Slow Train Coming [Original recording remastered]

Track Listings

1. Gotta Serve Somebody

2. Precious Angel

3. I Believe in You

4. Slow Train

5. Gonna Change My Way of Thinking

6. Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)

7. When You Gonna Wake Up

8. Man Gave Names to All the Animals

9. When He Returns

Tracks:

Gotta Serve Somebody
Precious Angel
I Believe in You
Slow Train
Gonna Change My Way of Thinking
Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)
When You Gonna Wake Up
Man Gave Names to All the Animals
When He Returns

Customer Reviews:

Somewhat grim.......2007-05-26

This notorious album opens with Gotta Serve Somebody, a slow edgy number with prominent female vocals in a genuine gospel style, whilst Precious Angel is a tuneful folky track. One of the most moving songs is I Believe In You, a description of the rejection often experienced by those who openly confess their faith, expressed in stirring poetic lyrics over a lovely melody line.

The title track Slow Train is a messy mid-tempo rock excursion infused with gospel backing vocals, certainly not the strongest offering on the album. Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking is a similarly downtempo rock number but with some nice organ flourishes, unfortunately a bit harsh in both sentiment and in sound.

The jerkily rhythmic Do Right To Me Baby is a pleasant enough rumination on the golden rule with some clever lyrical twists, whilst the meandering When You Gonna Wake Up is a call to repentence I suppose, but not particularly tuneful or memorable. The next one, Man Gave Names To All The Animals, is lighter and quite appealing with its gently lilting beat.

The album concludes with the stirring devotional When He Returns. One would have expected more of the Van Morrison type of mystical joyousness, but this album is often grim and uncompromising. Mercifully the aforementioned songs like Precious Angel, I Believe In You and When He Returns are lovely and comforting.

Of Dylan's religious albums, I think Shot of Love with its gems like Every Grain Of Sand and Lenny Bruce, and Infidels with tracks like Neighbourhood Bully and Jokerman are the best. Slow Train Coming is not bad at all but not an album that I often listen to. The thought of how it must have shocked the rock critics when it was released is however cause for mirth.

Saved

Time Out of Mind

Slow Train CD.......2007-05-13

I've listened to Bob Dylan since he started and I still listen. Great CD, great - great - great.

Rolling Stone's Editor LOVED this album, folks. FWIW........2007-04-09

I bought the issue of Rolling Stone with Jann Wenner's review of this album when it first came out. Wenner raved about it, loved it. FWIW. Maybe he didn't have his guard up, I don't know.

Jesus as mind-numbing drug.......2007-03-02

I do like the music on this album, but am so glad Dylan is over the Jesus thang.

Musically there are better Dylan albums but this one is a solid 3 stars.

HEY, AMERICA! "WHEN YOU GONNA WAKE UP?".......2007-02-12

GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY, the first song on BOB DYLAN's 1979 Gospel offering, SLOW TRAIN COMING, begins with a metronome-like pounding on Pick Wither's drum. This single, regular beat gives the astute listener the impression of a hammer striking a railroad tie. In other words, this is the slowly built, but inexorably advancing train track that, once fully constructed, will make a Way for the arrival of a massive, powerful, and unstoppable Divine Force.

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3; circa 740 - 701 B.C.)

"Then they said to [John the Baptist] ... What do you say about yourself? He said: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the Way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said." (John 1:23; circa 80 - 93 A.D.)

Just as John the Baptist was commissioned to prepare the Way for the first incarnation of Jesus - who came as a meek lamb of Salvation - it is "Christians" whose duty it is to prepare the Way for His second coming, which will be anything but meek, and which will come so suddenly, so unexpectedly, and with such force that the many dark-hearted will find their dark hearts fainting with fright. SLOW TRAIN COMING by Bob Dylan is both a warning and a celebration - a locomotive's whistle.

Unlike so much contemporary Christian music which seems to whine n wheeze, this collection includes some real arse-kickin', toe-stompin', and finger-pointing tracks. Buoyed by the unique musical contributions of Mark Knopfler and Pick Withers of Dire Straits, the Muscle Shoals Horns Section, and Barry Beckett with his fiery organ, the arrangements spell trouble for anyone who comes looking for another "Oh, La, La, La" Gospel album. And the lyrics clearly display the familiarity that Ol' Bob had gained with The Word Of God. I recall an interview Zimmy did with some music rag journalist not long after the release of SLOW TRAIN COMING (it was probably Rolling Stoned magazine). The writer asked Bob what his favorite part of The Bible was and he answered "Leviticus." The journalist dutifully recorded it, never realizing that Bob was obviously pulling the old dog's leg. But then Rolling Stoned writers have undoubtedly spent more time in the pages of the Communist Manifesto than they have in The Word Of God. (Despite his almost inestimable influence on modern music, I've never been a big Dylan fan, but I've always loved his smart aleck nature. Gotta love them Mensa-donkeys.)

SLOW TRAIN COMING is not without its weaknesses: I BELIEVE IN YOU has probably the most atrocious singing I have ever heard from a professional singer. If I didn't know better, I'd think that Bob was deliberately making a mockery of the song. The Reggae-influenced MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE ANIMALS is too long a piece to go without any musical break or tempo change. And the lyrics are overworked and sometimes too downright silly ("Great big furry back and furry hair"?!) to make the surprise payoff at the end worth the wait. And the slow closer, WHEN HE RETURNS, despite some heartfelt lyrics, kind of peters out (like Saint Peter at the trial of Jesus) on what is otherwise a really good record.

GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY; PRECIOUS ANGEL; and DO RIGHT TO ME, BABY are all solid, but SLOW TRAIN; GONNA CHANGE MY WAY OF THINKING; and WHEN YOU GONNA WAKE UP? all kick some serious heathen b*tt! These are "Play-em-Loud-And-Disturb-The-Devil" cuts!

And Ol' Zimmy really knew the score:

"Sister, lemme tell you about a vision I saw.
You were drawing water for your husband, you were suffering under the law.
You were telling him about Buddha, you were telling him about Mohammad in the same breath.
You never one time mentioned the Man who came and died a criminal's death."
(~from Precious Angel)

"In the home of the brave, Jefferson's turnin' over in his grave ...
But the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency."
(~from Slow Train)

"God don't make no promises that He don't keep.
You got some big dreams, baby, but in order to dream you gotta still be asleep. ...
Counterfeit philosophies have polluted all your thoughts.
Karl Marx has got ya by the throat, Henry Kissinger's got you tied up in knots. ...
You got unrighteous doctors dealing drugs that'll never cure your ills.
When you gonna wake up? ...
Adulterers in churches and pornography in the schools,
You got gangsters in power and lawbreakers making rules. ...
Do you ever wonder just what God requires?
You think He's an errand boy to satisfy your wandering desires."
(~from When You Gonna Wake Up?)

"Jesus said, Be ready,
For you know not the hour in which I come.
Jesus said, Be ready,
For you know not the hour in which I come.
He said, He who is not for Me is against me.
Just so you know where He's coming from."
(~from Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking)

Hey, America, it's time to turn off your television and study The Book, because there's a Train coming; it may seem slow, but it IS coming ..... and sooner than you know.

Average customer rating:

Will it Convert Me? Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music
A Great Gospel Record
This is a Very Good Record
Flumexed His Fans, Me Too, but I Came Around
The Music Just Flows on this Controversial Album

Slow Train Coming
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000025GW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Gotta Serve Somebody
Precious Angel
I Believe In You
Slow Train
Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others)
When You Gonna Wake Up
Man Gave Names To All The Animals
When He Returns

Customer Reviews:

Will it Convert Me? Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music.......2006-09-04

Slow Train is an album that may be hard for some Dylan fans to get into, because of its Christian nature. I'm not a born again Christian, not even a very good church goer, so for the longest time I didn't pay this record any attention. I got in the giant hybrid box set. However, there are a couple songs, "I Believe in You" and "Precious Angel" where it's possible for me to believe Dylan is singing to or about a girl than the Deity. However, now, I must confess, that I play the whole CD, from start to finish, the music is just so good, Dylan's voice too. Will it convert me? Probably not, but it's still awfully good music.

A Great Gospel Record.......2006-04-03

I can remember some of my friends saying, "Praise the Lord, Bob Dylan has seen the light!" Well, I don't know if he has, or had in this case, because it doesn't seem that he's the rabid born again Christian now that he was back when this record came out. But like it or not, and a lot of fans didn't, the man who sang "Desolation Row" was now singing about the Almighty and he was being backed up by Gospel singers. Horror of horrors. Still this is a darned good record. I play it a lot. In fact, though not an avid listener of Gospel music (Oh happy day), I'll bet as those kind of records go, that this is one of the best. Such is the magic of Bob Dylan. He puts it all out there and we follow. We can't help ourselves, his work is just so good, so important.

This is a Very Good Record.......2006-04-03

A lot of Dylan fans had issues with "Slow Train," but I wasn't one of them. I liked this record right out of the box. I'm not the kind of Christian Dylan was when he recorded this, but I recognize good music when I hear it. I remember singing along with George every time "My Sweet Lord" came on the radio. Good music is good music and this record is jammed full of it. The title song is just about one of the best Dylan has ever done, musically and vocally. "I Believe in You" and "Precious Angel" are gems. This is a very good record and if you are a fan of Bob Dylan's, it's one you gotta own.

Flumexed His Fans, Me Too, but I Came Around.......2006-04-03

As the Seventies drew to a close Bob Dylan again changed direction. He'd been a protest balladeer, a poet, a rocker, a torch song singer and more, but now he was going in a direction that would flumex his fans. The man who once raged against the establishment was turning to God. But he did it with a record that just plain sounded great. Dire Straits on steroids, that's what "Slow Train" sounds like and certainly the credit for that goes to Mark Knoplfer's guitar. I found myself resisting this record at first, but Dylan just sounds so good on it that I find myself actually listening to it quite a bit.

The Music Just Flows on this Controversial Album.......2006-04-03

Bob Dylan is certainly not unfamiliar with controversy. From his early protest period, to when he was booed for going electric, to his country period, all controversial, but perhaps none as controversial as his conversion to Christianity and his born again, Dire Straights sounding, pop rocker "Slow Train Coming" record. Surprisingly the album did well, considering the kind of fans he'd had and was seemingly turning away from with this record. Still, in the end, it's a Bob Dylan record and a good one at that, even if the lyrics are about, well let's face it, about God. I know that when I play "Precious Angel" I pretend he's singing to a girl, but down deep I really know better. The music, led by Mark Knoplfer's smooth guitar work just flows. Dylan's voice is about the best I've ever heard, except maybe on "Blood on the Tracks." He's clearly happy here, he's just isn't going in the direction I am here, still I do listen to this record a lot.

Average customer rating:

Slow Train Coming
Dylan's Greatest Moment In The Studio
Will it Convert Me? Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music
Praise the Lord
A Great Gospel Record

Slow Train Coming
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C8AVI
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Gotta Serve Somebody
Precious Angel
I Believe In You
Slow Train
Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
Do Right To Me Baby
When You Gonna Wake Up
Man Gave Names To All The Animals
When He Returns

Customer Reviews:

Slow Train Coming.......2007-04-24

Slow Train Coming-Bob Dylan ****

Who saw it coming certainly not me. Bob Dylan a born and raised Jewish man who his entire career had songs dealing with his faith suddenly converted to Christianity. In 1978 Bob Dylan officialy converted to the Christian faith and has been devout ever since. In the process of embracing Jesus Christ as his lord and saviour he managed to write an entire album about it and a hit one at that. Slow Train coming would be the last hit Bob Dylan album for almost thirty years and it would also give him his last hit single of his career. Who knew that singing about the most contraversial subject ever could be turned into a massive success, only Dylan could make it happen.

After Slow Train Coming Dylan would go into a finger pointing faze preeching instead of spreading the word of his lord, but doing so with the threat of hellfire and brimstone and consequently losing a lot of his fan base in the process not that he cared. Slow Train Coming was a rare album and a rare moment in the history of Bob Dylan because we never saw him this happy, voulnerable, or inspired again in his career

With the exception of 'When You Gonna Wake Up' the album is mostly happy and up beat in praise and very possitive. The song 'When You Gonna Wake Up' was a sign of things to come in a negative way, becaus earound the corner was nothing but judgement from Dylan. Really it was nothing but albums of judgement. But being as this record was recorded with legendary hardcore Jewish producer Jerry Wexler (Ray Charles, Motown), I dont think the man would have stood for finger pointing. 'Gotta Serve Somebody' became Dylans last hit single of the 1970's as well as his last hit single of his career. It's got a very loose feel and is full of Jamacan influence and lots of heavy organ, it is easy to see why this became such a big hit. Throughout the album someone other then Bob Dylans musical abilities shine, and that is of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights, yes the legandary axe slinger plays through out the album and is an asset to the team on tracks like 'Precious Angel' and 'Slow Train.' The former is amazing and would have fit well on Dire Straights debut. The later 'Slow Train' is quite simply one of the best songs that Bob Dylan has ever recorded in his life period.

Dylans lyrics have always been known for beig nothing short of brilliant, but on this album they seem and feel more inspired then usuall. That may be do to his new found faith. The imagery dipicted in his words are amazing and you feel like your there whitnessing Dylan speak to his lord right in front of you. 'Man Gave Names To All The Animals' does seem like nothing more then a childhood neursery rhyme but it does at nice texture to the album and lighten the mood a little as it is a nod to Noah and his ark.

Slow Train Coming is a must have for all fans of Dlyans work. It is his last essentail album for almost thirty years. After this Dylans albums were all hit or miss and even the decent ones are not essential and sound very dated. It wasnt until the late 1990's that Dylan did anything worth while. Since then he has released three albums that are among his best, Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft, and Modern Times. Make Slow Train Coming apart of your Dylan collection.

Dylan's Greatest Moment In The Studio.......2007-04-24

"Shine your light, Shine your light on me"

On November 17, 1978, Bob Dylan picked up a silver cross that was tossed on stage by a fan at a concert in San Diego, California, that was nearly marking the end of a year-long tour. He then had a vision of Christ while in a Tuscon, Arizona, hotel room, and - at the final tour date in Miami, Florida - debuted a new song, Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others), which began the merging of Dylan's new personal faith as a born-again Christian with his music to produce his greatest studio effort ever.

Released in August 1979, Dylan's trek into Christian teachings and philosophy are heard in the nine songs, that clock in at about 47 minutes, with the album reaching number three on the U.S. and number two on the U.K. album charts.

"I just can't make it by myself"

Though most of the instrumental focus is rightfully on the Muscle Shoals Horns and Mark Knopfler (g) & Pick Withers (d) of Dire Straits, the powerful background vocals of Carolyn Dennis, Helena Springs and Regina Havis place exclamation points on the powerful gospel numbers.

Gotta Serve Somebody does not skirt the stark consequences when a person willfully elects to pursue the avenues of evil. Precious Angel has an utterly beautiful melody and you will not hear as powerful a sermon from any pulpit as found in Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking. The guitar solos by Knopfler on Slow Train compliments the classic Dylan lyrics and America 2007 is found in When You Gonna Wake Up, as provocative a protest song - written for 1970s America - ever penned by Dylan.

"I'm a little too blind to see"

But the song, I Believe in You, which concerns being cast out due to unpopular religious beliefs, seemingly set the stage for a six-month tour - starting on November 1, 1979 - to promote the album. Dylan would not play older compositions - radio ads and other media material informed fans of the tour structure - and he oftentimes spent portions of the concerts lecturing hecklers who yelled out song requests or derided him for his Christian beliefs.

But what was lost in much of the critical noise then is Dylan's powerful messages of protest/patriotism, fellowship, friendship and love - themes that he had written about in the past - were given additional meaning when a rainbow of promise & hope appeared in his life. That he wanted to share his faith with others made his personal mission to spread the gospel even more wondrous.

Will it Convert Me? Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music.......2006-09-04

Praise the Lord.......2006-08-26

Great Gospel and inspiration from one of our most original artists. Great Wexler sound. Cant believe I found this album so revolting when I first heard it years and years ago. It is one of his best. Great backup female singers. This man's great inspiration comes from women as much as anything else.

A Great Gospel Record.......2006-05-20

Average customer rating:

Very good religious rock album
Will it Convert Me, Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music
A Great Gospel Record
A Great Gospel Record
Flumexed His Fans, Me Too, but I Came Around

Slow Train Coming
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0002J54KA
Release Date: 2004-10-04

Tracks:

Gotta Serve Somebody
Precious Angel
I Believe in You
Slow Train
Gonna Change My Way of Thinking
Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)
When You Gonna Wake Up
Man Gave Names to All the Animals
When He Returns

Album Description

Japanese remastered reissue packaged in a limited edition miniature LP sleeve. CBS/Sony. 2004.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Very good religious rock album.......2006-11-04

Bob Dylan accepted Christ as his Savior in 1978, and right away, his newborn faith became evident in his music. Slow Train Coming has a slick rock sound, with intoxicating guitar work, pretty melodies, and good female background singers.

The record kicks off with the warning that it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you "Gotta Serve Somebody." The second song is the pretty, but long winded "Precious Angel," a tribute to Mary Alice Artes, the woman who introduced Dylan to the Savior (and to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship).

The next song is the poignant, passionate "I Believe in You," where Dylan wears his faith on his sleeve, singing, "I believe in you, even through the tears and the laughter, even though I be outnumbered." He still performs this number in concerts once in a while.

The title track follows after this, and the Slow Train Coming is about the Kingdom of God and the time of the end inexorably approaching, even as Dylan's own loved ones are "turning into puppets," following the beat of this world system rather than following Christ.

The next tune is the resolute blues rock number "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking," complete with a beautiful horn section reminiscent of the Stones' Exile in Main Street sound. The song itself is about taking on the mind of Christ, thinking the thoughts of a Christian rather than the thoughts of the world.

There are also songs about the Golden Rule (Do Right to Me Baby), and the Garden of Eden story (Man Gave Names to all the Animals, a good children's song), and the closing number "When He Returns," probably the greatest song on the album, a stirring gospel tune that looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ.

I also like the song "When You Gonna Wake Up," a blues rock song where Dylan challenges us to wake up and accept Jesus.

Dylan's singing is a little strained at times, maybe because he was caught up in the emotion of the songs. It's hard to say. You especially notice it on "I Believe in You" and "When He Returns."

Thus record was recently recognized by CCM Magazine as one of the top ten Christian rock records of all time. In 1978, the idea of a major rock icon putting out an overtly born again Christian record seemed unlikely, and so this album breaks new ground. I highly recommend it.

Will it Convert Me, Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music.......2006-09-04

A Great Gospel Record.......2006-04-03

Flumexed His Fans, Me Too, but I Came Around.......2006-04-03

Average customer rating:

Will it Convert Me, Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music

Slow Train Coming

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000A3H6HM
Release Date: 2005-09-22

Album Description

Japanese pressing of the 1979 album has been fully remastered and features the original 9 tracks including 'Precious Angel', 'Slow Train', 'When You Gonna Wake Up' & 'When He Returns'. Sony. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Will it Convert Me, Probably Not, but it's Still Awfully Good Music.......2006-09-04

Average customer rating:

Do You Want to Walk on Water?

Manufacturer: Art Paul Schlosser
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAJON2
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. Precious Angel
3. I Believe in You
4. Slow Train
5. Gonna Change My Way of Thinking
6. Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)
7. When You Gonna Wake Up
8. Man Gave Names to All the Animals
9. When He Returns