Bob Dylan Celebrated via Reissue of 1969 Gospel Covers Album

BY Alex HudsonPublished Feb 14, 2014

Bob Dylan was recently treated to an absolutely massive box set and a tribute concert reissue, and now another archival release related to the iconic folk singer is set to emerge in the form of a decades-old collection of gospel covers. Dylan's Gospel is credited to a choir of Los Angeles sessions singers called the Brothers and Sisters, and the reissue will arrive on April 1 through Light in the Attic Records.

The covers album originally come out in 1969 on Ode Records. It was produced Lou Adler (Carole King, the Mamas & the Papas) and arranged by Gene Page (the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye). The singers include Gloria Jones of "Tainted Love" renown and Merry Clayton, who is known as the female voice on the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter."

"Listening to Dylan's songs, I felt there was a gospel-like feel to them, both spiritually and lyrically," Adler says in the album's liner notes. "So those two ideas, to work with these singers and to explore that side of Dylan — came together."

The tracklist is below. As you can see, there are versions of some well-known cuts like "Lay Lady Lay," "The Times They Are a-Changin'" and "All Along the Watchtower." Scroll past that to watch a newly made documentary about the album.

It's available to pre-order on CD or LP here.

Dylan's Gospel:

1. The Times They Are a-Changin'
2. I Shall Be Released
3. Lay Lady Lay
4. Hey Mr. Tambourine Man
5. All Along the Watchtower
6. The Mighty Quinn
7. Chimes of Freedom
8. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
9. My Back Pages
10. Just Like a Woman

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