Precious angel, under the sun
How was I to know you'd be the one
To show me I was blinded, to show me I was gone
How weak was the foundation I was standing upon ?

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 ?

Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Ya know I just couldn't make it by myself
I'm a little too blind to see.

My so called friends have fallen under a spell
They look me squarely in the eye and they say, "Well all is well'"
Can they imagine the darkness that will fall from on high
When men will beg God to kill them and they won't be able to die.

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 the same breath
You never mentioned one time the Man who came and died a criminal's death.

Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Ya know I just couldn't make it by myself
I'm a little too blind to see.

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, you know our forefathers were slaves
Let us hope they've found mercy in their bone-filled graves.

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.

Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Shine you light, shine your light on me
Ya know I just couldn't make it by myself
I'm a little too blind to see.


Lyrics submitted by Philadelphia Eagles

Precious Angel Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Precious Angel song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    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!

    RayManon February 23, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    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".

    Pike_Bishopon September 12, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    "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.

    TheThornBirdson February 09, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    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

    genetruon February 19, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    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.

    maggotbrainon April 01, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    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!

    Olexon January 05, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    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)

    coldironson March 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    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....

    Faithfulon February 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is so deep. Deep like something else that's deep. Um .... THE OCEAN!!!!!!! Yeah man that's it. These song words changed the way I view lyre!

    Llamalovers01on September 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Attempting to analyze this song, or Dylan's entire born-again period, without a thorough understanding of Advancement Theory, is more difficult than a rich man entering the kingdom of heaven.

    chowfun18on October 02, 2011   Link

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