mysteriously saved – BOB DYLAN 1979
4.2 Officially released live
versions
4.3 Performances during The Never-Ending Tour
This year started with three months in Bible class at The School
of Discipleship in Southern California, and ended with the first part of the
famous Gospel Tour. Once again Bob Dylan did the completely unexpected. Not
only did he became a newborn Christian, he recorded a gospel record with only
original songs and hit the road with a show that did not contain one single
song from his previous records!
[TOP]
January |
Playboy publishes the Ron Rosenbaum interview. |
1st Slow Train Coming session in Muscle Shoals Sound Studio,
Sheffield, Alabama. |
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2nd Slow Train Coming session. |
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3rd Slow Train Coming session. |
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4th Slow Train Coming session. |
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5th Slow Train Coming session. |
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17 August |
The 1966 film Eat The Document is broadcast on New York TV station Channel
13. |
18 August |
Release of Slow
Train Coming. |
September |
Release of the Gotta Serve Somebody/Trouble In Mind
single. |
Dylan & his Gospel Band appear at
Saturday Night Live with three songs from Slow Train Coming. |
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November |
Release of Man Gave
Names To All The Animals/When You Gonna Wake Up? single. |
The Gospel Tour starts with no less
than 14 shows at the Fox Warfield Theater in San Francisco. |
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The Bruce Heiman telephone interview is broadcast by KMEX Radio in Tucson. |
[TOP]
Slow Train Coming was recording in five sessions in a week’s time in early May. They were produced by Jerry Wexler & Barry Beckett. Here's a summary of these sessions:
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take
released on |
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Date |
Song |
takes |
STC[1] |
BIOG[2] |
BS[3] |
single |
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31 April |
Trouble In Mind |
8 |
7 |
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1 May |
Precious Angel |
1 |
1 |
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Ain't
No Man Righteous, No Not One |
10 |
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2 May |
When You Gonna Wake Up? |
3 |
3 |
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Gonna
Change My Way Of Thinking |
1 |
1 |
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Ye
Shall Be Changed |
1 |
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1 |
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3 May |
Ain't No Man Righteous, No Not One |
1 |
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I
Believe In You |
2 |
1 |
1 |
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Slow
Train |
1 |
1 |
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1 |
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4 May |
Gotta Serve Somebody |
4 |
3 |
1 |
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Do
Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others) |
4 |
4 |
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4 |
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When
He Returns |
9 |
9 |
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Man
Gave Names To All The Animals |
6 |
6 |
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6 |
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For more details about some of these
sessions please refer to the corresponding session pages.
Song |
Debut
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Ain't No Man Righteous, No Not One |
San Francisco, California,
16 November 1979 |
Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others) |
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Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking |
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Gotta Serve Somebody |
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I Believe In You |
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Man Gave Names To All The Animals |
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Precious Angel |
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Slow Train |
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When He Returns |
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When You Gonna Wake Up? |
Dylan And The Dead |
Gotta Serve Somebody |
Anaheim,
California, 26 July 1987 |
|
Slow Train |
Foxboro,
Massachusetts, 4 July 1987 |
Gotta Serve Somebody |
1988-1991, 1998-2002 |
I Believe In You |
1989-1996, 1998, 2002 |
Man Gave Names To All The Animals |
1989-1991 |
When You Gonna Wake Up? |
1989 (once) |
[TOP]
The Gospel Tour that started in 1979 and continued in the
spring of 1980, featured only gospel songs, either performed by the backup
singers, or by Bob Dylan backed by the band. No songs from his other records
were played. The setlist was almost constant from night to night. The audience
responses were confused, angry and sometimes outright hostile. Many came to see
a rock and roll show and were given a gospel concert. Dylan responded with long
sermons between songs about the end of the world, the battle of Armageddon and
the second coming. These lengthy raps are included in the session pages.
A gospel concert consisted of:
Set 1 |
6 songs by the backing singers plus Terry Young on piano |
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8 or 9 songs by
Bob Dylan and the band |
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1 song by one of the backing singers and the band |
Set 2 |
7 songs by Bob Dylan and the band |
Encore |
2 songs by Bob Dylan and the band |
Fred Tackett guitar
Spooner Oldham keyboards
Terry Young keyboards
Jim Keltner drums
Regina McCreary vocal
Mona Lisa Young vocal
[TOP]
November
1 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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2 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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3 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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4 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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6 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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7 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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8 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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9 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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10 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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11 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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13 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
MA |
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14 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
MA |
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15 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
MA |
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16 |
Fox Warfield Theatre |
SA |
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18 |
Civic Auditorium |
SA |
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19 |
Civic Auditorium |
SA |
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20 |
Civic Auditorium |
SA |
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21 |
Civic Auditorium |
SA |
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25 |
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MA |
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26 |
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MA |
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27 |
Golden Hall |
MA |
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28 |
Golden Hall |
MA, I |
December
4 |
Kiva Auditorium, Convention Center |
MA |
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5 |
Kiva Auditorium, Convention Center |
MA |
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8 |
Music Hall, Community Center |
MA |
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9 |
Music Hall, Community Center |
MA |
I |
incomplete recording |
MA |
mono audience recording |
SA |
stereo audience recording |
[TOP]
set- |
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Nov |
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Dec |
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list |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
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D |
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G |
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Songs In
order played
Setlist |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
S |
Gotta Serve Somebody |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
26 |
I Believe In You |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
26 |
When You Gonna Wake Up |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
26 |
When He Returns |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
26 |
Man Gave Names To All The
Animals |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
26 |
Precious Angel |
6 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
26 |
Slow Train |
7 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
26 |
Covenant Woman |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
26 |
Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking |
9 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
26 |
Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto
Others) |
10 |
10 |
10 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
26 |
Solid Rock |
11 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
26 |
Saving Grace |
12 |
12 |
12 |
14 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
26 |
What Can I Do For You? |
13 |
13 |
14 |
13 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
26 |
Saved (Bob Dylan/ |
14 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
26 |
In The Garden |
15 |
15 |
15 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
26 |
Blessed Is The
Name |
16 |
16 |
16 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
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25 |
Pressing On |
17 |
17 |
17 |
18 |
17 |
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24 |
Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not
One |
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9 |
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1 |
Number of shows: |
26 |
Number of circulating shows: |
26 |
Number of circulating & complete shows: |
25 |
Number of different songs [4]: |
18 |
Number of unique songs [5]: |
18 |
Number of performed songs: |
440 |
Mean number of performed songs: |
16 |
Variation [6]: |
1,1 |
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# of |
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# of |
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songs |
% |
perf. |
% |
Electric |
18 |
100.0 |
440 |
100.0 |
Acoustic |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0.0 |
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Albums |
16 |
88.9 |
414 |
94.1 |
Singles |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0.0 |
Outtakes |
2 |
11.1 |
26 |
5.9 |
Covers |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0.0 |
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# of |
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# of |
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Album |
songs |
% |
perf |
% |
Slow Train Coming |
9 |
56.2% |
234 |
56.5% |
Saved |
7 |
43.8% |
180 |
43.5% |
[TOP]
All the Santa Monica shows are excellent and here Dylan performs in front of an enthusiastic audience, not all that common during this tour. The reason is that these were four benefit shows to aid World Vision International, a non-denominational Christian charity organization. In complete contrast the audiences at the two shows in Tempe are probably the most hostile Dylan has ever played to, before and since. The second show in particular features some lengthy angry raps by Dylan and is unique in that Dylan refused to play any encores.
The Slow Train Coming outtake Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One is performed 16 November. This is one of three known versions of this great song.
May |
Baby Give It Up |
1, 5 |
|
Gonna Change My
Way Of Thinking |
|
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Gotta Serve
Somebody |
|
|
I Believe In You |
|
|
Man Gave Names To
All The Animals |
|
|
Ain’t No Man Righteous,
No Not One |
4 |
|
Precious Angel |
|
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Slow Train |
|
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Trouble In Mind |
|
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When He Returns |
|
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When You Gonna
Wake Up? |
|
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Ye Shall Be
Changed |
2 |
September |
Responsibility |
1, 6 |
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Saving Grace |
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Someone Else's
Arms |
1, 5 |
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Tell Me The Truth
One |
1, 6 |
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The Wandering
Kind |
1, 6, 7 |
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What's The Matter
|
1, 5 |
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Without You |
1, 5 |
October |
Covenant Woman |
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In The garden |
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Pressing On |
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Saved |
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Solid Rock |
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Stand By Faith |
3 |
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What Can I Do For
You |
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1. Co-written with
Helena Springs.
2. Out-take from the Slow Train Coming sessions, released on
Bootleg Series.
3. Rehearsed before
the start of the tour but never performed, no circulating version exists.
Copyrighted in November.
4. Out-take from the Slow Train Coming sessions. No studio
take is in circulation. There are two live performances. Recorded by Jah Mallah and released on the album Jah Mallah on Modern.
5. There is no
circulating version with or without Bob Dylan.
6. There is a
circulating demo tape with Helena Springs but without Bob Dylan.
7. Covered by Paul
Butterfield on The Legendary Paul
Butterfield Rides Again.
[TOP]
Bert Cartwright |
The Bible In The Lyrics Of Bob Dylan. Wanted Man Study Series 1985. |
Clinton Heylin |
Saved! The Gospel Speeches of Bob Dylan. Hanuman Books 1990. |
Gerhard
Jansen |
Slow Train
Coming. Self published
1980. |
Scott M. Marshall with Marcia Ford |
Restless Pilgrim. The Spiritual journey of Bob
Dylan. Relevant Books 2002. |
Paul Williams |
Dylan - What Happened? Enthwistle Books 1979. |
Ain't No Man Righteous, No Not One – lyrics in The Telegraph #14
Bob Dylan’s Church. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship – by Mac Linscott Ricketts, On The Tracks #4 (Fall 1994)
Fred Tackett interview –
by Masato Kato, The Bridge No.4. Summer 1999
Interview With Mark Knopfler – The Telegraph #16
Saved! – three very good articles by Clinton Heylin in The Telegraph #28,29.30
Slow Train – by John Hinchey in The Telegraph #12
Spooner
Trouble In Mind. A Rabbinic
Perspective on Bob Dylan’s “Religious Period” –
by Laurence A. Schlesinger, On The Tracks #4 (Fall 1994)
Visions On
A Slow Train – Wes Stace in Fourth
Watt Alexander |
The Gospel Project |
William J. Clinton |
The Bob Dylan CD & CDR Field Recordings Guide Of William J.
Clinton |
|
I Just Write 'Em As They Come. |
Glen Dundas |
Tangled Up In Tapes — 4th Edition A Recording History of Bob Dylan SMA Services, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada 1999. Softcover 334 pages. |
Clinton Heylin |
A Life In Stolen Moments. Bob Dylan Day By Day 1941-1995. Schirmer Books 1996, 404 pages. |
Clinton Heylin |
Bob Dylan, The Recording Sessions 1960-1994 St. Martin's Press, 1995, 233 pages. |
Michael Krogsgaard |
Positively Bob Dylan |
Michael Krogsgaard |
Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions (Part 3). |
|
Bob's Boots |
Ray Stavrou |
A Vinyl Headstone Almost In Place |
John Baldwin |
The fiddler now upspoke,
Volumes 1–5. A collection of Bob Dylan interviews and press conferences. Desolation Row Promotions, 1995. |
Carl Benson (ed) |
The Bob Dylan Companion —
Four Decades of Commentary. Schirmer Books, New York 1998. Softcover 306 pages. |
Michael Gray |
Song & Dance Man III.
The Art Of Bob Dylan Cassell 1999. Hardback 918 pages. |
Clinton Heylin |
Behind The Shades. A
Biography. Summit Books 1991, 500 pages. |
Daniel Kramer |
Bob Dylan. Citadel Press
(hardback) or Pocket Books. |
Craig McGregor (ed) |
Bob Dylan. A Retrospective. William Morrow 1972 |
Anthony Scaduto |
Bob Dylan. An intimate
biography. New American Library 1973 |
Robert Shelton |
No Direction Home. The Life and
Music of Bob Dylan. |
Howard Sounes |
Down The Highway. The Life
Of Bob Dylan. Groove Press 2001. |
Elizabeth M. Thomson (ed) |
Conclusions On The Wall. New Essays On
Bob Dylan. Thin Man 1980 |
Paul Williams |
Watching The River Flow Observations on Bob Dylan's Art-in-Progress, 1966-1995. Omnibus Press 1996, 255 pages. |
Paul Williams |
Performing Artist – The
Music of Bob Dylan. Volume One, 1960–1973. |
Paul Williams |
Performing Artist – The
Middle Years: 1974-1986 |
[TOP]
[1] Slow Train Coming
[2] Biograph
[3] The Bootleg Series.
[4] electric and acoustic versions are
counted as different songs.
[5] a song is counted as unique
regardless of how it is performed.
[6] variation is computed as the quote
between number of different songs and mean number of performed songs.