"Slow Train Coming" - Bob Dylan (1979)
"Slow Train Coming" was Bob Dylan's 19th studio album and the last album he released in the 1970s. It's described as Dylan's first Christian album, and I avoided the record for, like, forever. Yes, I dig the funky "Gotta Serve Somebody" but I'd never heard anything else from the album. Nor did I care to. Not because of the Christian sentiments. I'm a Christian. By faith, not proof. I waver and wobble, but that's the road I've chosen to take. No, the reason I avoided "Slow Train Coming" was because I've always found Christian albums to be very milquetoast. Lame and cliched. And ultimately boring. But this ain't like any Christian album I've ever heard before!
When I dropped the needle on this puppy, I was flummoxed! "Slow Train Coming" is a surprisingly strong hoss. No kidding. The square has a funky Muscle Shoals breeze all over it. Mark Knopfler was invited to provide the guitar leads. And the delightful tongue-spinning Bob Dylan throws down some wonderful stinging barbs and soothing salve in just the right measure with some of his best vocals.
Dylan also tosses smile-makers into his rhyming as well, as Dylan often does. More importantly, rock fans can ignore the Jesus stuff if they choose to, in much the same way I can ignore the Black Sabbath "lucifer" references and we can both still enjoy the hell out of the music. (Was that wrong what I just did there?) Anyway, take what you need and leave the rest, but enjoy it just the same.
"Slow Train Coming" - Bob Dylan (back)
"Slow Train Coming" - Bob Dylan
(custom sleeve front/back)
Favorites include:
"Gotta Serve Somebody"
"Precious Angel"
"Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking"
"Slow Train"
Right off, let me just say, I messed up and need another copy of "Slow Train Coming." I found this album, along with a few others, at a garage sale resting in a group of $3 boxes sitting on a long table and I didn't thoroughly check the records out. I briefly looked at each record to see if it was clean and had a nice shine. No worrisome scratches. That the right album was in the sleeve. Check. Check. Check. But when I got home...I saw that this one was warped. Badly. The needle looked like a bull-rider coming outta the gate. It couldn't ride it. The first track on both sides was unlistenable. And of course, "Gotta Serve Somebody" is the first track. A bummer and a pisser. It happens. I just got in too big of a hurry. "Mothers...tell your children. Not to do what I have done...".
Columbia label
Cat #
FC 36120
SIDE A DEADWAX
PAL-36120-1B A BH 1-0 S 1
SIDE B DEADWAX
PBL-36120-2A BH C 7 S 1
"Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking" - Bob Dylan / "Slow Train Coming" (1979)
TRACKS:
A1 "Gotta Serve Somebody" 5:23
A2 "Precious Angel" 6:30
A3 "I Believe in You" 5:08
A4 "Slow Train" 5:57
B1 "Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking" 5:27
B2 "Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others)" 3:52
B3 "When You Gonna Wake Up" 5:28
B4 "Man Gave Names To All The Animals" 4:25
B5 "When He Returns" 4:29
PERSONNEL:
Bob Dylan - vocals, guitar
Barry Beckett - keyboards, percussion
Mark Knopfler - lead guitar
Tim Drummond - bass
Pick Withers - drums
Mickey Buckins - percussion
Carolyn Dennis - b-vocals
Regina Havis - b-vocals
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio - horns
Helena Springs - b-vocals
Good stuff.
Casey Chambers
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