on drums, Duck Dunn on bass, and Ron Wood on guitar. A second consideration is that while Dylan's texts on songs for the first two albums are quite familiar to active Bible readers, some of these songs lean to the obscure now and then. Not something useful in a gospel song. and there is no obscure use of the material. Otherwise, the musical and lyrical style is similar to the earlier two albums, and if you like these, you will appreciate 'Shot of Love', especially if you cover up the really dreadful cover!

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FIRE AND FURY

BOB IS AN ARTIST, HE HAS NO PLACE TO FALL. Bob described this album as his most explosive yet, and his fans, wide eyed looked at each other--what? That was in 1981, but let me get it straight for you my way. I was surprised this album was so good. I plugged it in the stereo and wanted to quickly go through the rest of the songs because I already heard my favorite song, The Groom's Still Waiting at the Alter, on another album. First of all, this is hardly a gospel album. Oh well, perhaps just a little bit but far from Slow Train Coming. This might make some of you happy. Next, some of the songs are OUTSTANDING AND INDEED EXPLOSIVE. Shot of Love, The Groom's Still Waiting at the Alter, Dead Man, Dead Man, and ESPECIALLY Trouble are out of this world. The music backing on Trouble is very good. Play it a few times and listen to it carefully because Bob's singing is really good in this one (as in many other songs I guess). Really understand that Bob is an OUTSTANDING SINGER as well as a poet & composer because it took me a while for this to REALLY sink in. I think he should have been knighted for his vocals alone. Going back to the album, here's the catch: The sound is not as clear, "polished," or sophisticated as Oh Mercy or Slow Train Coming. Did the studio have only ONE mic and put it in the wrong place? Sometimes Bob doesn't come in too clear, and the great guitar playing in the background remains in the background. Why? They should have been experts at this studio recording stuff by now. This is not the fault of the producer. According to what I read, Bob can really try the patience of saints as Daniel Lanois smashed a very expensive guitar while producing Oh Mercy (on purpose!). Thank God the result of the album was SPECTACULAR, thanks to his perseverance and patience. This album left me a little frustrated because if there was a knob on my stereo to fix all this, I would have. I needed to absorb the total experience of the songs with Bob's singing and the great guitar playing that remains in the background (sometimes). "Trouble" was clearer than some other songs. However, I had to turn up the stereo volume two notches. Especially with The Groom's Still Waiting at the Alter, Bob sings this song to perfection, and I only wish that Bob's voice would be more upfront and, (in this song alone) that Michael Bloomfield or someone just as good (but really who would be that good) would have done some fancy guitar playing in it as the sound could have been uped a notch in sophistication. They should have shot the background singer because she screeches some minor vocals into the mic. With these minor frustrations, I still think some of these songs are outstanding, and I was indeed very surprised.

THE GROOM'S STILL WAITING AT THE ALTER:
Ah, Bob really belts out this rockin' R&B lament (or better yet) WAIL of an abandoned man (him) by his woman in this song done in total Dylan style with such fire and fury and fervor that this song seems more of a triumphant Olympic Gold Medal win than a dumped man, thus accumulating another TROPHY to his collection of women who dumped him. Who else but Bob could create such an apocalyptic theme & attach it to an ordinary ending of a relationship--where cities burn, phones are out of order, and where nuns and soldiers are killed in some sort of final battle--from which he exists triumphant (as I see it). West of Jordan, East of the Rock of Gibralter you can almost hear the sizzlin' and cracklin' of the high flames and the ghostly howl of the wind as the stage B U R N S in the intense heat and blaze of this "massacre of the innocent." Where is his woman now and what is she up to? Bob has some theories . . . Bob is just fine. He has no place to fall.

With regard to Biblical themes: Those who have not yet heard or fully appreciated "When the Ship Comes In" should listen to it. This song is really tops for me. I think the best version is in Bootleg Series 7. (It's also in his early album The Times They Are A-Changin' & Bootleg Series 1-3) I gave this song in this album to a couple of undercover animal rights agents/photographers. I hope it gives them courage to keep up the fight.

My favorite songs last around 4 minutes more or less. I would have liked them to last longer because Dylan fans are spoiled rotten since they are used to Dylan songs lasting 5-6 minutes (on the average).

You have GOT to hear my second favorite which is Trouble--really.

You SHOULD BUY this album. It would be a mistake not getting it. I liked this album a little more than Planet Waves which I think should be part of a collection, but both don't measure up to Oh Mercy.

I didn't care too much for his softer songs on this one. Bob does a lot of his best work when he's "on fire" (RIGHT?), but I DO love many of his gentler songs just as well as other fans--Highlands, Lay Lady Lay, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Sara, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, and MANY more.

(The Groom's Still Waiting at the Alter made me want to dance around the house, arms waving freely to the music in celebration of past ex's. Thank God you're all gone!)

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under-appreciated

I ignored the "religious stuff" for too long. this rocks! and when it doesn't rock, it's so sweet (Grain of Sand, Lenny Bruce)

Shot of Love

Shot of Love being Dylan's 1981 release and his 21st studio album is a very good album that delves into his personal faith and his views on religion at the time. Songs such as Every grain of Sand and Shot of love are stand out tracks on this release. The book-let is well beyond bad. Starting with a strange cover. The inside is informative but looks cheap. The photo on the back is well, ok but nothing. Dylan holding a rose and looking mighty pensive. 4/5.

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