Trouble No More
Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979–1981 is a box set compilation album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on November 3, 2017, by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, focusing on his evangelical Christian phase from 1979 to 1981.[1][2] This period, often referred to as Dylan's "Christian trilogy," encompasses his albums Slow Train Coming (1979), Saved (1980), and Shot of Love (1981), during which he publicly embraced Christianity following his conversion in 1979 and incorporated gospel themes into his songwriting and performances.[3][4] The deluxe edition features eight CDs and one DVD containing 102 tracks, including over 100 previously unreleased live and studio recordings, such as 14 new songs like "Making a Liar Out of Me" and "Ain't Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody," alongside outtakes, rehearsals, and full concerts from tours in 1979 and 1981.[3][4][1] Highlights include live renditions of well-known tracks such as "Slow Train," "Gotta Serve Somebody," "Every Grain of Sand," and covers like "Trouble No More" (originally by Muddy Waters), performed with a backing band anchored by drummer Jim Keltner, a three-person gospel choir, and occasional guests like guitarist Carlos Santana on "The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar."[4][3] The set also includes a DVD of the musical film Trouble No More: A Musical Film, which intersperses unreleased 1980 tour footage with new spoken-word sermons written by Luc Sante and performed by actor Michael Shannon, premiering at the 2017 New York Film Festival.[1][4] Available in multiple formats—a two-disc or four-LP version highlighting key tracks, the full deluxe edition with a hardcover book featuring essays by Ben Rollins, Amanda Petrusich, Rob Bowman, and Penn Jillette, and an exclusive store variant with a bonus live show from San Diego in 1979—the collection reexamines this controversial era, emphasizing the depth of Dylan's live performances and musical conviction amid initial critical backlash for its religious focus.[1][3]Background
Dylan's Christian conversion
In late 1978, Bob Dylan underwent a profound born-again Christian conversion experience, marking a significant personal and artistic pivot. During a concert in San Diego on November 17, 1978, an audience member threw a silver cross onto the stage, which Dylan retrieved and later wore while feeling unwell in a Tucson, Arizona, hotel room the following day. There, he described a visceral encounter: "Jesus put his hand on me. It was a physical thing. I felt it. I felt it all over me. I felt my whole body tremble. The glory of the Lord knocked me down and picked me up."[5] This moment, influenced by his backup singer Mary Alice Artes—who had recently recommitted to her faith—led Dylan to attend services at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Tarzana, California, a charismatic evangelical church founded in 1974.[6] Pastors such as Larry Myers and Paul Emond provided personal ministry at his home, guiding him toward acceptance of Christianity, while he immersed himself in Bible studies emphasizing self-discipline and spiritual renewal.[7] Dylan's conversion, dated to November 1978, was deepened by evangelical influences, including the apocalyptic eschatology in Hal Lindsey's bestselling 1970 book The Late Great Planet Earth, which resonated with Dylan's longstanding interest in biblical prophecy and end-times themes.[8] Additionally, his ties to President Jimmy Carter's evangelical circle—Carter being a Southern Baptist who openly embraced born-again faith—provided broader cultural context during this period of rising American evangelicalism. A notable event came in 1979 when Dylan visited the White House for a private conversation with Carter, where the president quoted Dylan's lyrics, underscoring their shared spiritual and musical affinities amid the evangelical revival.[9] He was baptized in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast that spring, fully committing to his new beliefs.[5] This shift prompted an abrupt transition in Dylan's career, as he completed his 1978 fall tour but soon focused on spiritual exploration and songwriting infused with gospel themes of salvation, judgment, and redemption.[6] No longer drawing from secular narratives, he channeled his experiences into explicitly Christian material, beginning with lyrics penned in late November 1978. Publicly, Dylan articulated his faith in interviews, such as the November 1979 Rolling Stone discussion where he affirmed, "I told you the times they are a changing and they did. I said the answer was blowing in the wind and it was. I’m telling you Jesus is coming back and he is," signaling his conviction in Christ's imminent return.[5] This phase culminated in his first gospel album, Slow Train Coming, released in August 1979 as the initial artistic expression of his conversion.Material selection and recording
The curation of Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981 was led by producers Jeff Rosen, Steve Berkowitz, and Gregg Geller, who drew from an extensive archive of Bob Dylan's recordings spanning his evangelical period to assemble a comprehensive overview of his musical output from 1979 to 1981.[10] The selection process emphasized a balance of live energy and studio experimentation, prioritizing performances and outtakes that captured the intensity of Dylan's conversion-inspired songwriting while avoiding overlap with his officially released gospel albums.[11] Key sources included studio outtakes from the sessions for Slow Train Coming (recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, in May 1979), Saved (tracked at the same studio in spring 1980), and Shot of Love (completed in Los Angeles during 1981). Live material came from Dylan's 1979-1981 tours, featuring full concerts such as the April 1980 performances at Massey Hall in Toronto and the June 27, 1981, show at Earl's Court in London, alongside excerpts from earlier dates like the November 1979 run at the Fox Warfield Theatre in San Francisco.[10] These selections highlighted the progression from gospel-exclusive sets in 1979 to mixed repertoires by 1981, reflecting audience and promoter pressures to include secular material. The deluxe edition incorporated 14 previously unreleased songs, including "Ain't Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody" and "Blessed Is the Name," alongside rare rehearsals and alternate takes to provide deeper insight into Dylan's creative process during this era.[11] To underscore the stylistic evolution toward his post-gospel phase, non-religious tracks like the brooding outtake "Angelina" from the Shot of Love sessions were featured, offering a bridge to Dylan's broader catalog.[4] Audio restoration involved remixing from multitrack sources where available (such as the Toronto and London concerts) and mastering by engineers Chris Shaw, Steve Addabbo, and Mark Wilder, ensuring clarity from original cassette and tape masters.[10] Assembly of the set occurred primarily in 2016 and 2017, culminating in its November 3, 2017, release by Columbia/Legacy, with Rosen's oversight ensuring fidelity to Dylan's artistic intent across the eight-disc collection.[11]Release
Formats and editions
The standard edition of Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979–1981 is a two-disc CD set comprising 31 live tracks spanning Dylan's 1979–1981 performances, with a total runtime of 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 58 seconds; it was released on November 3, 2017, by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings.[11][12] The deluxe edition is a nine-disc box set featuring eight CDs and one DVD, containing over 100 previously unreleased live and studio tracks—including 14 unreleased songs—with a total audio runtime of 8 hours, 10 minutes, and 19 seconds across the CDs; it was also released on November 3, 2017, by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings, priced at $129.99.[11] The DVD includes the feature-length documentary Trouble No More: A Musical Film directed by Jennifer Lebeau, along with bonus concert footage such as a performance of "Shot of Love" from Avignon in 1981.[11] This edition comes with a 120-page hardcover booklet containing rare photos, memorabilia, an introduction by Dylan scholar Ben Rollins, and liner notes by Amanda Petrusich, Rob Bowman, and Penn Jillette.[11][13] Additional formats include a four-LP vinyl edition on 180-gram pressing, mirroring the content of the standard two-CD set and released simultaneously on November 3, 2017, by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings.[11] Digital download versions of both the standard and deluxe editions became available on the same date through platforms like Apple Music and Amazon Music.[12] A limited bonus two-CD set featuring the full live concert from San Diego on November 28, 1979, was offered exclusively with pre-orders of the deluxe edition from the official Bob Dylan store.[1] International releases followed the U.S. schedule on November 3, 2017, with no reported delays across major markets.[11] Some retailers, such as Amazon, provided exclusive bonuses like posters with certain pre-orders of the standard edition.[14]Promotion and packaging
The promotion for Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979–1981 began with the official announcement on September 20, 2017, via a press release from Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, Dylan's longtime label under Sony Music Entertainment.[11] This coincided with the release of the lead single, "When You Gonna Wake Up?" (live from Oslo, Norway, July 9, 1981), which was made available for streaming on digital platforms and accompanied by a live performance video premiering on Dylan's VEVO channel.[11] Pre-orders for the album opened immediately, emphasizing the collection's focus on Dylan's gospel-era live and studio recordings from 1979 to 1981.[11] Additional streaming previews included a 15-song sampler made available on NPR.org ahead of the November 3, 2017, street date, allowing early access to select unreleased tracks.[15] Key promotional events centered on multimedia tie-ins rather than live appearances, as no major tour was organized specifically for the release.[11] The accompanying film, Trouble No More: A Musical Film, which interweaves 1980 tour footage with scripted sermons delivered by actor Michael Shannon, premiered at the 2017 New York Film Festival on October 1.[11] Produced by Jeff Rosen, Steve Berkowitz, and Gregg Geller, the project was included exclusively on DVD in the deluxe edition to contextualize Dylan's performances during his faith-based period.[10] Sony's marketing highlighted the set's archival value, positioning it as a reevaluation of Dylan's often-overlooked evangelical phase through 100 previously unreleased recordings.[11] The album's packaging varied by edition, with the standard two-CD and four-LP versions featuring a simple digipak or gatefold sleeve, while the deluxe nine-disc (eight CDs and one DVD) box set offered more elaborate design elements.[11] The cover art across editions depicts a black-and-white photograph of Dylan performing live during the 1979–1981 tours, capturing him at a microphone in a dimly lit stage setting to evoke the era's intimate concert atmosphere.[16] The deluxe edition includes two hardcover books: a 120-page photo book with rare images from Dylan's gospel tours, including onstage and offstage shots of the musician and his band, and a 52-page liner notes book containing full lyrics for the tracks, an annotated track listing with recording details, an introduction by Dylan scholar Ben Rollins, and essays by music writers Amanda Petrusich, Rob Bowman, and Penn Jillette exploring the theological and musical context of the period.[16][10] These supplementary materials underscore the release's scholarly approach, providing historical photos from 1979 to 1981 alongside interpretive essays that frame Dylan's faith-influenced output without overt proselytizing.[17]Content
Musical style and themes
The music on Trouble No More blends rock, blues, and R&B with prominent gospel elements, creating a fervent sound characterized by deep grooves and intense live performances.[3] Instrumentation features Spooner Oldham's prominent piano and organ work, horns in rehearsal tracks like "Slow Train," and Dylan's raw, urgent vocals backed by a four-person gospel choir and backup singers providing choreographed harmonies.[18][19] Guest contributions, such as Mark Knopfler's guitar riffs on select tracks and Carlos Santana's bombastic solos, add layers of elastic rock energy to the mix.[4] The style evolves across the compilation from the grainy, ominous blues of early 1979 sessions to stark, haunting live renditions that emphasize raw conviction over polished studio production.[4] By 1981, the fervor softens into more subtle faith integration, with non-gospel inclusions like reinterpreted secular songs signaling a transition away from overt evangelism.[4] Live recordings dominate, often surpassing studio counterparts in passion, as seen in the bootleg's preference for rehearsals and concerts that capture the band's fiery interplay.[4][3] Lyrical themes center on biblical references, personal salvation, and critiques of secular society, infused with apocalyptic warnings and direct messianic instruction drawn from scripture.[4] Tracks like "Precious Angel" evoke end-times imagery, with lines prophesying "darkness that will fall from on high/When men will beg God to kill them and they won’t be able to die," underscoring a fire-and-brimstone urgency.[4] The compilation includes original songs like the spiritually charged "In the Garden," which depicts biblical encounters in a personal, devotional context.[20] By later tracks like "Property of Jesus," themes shift toward ambiguity, reflecting a waning proselytizing tone while still asserting ownership in faith.[4] Representative songs illustrate these motifs vividly. "Slow Train," emblematic of the era, appears in multiple versions—from a horn-augmented rehearsal pulsing with rhythmic drive to live iterations that build from sparse piano to full-band fury, symbolizing an oncoming spiritual reckoning.[3][4] In "Gotta Serve Somebody," Dylan's delivery evolves from a bitter confession of human frailty to a twisted roll call of societal figures, all compelled to acknowledge divine service, blending humor with admonition.[4] "Property of Jesus" captures the period's intense commitment through declarative pleas for redemption, though its later disavowal by Dylan highlights the transitional ambiguity in his expression.[4]Standard Edition (2-CD Set)
The standard edition of Trouble No More consists of two discs compiling live performances from Bob Dylan's 1979–1981 tours, drawn from his Christian period albums Slow Train Coming (1979), Saved (1980), and Shot of Love (1981). All tracks are written by Bob Dylan unless otherwise noted.[11]Disc 1
| No. | Title | Length | Date | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slow Train | 6:20 | November 16, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 2 | Gotta Serve Somebody | 6:29 | November 15, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 3 | I Believe in You | 4:51 | May 16, 1980 | Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA | Live |
| 4 | When You Gonna Wake Up? | 5:28 | July 9, 1981 | Drammenshallen, Drammen, Norway | Live |
| 5 | When He Returns | 5:00 | December 5, 1979 | Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM | Live |
| 6 | Man Gave Names to All the Animals | 5:45 | January 16, 1980 | Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR | Live |
| 7 | Precious Angel | 5:40 | November 16, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 8 | Covenant Woman | 5:51 | November 20, 1979 | Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA | Live |
| 9 | Gonna Change My Way of Thinking | 4:47 | January 31, 1980 | Orpheum Theatre, Memphis, TN | Live |
| 10 | Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) | 5:08 | January 28, 1980 | Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO | Live |
| 11 | Solid Rock | 4:42 | November 27, 1979 | Golden Hall, San Diego, CA | Live |
| 12 | What Can I Do for You? | 5:53 | November 27, 1979 | Golden Hall, San Diego, CA | Live |
| 13 | Saved | 4:48 | January 12, 1980 | Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR | Live; written by Dylan and Tim Drummond |
| 14 | In the Garden | 6:33 | January 27, 1980 | Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO | Live |
Disc 2
| No. | Title | Length | Date | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slow Train | 4:35 | June 29, 1981 | Earls Court, London, England | Live |
| 2 | Ain’t Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody | 4:30 | April 24, 1980 | Le Theatre Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC | Live; unreleased song |
| 3 | Gotta Serve Somebody | 3:57 | July 15, 1981 | Freilichtbühne, Bad Segeberg, Germany | Live |
| 4 | Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One | 4:35 | November 16, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live; unreleased song |
| 5 | Saving Grace | 4:25 | November 6, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 6 | Blessed Is the Name | 4:18 | November 20, 1979 | Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA | Live; unreleased song |
| 7 | Solid Rock | 4:20 | October 23, 1981 | The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA | Live |
| 8 | Are You Ready? | 6:18 | April 30, 1980 | Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY | Live |
| 9 | Pressing On | 6:52 | November 6, 1979 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 10 | Shot of Love | 4:45 | July 25, 1981 | Palais des Sports, Avignon, France | Live |
| 11 | Dead Man, Dead Man | 4:22 | June 21, 1981 | Stade des Minimes, Toulouse, France | Live |
| 12 | Watered-Down Love | 4:44 | June 12, 1981 | Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI | Live |
| 13 | In the Summertime | 3:15 | October 21, 1981 | Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA | Live |
| 14 | The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar | 6:01 | November 13, 1980 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 15 | Caribbean Wind | 5:23 | November 12, 1980 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | Live |
| 16 | Every Grain of Sand | 3:42 | November 21, 1981 | Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL | Live |
Deluxe Edition Expansions (8-CD + DVD Set)
The deluxe edition expands the standard set with six additional CDs of rare and unreleased studio outtakes, rehearsals, and full live concerts, plus a bonus DVD featuring a musical film and extras. All additional tracks are written by Dylan unless noted, with many being previously unreleased. Durations vary but are not uniformly documented across sources; key examples include outtakes from sessions at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and live sets from specific tours.[11]Disc 3: Rare and Unreleased
-
- Slow Train (soundcheck, October 5, 1978, Capital Centre, Largo, MD)
-
- Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (soundcheck, December 7, 1978, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC)
-
- Help Me Understand (unreleased song, soundcheck, October 5, 1978, Capital Centre, Largo, MD)
-
- Gonna Change My Way of Thinking (rehearsal with horns, October 2, 1979, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Gotta Serve Somebody (Take 1, studio outtake, May 4, 1979, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- When He Returns (Take 2, studio outtake, May 4, 1979, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One (Take 6, unreleased song, studio outtake, May 1, 1979, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- Trouble in Mind (Take 1, studio outtake, April 30, 1979, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- Ye Shall Be Changed (studio outtake, May 2, 1979, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- Covenant Woman (Take 3, studio outtake, February 11, 1980, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
-
- Stand by Faith (unreleased song, rehearsal, September 26, 1979, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- I Will Love Him (unreleased song, live, April 19, 1980, Massey Hall, Toronto, ON)
-
- Jesus Is the One (unreleased song, live, July 17, 1981, Freilichtbühne am Rhein, Lorelei, Germany)
-
- City of Gold (unreleased song, live, November 22, 1980, Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA)
-
- Thief on the Cross (unreleased song, live, November 10, 1981, Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, LA)
-
- Pressing On (Take 1, studio outtake, February 13, 1980, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, AL)
Disc 4: Rare and Unreleased
-
- Slow Train (rehearsal with horns, October 2, 1979, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Gotta Serve Somebody (rehearsal with horns, October 9, 1979, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Making a Liar out of Me (unreleased song, rehearsal, September 26, 1980, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Yonder Comes Sin (unreleased song, rehearsal, October 1, 1980, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Radio Spot for January 1980 Portland, OR Show
-
- Cover Down, Pray Through (unreleased song, live, May 1, 1980, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY)
-
- Rise Again (unreleased song, rehearsal, October 16, 1980, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Ain’t Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody (unreleased song, live, December 2, 1980, Salem Armory Auditorium, Salem, OR)
-
- The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar (Take 2, studio outtake, May 1, 1981, Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, CA)
-
- Caribbean Wind (rehearsal with pedal steel, September 23, 1980, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- You Changed My Life (Take 4, studio outtake, April 23, 1981, Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, CA)
-
- Shot of Love (studio outtake, March 25, 1981, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
-
- Watered-Down Love (studio outtake, May 15, 1981, Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, CA)
-
- Dead Man, Dead Man (studio outtake, April 24, 1981, Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, CA)
-
- Every Grain of Sand (rehearsal, September 26, 1980, Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA)
Disc 5: Live in Toronto 1980 (Massey Hall)
-
- Gotta Serve Somebody (April 18, 1980)
-
- I Believe in You (April 18, 1980)
-
- Covenant Woman (April 19, 1980)
-
- When You Gonna Wake Up? (April 18, 1980)
-
- When He Returns (April 20, 1980)
-
- Ain’t Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody (unreleased song, April 18, 1980)
-
- Cover Down, Pray Through (unreleased song, April 19, 1980)
-
- Man Gave Names to All the Animals (April 19, 1980)
-
- Precious Angel (April 19, 1980)
Disc 6: Live in Toronto 1980 (Massey Hall, continued)
-
- Slow Train (April 18, 1980)
-
- Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (April 20, 1980)
-
- Solid Rock (April 20, 1980)
-
- Saving Grace (April 18, 1980)
-
- What Can I Do for You? (April 19, 1980)
-
- In the Garden (April 20, 1980)
-
- Band Introductions (April 19, 1980)
-
- Are You Ready? (April 19, 1980)
-
- Pressing On (April 18, 1980)
Disc 7: Live at Earls Court, London – June 27, 1981
-
- Gotta Serve Somebody
-
- I Believe in You
-
- Like a Rolling Stone
-
- Man Gave Names to All the Animals
-
- Maggie’s Farm
-
- I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
-
- Dead Man, Dead Man
-
- Girl from the North Country
-
- Ballad of a Thin Man
Disc 8: Live at Earls Court, London – June 27, 1981 (continued)
-
- Slow Train
-
- Let’s Begin
-
- Lenny Bruce
-
- Mr. Tambourine Man
-
- Solid Rock
-
- Just Like a Woman
-
- Watered-Down Love
-
- Forever Young
-
- When You Gonna Wake Up?
-
- In the Garden
-
- Band Introductions
-
- Blowin’ in the Wind
-
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
-
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door