"It gets discouraging at times, but I know I’ll make it By the saving grace that’s over me."--Bob Dylan
When if comes to albums, I don't think I've ever seen Dylan's Saved album get tagged in the top half of any list, and usually it's pushed as far from the front as possible. For example in this list by Ultimate Classic Rock, it is ranked third last behind Dylan (1973) and Self-Portrait (1970). I was in college those years and actually enjoyed Dylan's album of covers (Dylan),though I will concede it was different.
Paste Magazine ranked Saved as the very worst of the worst, #39 of 39. Reviewer Matt Mitchell calls it the least inspired writing of Dylan's career—"not to mention the arrangements, which meld rock ‘n’ roll and gospel to a nauseating degree..." To Mitchell's credit he doesn't just toss all three albums from Dylan's Gospel Trilogy into the same trash bin outright. Shot of Love get a #27 rank and Slow Train Coming a #24, each of which have some great songs on them.
In 2022 Tom Rice, editor of the Chamblee High School newspaper Blue & Gold, ranked 33 Dylan albums, placing Saved one slot from the gutter, only ahead of Down in the Groove. I was impressed, however, by the thoughtful analysis and original approach Tom took here, an insightful and entertaining read. So cool to see another generation finding relevance in Dylan's decades-long catalog.
Now my personal take is that Saved has to be evaluated for what it is, not for what critics or fans want it to be. Essentially it is a heartfelt gospel album. The songs here are offered as a gift to gospel believers much like the hymns of old, giving voice to Biblical concepts and encouragement to faith.
For a truly uplifting recording of Dylan's purest gospel songs check out the 2003 recording of Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan featuring an array of Black gospel singers interpreting songs from Saved and Slow Train. Aaron Neville's version of "Saving Grace" is especially poignant. In fact, when I read the opening stanza of this song, I hear Aaron Neville's voice in my head, singing...
If you find it in Your heart, can I be forgiven?
Guess I owe You some kind of apology
I’ve escaped death so many times, I know I’m only living
By the saving grace that’s over me
* * *
Out of curiosity, I decided to ask ChatGPT to write a brief review of the album Saved and here's what ChatGPT had to say:
Bob Dylan's "Saved" album, released in 1980, stands as a unique and often overlooked gem in his extensive discography. Amidst the controversy and mixed critical reception surrounding his previous Christian-themed album Slow Train Coming, Saved continues Dylan's exploration of his newfound faith with fervor and conviction.
The album opens with the spirited title track, setting the tone for what follows—a collection of gospel-infused songs that blend Dylan's signature poetic lyricism with soulful melodies and fervent vocal delivery. Tracks like "Covenant Woman" and "What Can I Do for You?" showcase Dylan's ability to weave biblical themes into deeply personal and introspective narratives, while "Solid Rock" and "Pressing On" exude an infectious energy and optimism.
One of the album's highlights is undoubtedly "In the Garden," a hauntingly beautiful ballad that reflects Dylan's spiritual journey with profound sincerity. With its ethereal atmosphere and poignant lyrics, it serves as a poignant meditation on faith and redemption.
While Saved may not have achieved the same commercial success as some of Dylan's other works, its significance lies in its raw honesty and unapologetic exploration of religious themes. Dylan's impassioned vocals and the album's soulful instrumentation create a powerful listening experience that resonates with believers and non-believers alike.
Overall, Saved stands as a testament to Bob Dylan's fearless artistic evolution and unwavering commitment to expressing his truth. It may not be considered one of his classic albums, but its spiritual depth and emotional resonance make it a compelling and underrated entry in Dylan's vast body of work.
EdNote: The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, meaning “good story,” a rendering of the Latin evangelium and the Greek euangelion, meaning “good news” or “good telling.” --Britannica
Saving Grace
WRITTEN BY: BOB DYLAN
Hi Ed, thanks so much, from a Dylan fan who has always loved the Saved album, for its beautiful songs!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this fine take on Saved and best wishes on your recovery, Ed. Keep pressin’ on.
ReplyDeleteGoing through some hard times recently,
ReplyDeletedidn't take me long to get Saved, and start
pressing on...Thanks!
Good points. Hope your recovery goes well
ReplyDeleteI suppose the thing with Saved is that it's impossible to separate its qualities as musical performances from its specifically Christian messages. The latter are intolerable for many people and call radically into question most of the way modern American life is organized, its values, hopes, etc. It would be more acceptable if it wore a patina of age, so that its messages could be relativized away as no real challenge to The Way We Live Now. (Thus, people today can listen to Handel's Coronation Anthems and quite like them, not feeling any demand being made upon them to consider seriously the meaning of the anointing of a monarch by a priest.) But these were new songs and Dylan clearly meant them as messages to the world. And the messages were ones most of his listeners didn't want to hear and don't want to hear. No need here to debate whether the messages were true or not; the point is that Dylan did mean them, they had captivated his singer-songwriter imagination, and his band, whatever the beliefs of each individual were, were evidently aligned at least with the type of sound Dylan was seeking. What was on Top 40 in 1980? What, "My Sharona"? So long ago! At any rate Dylan gave a strikingly different musical and lyrical product with radical messages. It has some faults on its own terms -- I think Dylan's heart was in touring more than the labor of studio recording at the time, and it shows. But on its own terms it's a success. It's actually one of his indispensable albums.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your insights........
ReplyDeleteThe Handel comparison is apt.