The years 1978 to 1989 were rough ones for Bob Dylan. Both Ends Of The Rainbow is a two-hour DVD featuring interviews with musicians and journalists about this period. It also features numerous video clips, including many live versions of songs written and recorded during this 11-year period.
The combination of interviews and performances on this DVD paint of vivid picture of an artist in crisis. It is unfortunate however that Dylan himself chose not to participate in this documentary in any way.
The DVD starts out with a brief discussion of Dylan’s 1978 LP Street Legal, the disappointing follow-up to his acclaimed Desire. Following it's lackluster tour, Dylan was introduced to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship by members of his band.
The reverberations of Dylan’s conversion to Christianity have resonated in his career in various ways ever since. The most obvious results were the trilogy of "Born Again" records he released between 1979-82. Slow Train Coming, the first of the three, was positively received for the most part, and charted at number three on Billboard.
Interviews conducted for this DVD with journalists and former musicians make it clear that had Dylan stopped here, his audience would have most likely remained intact. But it was not to be.
Saved and Shot Of Love were vilified by critics and the public. In his on-screen interview about Saved, Johnny Rogan says simply: “It was a catastrophe.“ The third and final recording of this era, Shot Of Love was produced by Chuck Plotkin and he mentions how much better he thought the LP could have been had Dylan allowed him to actually produce it.
Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespear are both interviewed on the DVD for their contributions to Dylan’s 1983 Infidels album. Although Infidels is by no means Blood On The Tracks, it certainly had it’s moments. The live footage of Dylan singing “Jokerman” at the time is a highlight.
For the following six long years Dylan seemed adrift. Whether it was his disastrous performance at Live Aid (which the footage confirms) or the rotating musicians and studios he utilized, nothing seemed to work.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Good review, though I have to mildly disagree on just a few points.
With regard to the born again albums, I don't think its entirely fair to label Shot of Love a disaster. It's definitely uneven...but let's not forget that "Every Grain Of Sand," which most Dylanologists agree is one of his very finest ballads, came from Shot Of Love. Another great Dylan song, the Highway 61'ish rocker "Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar" also came from those sessions, showing up as a B-side.
So although Shot Of Love is hardly his best, it did have it's moments. As did Street Legal..."Changing Of The Guard" for example is just a great Dylan tune.
Now, those late eighties albums like Knocked Out Loaded etc....those I will agree were disasters.
-Glen
2 - Greg Barbrick
Thanks Glen. I hear you about those two Shot Of Love songs, they were pretty good ones. But still, most of us were calling it Shot Of Shit at the time. BTW, "Groom's Still Waiting At The Alter" is on the reissue as a bonus track.
3 - Montague
The writer never met a cliche he didn't like.
4 - Christopher Rose
Montague, when making that kind of comment, even when it is unfounded (which it is), you would have had at least a scrap of credibility if you weren't using a cliché yourself. :-p
5 - kev Bouttell
Pretty fair review, though I think you are a bit harsh at times! In fact, in retrospect, Street Legal is a wonderful batch of tunes, a musical and lyrically impressive LP, especially since the remastered version was issued. I actually found Dylan around this Born Again time (though by no means a christian myself!)and the trio of so called born again LP's actually contain some very inspiring music. Pity abvout most of the rest of the decade tho!!