Shot of Love

Please ignore the presupositional, crass idiocy of the I-tunes review above. This album is infused with some of the most convicted lyrics in the history of Christian music. I'm a big fan of Dylans entire career but truly feel that this was his most audacious and searing season.

While this is considered one of BD's "Christian Period" releases, it is, without limitation one of his most accessible releases from the late 70s to early 80s. Along with "Street Legal", "Infidels" and "Slow Train Coming" I think that "Shot of Love" can be enjoyed either as a work of faith OR an observation of how true devotion interacts with the real world; complete with casualties and episodes of realizing that true faith is found only within. Not for the faint of heart or those unwilling to consider the broader implications of personal sacrifice, this is a Dylan examining those around him in an unflinching light. Recommended.

"Shot of Love," the album song, features Dylan's voice drowned out by the music and background singers. In the song, Dylan is asking for love. He uses figures like the president and drugs like heroin to show what he doesn't need. "Heart of Mine" is a vast improvement to "Shot of Love" with its softer and catchy sound. He is backed by only one singer, so his voice is actually heard. The music has a slight Caribbean feel to it. The song is about a man who is saying not to let this woman in his life or he will be overcome by his love for her. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" is an interesting line in a love song. "Property of Jesus" is the third song with a three word title and with the second word as "of." Dylan's performance is great in this song, with a nice, solid beat. "Lenny Bruce" is a tribute to one of Dylan's favorite outlaws. Finally, a peaceful sounding piano song, with lyrics that are more personal and visual. Dylan speaks of what Lenny Bruce did while he was alive and his ride with him in a taxi. He says "only for a mile and a half. Seems like it took a couple of months." Dylan proves of Lenny's importance to society. "Watered Down Love" says pure love is worthless. It's another song that has a great sound to it. It's timeless. "The Groom's Still Waiting At The Alter" sounds like its from a completely different album and it wasn't added to the album until later reissues. The song is a rough rock interpretation of the Bible, with the groom and bride as Jesus and the Church. Dylan hints at different situations and people, like his sixties songs. "Dead Man, Dead Man" continues to take Shot of Love into another direction. It's one of the darkest songs of the album, yet the music is fast and upbeat. "In The Summertime" is one of the best sounding songs on the album. The performance, which holds the song together, reminisces on a past relationship. The harmonica adds to the song. The lyrics are very simple, yet effective at communicating his emotions. "I'm still carrying the gift that you gave. . . It will be with me unto the grave and then unto eternity." "Trouble" is too loud and obnoxious to be effective, unless those two characteristics where what he was going for. If you can get past that, the limiting of instruments actually helps emphasize Dylan's dark vocals at times. "You ever feel like your never alone, even when nobody else is around?" Though the lyrics are decent, it's still a fairly depressing song which seems to have the goal of improving the troubles in society by listing them. "Every Grain of Sand" is by far the greatest song on Shot of Love or Saved. It's Dylan singing exceptionally well with a little background music. His voice creates a trance, which none of the other songs in the album brought on. "Then onward in my journey I come to understand that every hair is numbered like every grain of sand." Dylan is speaking of the grain of existence without a single flaw in his lyrics or performance. His harmonica is a deeper sound which fits the song perfectly. In an interview, Dylan mentioned this album as being one of his personal favorites. "I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man, like every sparrow fallen, like every grain of sand."

The song Property of Jesus makes sense to anyone who has walked away from the religious institutions to follow Jesus. I believe Bob is singing this song to those religious folk he left behind.

Despite the fact that I absolutely love both "Slow Train Coming" and "Saved", I've never really had a lot of passion for this album. It ultimately strikes me as kind of flat, compared to the vibrant stuff on Dylan's other gospel albums. In a way, I see "Shot of Love" as a pre-"Infidels". In the Shot of Love songs he's slowly changing back into a more enigmatic form of writing. It's sort of the middle ground from the overt messages of "Saved" to the mind-bending mystery of so many songs in "Infidels" and "Empire Burlesque". I turn back to this album now and again hoping to finally 'get it', but for now it's not close to being one of my favorites. Shot of Love (which is rarely criticized as much as Saved) seems rather angry and self-righteous in many of the songs. Many of the songs aren't focused inward, but are focused outward at those that cling to evil. Fingers point. Accusations are made. Judgement is cast. Fortunately, 'Every Grain of Sand' cools everything off in the end and ultimately saves the album. I think in many ways Infidels and Shot of Love could have been similar albums if Bob had excluded certain songs from Shot of Love and included other outtakes. 'Jokerman' and 'Angelina', 'I and I' and 'Carribbean Wind', 'Trouble' and 'Man of Peace'... I dunno. They just all kind of seem to be from the same 'era', if you ask me. And what a weird assortment of songs are on this album! I can never quite put my finger on what exactly the album is about. The song 'Shot of Love' is a hard-rock plea for faith. It's followed by a snappy Ringo Starr accompanied tune. And then there's the weird "Lenny Bruce" song. Why is Dylan writing that? What is he trying to say? Is he trying to say all have sinned and believers should not pass judgement on anyone, even someone seemingly as bad as Lenny Bruce? If that's the message, he contradicts himself with "Property of Jesus", a huge finger-pointing song if there ever was one (and a song that I actually don't like that much... I like the title, though). Then there's polticial observations, revelations, visions, references to classic films (a foreshadow of the references in Empire Burlesque?)....... It's a hodgepodge of mind-boggling everywhereness.

How insulting is the itunes review of this album. I am not a great fan of the album "Saved" but Dylans other two gospel albums are great works of rock, poetry, worship, and evangelism in no particular order. The itunes reviewer shows his inability to apreciate art past his anti christian snobbery and in doing so belittles all people of faith including the very human and still very christian Mr. Dylan. thanks for the great work Bob

The opening "review" is inaccurate and a bit crass. Dylan wasn't "outgrowing" his faith, but he was maturing the Gospel form by making it his own. "Property of Jesus" is essentially a swipe at the callous superiority of sophisticated unbelievers. Dylan criticizes the dismissiveness of disbelief, and defends the seniments of those who love the Gospel. Dylan toured with a Gospel ensemble and played for hours at a time, usually finishing those concerts with a small remnant of charismatic Christians. Those who were unoffended by "Lay, Lady, Lay" were terribly put off by "Saved by the blood of the lamb." In any case, the hypocrisy was not Dylan's. Shot of Love is a sincere, underrated work.

you can't help but hear that dylan is trying to tell us something in here, just like when he was in greenwich village.