Bob Dylan’s Off-Brand ’80s Stint Leaving Fans Scratching Their Heads 40 Years Later

Not that any of Bob Dylan’s phases are forgettable, but if one were to be considered as such, some fans might point to the ’80s. Christian music, ear piercings, flashy clothing, and highly produced music were just a few of the attributes confusing Dylan fans and critics alike. And years after the fact, Dylan has acknowledged how this period in his career juxtaposed the rest. The times marked a distressingly creative period for Dylan, as he was at quite a crossroads in his career.

That being so, in the ’80s Bob Dylan released Infidels, Saved, Empire Burlesque, and numerous others. However, none of these albums necessarily cemented themselves as fan favorites in Dylan’s illustrious catalog. This was seemingly part of the problem. The new Dylan had to beat the old Dylan, and well, the old Dylan is credited for being the best songwriter of all time. So, Dylan’s complication reportedly derived from a competition of self.

Bob Dylan’s Need for A Rebirth

By the time the ’80s rolled around Bob Dylan’s larger-than-life persona became his Achilles heal. Dylan once stated, “I wouldn’t do half the things I do if I was thinking about having to live up to a Bob Dylan myth,” per UCR. Given this comment, it seems Dylan constantly tried to chase the success he’d acquired in the ’60s and ’70s. Dylan, armed with a need to beat his former self, would go on to release music entirely unfamiliar to his fans.

By releasing Saved, Dylan aimed to articulate his newfound dedication to Christianity. Though, given his former critiques of the religion such as in the song “With God On Our Side,” this did not sit well with some fans. As a matter of fact, famed music critic Robert Christgau said Saved was “most likely a failed experiment or a pleasant piece of hackwork.”

The same public reception goes for many other of the albums. Including, Empire Burlesque, which painted Dylan’s music with an ’80s sound that didn’t necessarily fit his style. With that in mind, Empire Burlesque peaked at No. 33 on the charts and Christgau again slapped back at him. He wrote in The Village Voice, “At best [Dylan]’s achieved the professionalism he’s always claimed as his goal.” Needless to say, Dylan came up short in his alleged goal of beating his former self.

In Retrospect…

Since his ’80s career, Dylan has extensively acknowledged the public’s criticism. He’s also acknowledged his role in the negative reception. Telling Rolling Stone in 2004, that he was “swept along with the current.” He also stated, “I probably can’t listen to those records. I’ll hear too many faults” and “I don’t think my talent was under control.”

It might be fair to assume that Bob Dylan doesn’t look back on these times and think “That was some of my best work.” Though, people focus on the wrong things when it comes to his ’80s career. Instead of focusing on his flaws, what should be focused on was his chase for originality. After all, the greatest attribute of an artist is the fact that they are never satisfied and never will be. Yet, they still try to and that is exactly what it seemed Dylan did in the ’80s.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns