Thoughts on Bob Dylan's 'Slow Train Coming' Album

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I think Bob Dylan is one of the greatest. His Nobel Prize in Literature, Academy Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Grammy Awards, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Pulitzer Prize, Golden Globe Awards, and Kennedy Center Honors speak volumes, but his music is even louder. I discovered Dylan through a friend who saw something in me when I was young and feeling lost in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. One day, this woman took me to see 'I Am Not There', a film about the many lives of Bob Dylan, and the soundtrack blew me away. It's amazing how significant acquaintances can be when they introduce you to great music.

As we approach the release of 'A Complete Unknown', which will explore a new side of the artist through the performance of Timothée Chalamet, I’m listening to some vinyl records I bought recently. After years of familiarizing myself with Dylan’s work, I don’t think I’ve ever played an album from start to finish in one sitting—maybe on shuffle, but never straight through. His art has the power to make me cry instantly. I once saw an interview with Jessica Lange, another great, who shared that her soft spot is Bob Dylan, just like mine. Hearing 'Slow Train Coming', an album I bought in Amsterdam in March for just 10 euros, seems fitting as I review one of my favorites for my 100th article. You might wonder why I’m reviewing an old album bought in March in August. Well, that’s a stupid question. Just like the signs in the sky, you have to be open to listening to the music. Not every day is a day for Bob Dylan, but any time spent with him is time well spent.

The album starts quickly, almost unexpectedly, with the track "Gotta Serve Somebody". A song I hadn’t heard until now, but it’s bound to rise on my charts. American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan boasts an impressive discography that includes 40 studio albums, 21 live albums, and 17 volumes of The Bootleg Series. Additionally, he has released 44 compilation albums, seven soundtracks as the main contributor, 24 notable extended plays, 104 singles, 61 music videos, 17 music home videos, and two non-music home videos. This is his nineteenth studio album, released in 1979. Here, you can find one of my favorite ballads that has moved me to tears almost every time: "I Believe in You" is one of his most powerful songs, among many. Quantity doesn’t always compromise quality, especially with a career spanning from the '60s to today.

The truth is, I don’t really connect with Timothée Chalamet's performance and don’t see him as a Dylan-like figure, but Dylan’s long and intriguing career makes me eager to explore this journey further. 'I Am Not There' offers a more abstract view of Dylan’s life, presenting different aspects, but getting to know him fully requires much more. Who knew that 'Slow Train Coming' is a Christian blues rock album and that Bob Dylan became a Christian in 1978 when someone threw a silver cross on stage during his performance? Not that I am religious, but I’m interested in the story itself.

All tracks are written by Bob Dylan.

Side One

  1. "Gotta Serve Somebody" – 5:22
  2. "Precious Angel" – 6:27
  3. "I Believe in You" – 5:02
  4. "Slow Train" – 5:55
    Total length: 22:46

Side Two

  1. "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking" – 5:25
  2. "Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)" – 3:50
  3. "When You Gonna Wake Up" – 5:25
  4. "Man Gave Names to All the Animals" – 4:23
  5. "When He Returns" – 4:30
    Total length: 23:33

"They tell you, 'Time is money,' as if your life was worth its weight in gold." – Bob Dylan, lyrics from the song "When You Gonna Wake Up." The whole album is a beautiful compilation of powerfully written songs, but I’ve come to expect nothing less. Going through 40 studio albums isn’t easy, but I’ll eventually listen to all of them one way or another. Dylan is a poet, and I’m eager to explore more of his work. As I dive into his mind and art, I find that I understand myself better. Music is therapy, and I’ve found Dylan to be a great psychiatrist. 

Iliya Badev


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