Bob Dylan has spent six decades zig-zagging. He’s the guy who went electric and got called "Judas" at the Free Trade Hall. He’s the guy who retreated to a basement in Woodstock to play old-timey Americana while everyone else was tripping on acid. But nothing—honestly, absolutely nothing—rattled the cage quite like Slow Train Coming.
It was 1979. The man who wrote "Masters of War" and "Desolation Row" was suddenly singing about being born again.
Fans were pissed. Critics were confused. The "voice of a generation" had found a new boss, and he wasn't shy about it. People act like this was just some weird blip where Bob lost his mind for a second, but if you actually listen to the record, it’s arguably the most professional, tight, and musically "on" he’s ever been in a studio.
The Silver Cross and the Hotel Room Vision
Most people think Dylan just woke up one day and decided to be a preacher. It was actually way weirder and more physical than that.
During a show in San Diego in late 1978, Dylan wasn't feeling great. He had a fever, he was exhausted, and the vibe was off. Someone in the crowd threw a small silver cross onto the stage. Usually, Dylan ignores the junk people toss at him, but this time he picked it up and shoved it in his pocket.
A few days later in a Tucson hotel room, he had what he described as a literal, physical vision of Jesus. He said the glory of the Lord knocked him down and picked him back up.
You’ve gotta remember where he was at the time. His marriage had imploded. His film Renaldo and Clara was a four-hour disaster that critics absolutely mauled. He was, by his own admission, pretty much at the end of his rope. For Dylan, this wasn't just a change of heart; it was a rescue mission.
Why Slow Train Coming Sounds Like Dire Straits
If you listen to the title track or "Precious Angel," you’ll notice a guitar sound that is very... not Dylan. It’s clean. It’s "glassy." It sounds exactly like "Sultans of Swing."
That’s because it’s Mark Knopfler.
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Dylan had seen Dire Straits at the Roxy in L.A. and was floored by Knopfler’s playing. He basically decided right then that he wanted that sound. He called up Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers and flew them down to Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Funny enough, Knopfler didn't even know it was a religious album until he got there. He’s on record saying he was a bit puzzled when he realized every single song was about God. But he stayed, and his interplay with Barry Beckett’s keyboards created a "slick" sound that Dylan usually avoids.
The Muscle Shoals Secret Weapon
Dylan didn't just grab a hot guitarist; he hired Jerry Wexler. This is the guy who produced Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. Wexler was a self-described "Jewish atheist," and he and Dylan had some famous arguments in the studio.
Wexler once told Dylan, "Bob, you’re talking to a 62-year-old Jewish atheist. Let’s just make a record."
Because Wexler didn't care about the theology, he focused entirely on the groove. He forced Dylan to do multiple takes—something Dylan hates. He pushed for vocal clarity. The result is an album where you can actually hear every word Bob is saying, which, let's be real, is a rarity in his catalog.
The "Gotta Serve Somebody" Irony
The lead single, "Gotta Serve Somebody," is the ultimate "love it or hate it" track. It’s got this grinding, funky rhythm and a lyric sheet that basically tells the listener they’re either with God or the Devil. No middle ground.
John Lennon famously hated it. He thought the idea of a "genius" like Dylan submitting to any authority was pathetic, and he even wrote a parody song called "Serve Yourself" in response.
But here’s the kicker: The song won Dylan his first-ever Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.
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It’s a weirdly catchy song for something so confrontational. It became his biggest hit in years. Even people who didn't buy the "Jesus thing" couldn't stop humming the hook.
It Wasn't Just About Jesus
While the album is labeled "Gospel," a lot of Slow Train Coming is actually a massive protest record. It’s just that the target had changed.
In the 60s, he was protesting the government and the war. In 1979, he was protesting what he saw as the moral decay of America. He was singing about:
- Foreign oil dependence
- Big business manipulation
- The "inflated ego" of modern man
- Abandoning earthly principles
The "Slow Train" isn't just salvation; it's judgment. He’s saying that things are about to get very real, very fast.
The Misconception of the "Lost" Years
People talk about this era like Dylan stopped being Dylan. Actually, he was more energized than he’d been in a decade.
If you look at the Bootleg Series Vol. 13: Trouble No More, you can hear the live versions of these songs. He was singing with a fire that made his mid-70s stuff look sleepy. He refused to play his old hits like "Blowin' in the Wind" because he felt they weren't "given to him by God" at that moment.
He was essentially burning his legacy to the ground to build something new. That’s the most "Dylan" move possible.
Is the Album Actually Any Good?
Strip away the "Born Again" baggage for a second.
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If you look at the musicianship, it’s top-tier. Tim Drummond’s bass lines are thick and soulful. The background singers (Carolyn Dennis, Regina Havis, Helena Springs) give the whole thing a massive, soaring feeling.
Songs like "I Believe in You" are legitimately heartbreaking, regardless of your religious stance. It’s a song about being lonely because of your convictions. Anyone who has ever stood up for something unpopular can relate to that.
"When He Returns" is just Dylan and a piano. No bells, no whistles. It’s one of the rawest vocal performances he ever put on tape.
Why It Still Matters
Slow Train Coming went platinum. It actually outsold Blonde on Blonde in its initial run.
It matters because it proved Dylan wasn't a museum piece. He wasn't going to just play the hits and die. He was willing to alienate his entire fanbase to follow a creative (and spiritual) impulse.
Whether you think he was "saved" or just "searching," the album stands as a masterclass in production and conviction. It’s the sound of a man who stopped caring about what "the generation" wanted and started caring about what he felt he needed to say.
Actionable Insights for the Curious Listener:
- Listen for the guitar: Pay close attention to the fills on "Precious Angel." That’s peak Mark Knopfler, and it’s arguably some of his best session work outside of Dire Straits.
- Check the Bootlegs: If you find the studio versions too "slick," go find the Trouble No More live recordings. The arrangements are grittier and Dylan’s vocals are much more aggressive.
- Compare it to "Street-Legal": Listen to the album he released just one year prior. The jump in production quality is staggering. It shows just how much Jerry Wexler brought to the table.
- Read the lyrics of "Slow Train": Forget the religious angle for a moment and read them as a political critique. You’ll find it’s surprisingly relevant to the modern world's obsession with corporate power and "earthly principles."