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01/03/2006

Dylan's Gospel: genius

The discussion of Dylan’s Gospel Phase rumbles on – it has engendered more feedback than any other topic covered on The Dylan Daily.

Thanks to Richard Wells in the USA for his contribution:

“I get the feeling Mike Ollier doesn't really care much for music that has overtly religious content, and he's searching for a secular way to praise Dylan's religious writing:

* “’Precious Angel’…not overtly religious.”

* “’I Believe in You’ …could just as easily apply to a woman; the track is one of Dylan’s most beautiful love songs.”

* The title track from “Slow Train” “…it’s actually a protest song.”

* He even calls “Every Grain of Sand” a “piano ballad.”

“I think the proof of the inspired output of Dylan’s Gospel Years may be in the CD, “Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan,” and the recently released DVD of the same title. The DVD speaks to the religious depth of Dylan’s writing, and the performances are mind-blowing.

“I always considered Dylan a genius in the same way people consider Picasso a genius – an off-handed, “Oh yeah, he’s a genius.” “Saved,” for all its flaws totally cemented Dylan as a genius in my mind. “Saved” is gut-bucket gospel that could only have been written by someone totally steeped in the tradition – for a lifetime, perhaps, or – by Dylan, taken by the spirit.

“The flaws of “Saved” are the flaws of triumphalism, its power is the poet crying for redemption, and I think Dylan was barely hanging on to that solid rock by his fingernails. It’s almost scary how badly he wants it, and how frightened he is that he isn’t really going to get it.

“I don’t think Mike has given Dylan his due as a Gospel, and that means “religious”, songwriter.”

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