Precious Angel

This song is the jewel in the crown of Dylan's Slow Train Coming album! I've heard fellow Christians mock Dylan, pointing out that he is really a Jew named Robert Zimmerman, etc., and that his so-called conversion wasn't real. Shame on them! Nobody should mock anyone else's beliefs, no matter what faith, and Dylan's relationship with Jesus Christ is between him and Him. I personally think Dylan is a MASTER poet, and, because I am a Christian, I think this song is one of his very best! I like the part where he sings about the woman drawing water for her husband. This is obviously a direct reference to Jesus' talk with the Woman at the Well in the gospel. In this case, I think the woman represents Dylan's subconscious mind, because he had, prior to this album, experimented with other religions such as Buddhism. I also love the line "On the Way out of Egypt, through Ethiopia, to the Judgement Hall of Christ". Out of the material-based world, through the wilderness of ideas, and finally into the Truth! It's a beautiful song, and the sweet guitar licks and backing vocals make it shine!

Passionate, full of conviction and slightly scary fervour. It's harsh and slightly cold lyrically - very Old Testament, oddly enough - but the way Bob sings is funny and quirky and the arrangement - particularly Knopfler's guitar - is deliciously, embracingly warm. The imagery is extraordinary - "When men will beg God to kill them and they won't be able to die".

"You're the queen of my flesh, girl, you're my woman, you're my delight You're the lamb of my soul, girl, and you touch up the night..."

No more passionately romantic lyric about love has ever been written, by Dylan or anybody.

The mixture of love and religion in this song is very interesting. It's like somebody who meets somebody who shows them not only the greatest love and sex and relationship ever... but introduces them to thoughts and ideas that wildly change who they are. I always imagine the woman in this song is a very warm, earthy black woman (especially the line "Our ancestors were slaves... although he's probably refering to jews in egypt since he's jewish). She's a motherly figure one one hand and wildly passionate in the bedroom on the other, and she's spiritual which (my apologies to my female atheist friends) makes the sex even hotter and more passionate, usually.

You're the queen of my flesh, girl, you're my woman, you're my delight You're the lamb of my soul, girl, and you touch up the night

Should be

You're the queen of my flesh, girl, you're my one, you're my delight You're the lamp of my soul, girl, and you torch up the night

I like the part where he sings: Ya know I just couldn't make it by myself I'm a little too blind to see.

this song is so deep, its so religious too, I freakin love it especially the part that says "Now there's spiritual warfare and flesh and blood breaking down Ya either got faith or ya got unbelief and there ain't neutral ground The enemy is subtle, how be it we are so deceived When the truth's in our hearts and we still don't believe ?" its so true really!

This song is incredible. So passionate and unconcerned about political correctness. You're right, RayMan. So many want to believe Bob Dylan has renounced this music. In fact, he's done just the opposite. In 1995, Bob Dylan was asked if he still agreed with the lines "You were telling him about Buddha, you were telling him about Mohammed in the same breath. You never mentioned one time the Man who came and died a criminal's death." Here's Dylan's response:

"Just writing a song like that probably emancipated me from other kinds of illusions... I can't say that I would disagree with that line. On its own level it was some kind of turning point for me, writing that." (from Sept. 29 1995 Sun-Sentinel Today interview)

My Dad bought me Slow Traim Coming before i left for a 4-year study in Lomdon. I was 19 yrs old and loved Dylan's songs.

The song Precious Angel and its Christian message seeped into my soul and, I believe, helped me through the storms that I was about to face. 40 yrs later i almost cried when Dylan wrote: ...and He died a criminal's death.

Now it doesnt matter if Dylan backslided from God. He was used by God at the right time in my life as I moved into my twenties. I gave my life to Jesus in my late 30s.

My Dad bought me Slow Train Coming album when I was 19yrs just before I went to study for my university in London. Its Christian poetry slowly seeped into my soul. I cant say I was changed by the album but 20yrs later in my late 30s, I gave my life to Jesus.

Precious Angel is the angel assigned to us. He stood by me all through my turmoils and sweet solitude in London and i finally saw Dylan live in concert. The man appeared to look straight at me, standing alone on weak foundations.

Amen......This song means much more to his testimony.... I hard out agree with Ray man....his relationship with our King is their business and those lyrics will never cease from his memory....he may have been blinded but his foundation upon knowing the truth is strong and he knows it...i dont have any knowledge on him but like some one mentioned a master poet is he....i grew up listening to him and it is only now that i read his lyrics except the first few paragraphs you can hear clearly.....but the rest not so clearly.....My fave would have to be this....truth...

"Precious angel, you believe me when I say,What God has given to us no man can take away We are covered in blood girl"

"Sister, lemme tell you about a vision that I saw You were drawing water for your husband, you were suffering under the law You were telling him about Buddha, you were telling him about Mohammed in one breath You never mentioned one time the Man who came and died a criminal's death"

Amen thats right he did that for you n me....

Shine your light on me,im just too blind to see

Covered from sin- Covered in blood- Jesus blood covering us is what cover us from the sins we have committed-without his blood we are not able to be with our creator God Almighty..

Meaning to me for.....You're the queen of my flesh, girl, you're my woman, you're my delight You're the lamb of my soul, girl, and you touch up the night But there's violence in the eyes, girl, so let us not be enticed On the way out of Egypt, through Etopoia, to the judgement hall of Christ.

she or her in the bible is often meaning/describing the holy spirit...

the whole song is about spiritual warfare as of where it says at the start and it is wow....