To begin this article; in case you haven’t seen it already, I would like to present the new trailer for the Dylan biopic due out this Christmas called A Complete Unknown. It stars the magnificent Timothée Chalamet from the Dune movies and Edward Norton. Speaking of the latter, it was fascinating to watch Norton give his perspective on the young Bob Dylan from his interview with Joe Rogan in October, 2019. Now onto today’s song….
I’ve escaped death so many times, I know I’m only living
By the saving grace that’s over me
By this time I’d-a thought I would be sleeping
In a pine box for all eternity
Saving Grace by Bob Dylan is a christian song of praise for the redemption bestowed on him by the redeemer. I can relate a lot to Dylan’s testimony here, since I have also written in various ‘reflection’ articles about my infinite gratitude for this Saving Grace including here: The Last Words – “Every Passing Minute is Another Chance to Turn it all Around.”
In 2015 I initiated a project on the Bob Dylan Expecting Rain forum called Dylan’s Desert Island Revue compiling Bob Dylan’s greatest live recordings, which were felt by members as superseding their original studio release. One live version I nominated is today’s featured track Saving Grace from Bob Dylan’s 1980 Toronto show seen at the end of this post. Don’t let the poor video quality turn you off. You can also find the original studio version below that.
Dylan released Saving Grace on his second album Saved (see image inset) from his Christian Trilogy and his twentieth studio album overall. Saved expanded on themes explored on its predecessor Slow Train Coming, with gospel arrangements and lyrics extolling the importance of a strong personal faith. The album was not well received by critics and fans alike, but it does include other stand-outs like Covenant Woman and Pressing On. Dylan obviously liked Saving Grace a lot since he performed it 103 times from 1 November 79 to 29 August 2012.
[Verse 1]
If you find it in Your heart, can I be forgiven?
Guess I owe You some kind of apology
I’ve escaped death so many times, I know I’m only living
By the saving grace that’s over me
[Verse 2]
By this time I’d-a thought I would be sleeping
In a pine box for all eternity
My faith keeps me alive, but I still be weeping
For the saving grace that’s over me
[Verse 3]
Well, the death of life, then come the resurrection
Wherever I am welcome is where I’ll be
I put all my confidence in Him, my sole protection
Is the saving grace that’s over me
[Verse 4]
Well, the devil’s shining light, it can be most blinding
But to search for love, that ain’t no more than vanity
As I look around this world all that I’m finding
Is the saving grace that’s over me
[Verse 5]
The wicked know no peace and you just can’t fake it
There’s only one road and it leads to Calvary
It gets discouraging at times, but I know I’ll make it
By the saving grace that’s over me
References:
1. Saving Grace: the origins and meanings within Bob Dylan’s song – Untold Dylan
2. Saved (Bob Dylan album) – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Wow, I had not heard of the Dylan biopic. The trailer looks intriguing. I generally know of Dylan’s Christian period, but I’m not familiar with the music of his corresponding albums. As such, it was interesting to hear a song from this period. While I’m generally not into religion and as such the words don’t really speak to me, I like “Saving Grace” from a musical perspective.
I was just telling fellow blogger friend Nancy: ‘It does look very enticing despite my general distaste (bordering on loathing) of Dylan impersonations. But Chalamet does appear to exhibit some of Dylan’s nuances on stage and mannerisms in person. The only thing I didn’t gel with was how tall he appeared (amongst others) when they were tracking behind him walking in Greenwich village.’
Regarding Dylan’s maligned Christian period, there are still a bucket load of great songs from that epoch (too many to mention here) that I consider upper tier Dylan.
I understood that many (if not most) of my small readership are not Christian, Christian (lol). Heck I’d class myself Agnostic – Christian vacillating towards a Judeo (monotheistic) spiritual awakening. So you would class yourself as a ‘secular – humanist’?
I know, a dude called Christian who isn’t much into religion is kind of funny. 🙂
I think I’ve had a few visitors over the years, who initially thought my blog had a religious connotation.
I think secular humanist is a fair characterization. Nominally, I’m catholic. I had catholic religion classes in school and went to first communion. During my child and teenage years back in Germany, I also went to church for Easter and Christmas, mostly to make my grandma happy, who was deeply catholic.
I never formally left the catholic church, though it’s been decades I attended catholic mass. Oftentimes, it felt very formulaic to me.
While I’m no longer attending catholic mass and don’t consciously think about the 10 commandments, I still try to live by the principles.
Yeh it is kinda funny that being your name and all. I’m glad I got the ‘right’ broadbush to identify your spiritual world view hehe.
I imagine you are bilingual having been brought up in Germany.
Your recollection about satisfying your Grandmother is akin to what I did in my youth to appease my organ-playing devoted Nan from the Anglican ‘protestant’ denomination. My mother would scold me as I picked paint from the walls during the service.
I am attuned to your Catholic background since I live in the Catholic saturated
society whereby the line is often blurred between State and Religion. Scary sh/t.
I understand what you mean about observing the core meta-principles of the judeo-christian bedrock. You could do worse lol
He sure can write a great gospel song. Those lyrics are awesome and sound very personal.
Yeh, one could do worse.
Sorry for the late comment Matt…I saw this the other day and meant to comment and got swept up at work.
You did comment buddy. lol It’s all good man.