Shot of Love: Dylan’s Gospel Fire Flickers Out, With Two Bright Exceptions

Bob Dylan was still in his born-again phase when he made Shot of Love in 1981, but the fire was going out. This is the third album in his gospel trilogy, and it sounds like a man trying to find his footing between the pulpit and the stage. The record wants to be both a sermon and a rock album, and it only half-succeeds at each. It is messy, uneven, and occasionally brilliant.

Opening With “Shot of Love”

The title track opens the record with a slow, swampy groove. “Shot of Love” is not a great song, but it has a pulse. It feels like Dylan reaching for something raw, even if the lyrics stay tangled in religious metaphor. “Heart of Mine” follows with a more conventional rock arrangement, and it is one of the few tracks that could have been a hit in another era. The melody is simple, the delivery is sharp, and it shows what this album could have been with tighter focus.

“Property of Jesus” is a problem. It is preachy in the worst way, a lecture dressed as a song. The music is stiff, and the message is hammered home without any of the wit Dylan used to bring to his moralizing. “Lenny Bruce” is better. It is a tribute to the comedian, and Dylan treats him with genuine affection. The song is not a biography; it is a vibe, a soft piano ballad that feels like a eulogy from someone who admired the man more than the act.

“Watered-Down Love” is a swing and a miss. The title promises irony, but the song delivers a flat, repetitive warning against superficial romance. It is the kind of track you skip. Then comes “The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar,” which is the best thing on the record. The band is tight, the guitar cuts through, and Dylan sounds urgent for the first time in a while. This is the flash of brilliance that stands out, and it earns that attention.

Walking Through the Back Half

“Dead Man, Dead Man” starts strong with a menacing riff, but it loses steam quickly. The verses are repetitive, and the chorus does not land. “In the Summertime” is a gentle, wandering tune that feels like a leftover from an earlier session. It is pleasant but forgettable. “Trouble” is a bluesy stomp that works better live than it does here; on the record, it just feels like filler.

The closer, “Every Grain of Sand,” is the other great moment. It is a quiet, acoustic meditation that finds Dylan at his most sincere. The religious imagery is still there, but it feels personal rather than preached. It is the song that suggests he was starting to come alive again, even if the album around it does not quite match that standard.

A Divided Record

Critics were divided on Shot of Love when it came out, and time has not settled the argument. AllMusic gives the album 2.0 out of 5. Some heard an inconsistent record with real sparks; others heard a man still preaching to the choir. The flashes are real, but they are isolated.

• “The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar” is the standout.
• “Every Grain of Sand” is the emotional peak.
• “Heart of Mine” is the most accessible track.
• The rest is a mixed bag of sermons and filler.

In my view, the album improves on what came before it, but that is a low bar. Dylan was still searching for his next direction, and Shot of Love captures that uncertainty. It is not a record to revisit often, but it is worth hearing for the two or three songs that actually fire. As a complete statement, it fails. As a document of an artist in transition, it has value.

Shot of Love gets 4.0 out of 10.

album review · Bob Dylan · classic rock · gospel trilogy · Shot of Love