Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan

This article is about the tribute album. For the Bob Dylan song, see Gotta Serve Somebody.

Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan is a tribute album released on the Sony/Columbia label in 2003, which features traditional and contemporary gospel singers performing songs written by Bob Dylan during his "born again" period (1979–81). Five songs on the album had originally appeared in Dylan's own performances on his first Christian album, Slow Train Coming, and six songs had appeared on his second, Saved. There are none taken from his third and last album from this period, Shot of Love. Dylan himself performs on the album in a duet with Mavis Staples of "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking," which Dylan completely re-wrote and prefaced by some humorous banter between the two.

The Gotta Serve Somebody CD was Grammy nominated for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album and also Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for the Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples duet.

The companion documentary DVD on Image Entertainment premieres 1980 archival footage of Bob Dylan performing "When He Returns" and features interviews with Dylan musicians: Jim Keltner, Spooner Oldham, Regina McCrary, Fred Tackett, Terry Young, Mona Lisa Young and producer Jerry Wexler.

The documentary DVD won Gold Medal for Excellence Audience Choice for Best Music Documentary at Park City Film Music Festival.

Track listing

All songs by Bob Dylan, except "Saved," written by Bob Dylan and Tim Drummond. "When You Gonna Wake Up" additional lyrics by Lee Williams.

  1. "Gotta Serve Somebody" - Shirley Caesar- 5:48
  2. "When You Gonna Wake Up" - Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC's - 4:43
  3. "I Believe In You" - Dottie Peoples - 5:25
  4. "Are You Ready" - The Fairfield Four- 2:34
  5. "Solid Rock" - Sounds of Blackness - 4:23
  6. "Saving Grace" - Aaron Neville - 4:41
  7. "What Can I Do For You?" - Helen Baylor - 4:54
  8. "Pressing On" - Chicago Mass Choir - 6:06
  9. "Saved" - The Mighty Clouds of Joy - 4:43
  10. "When He Returns" - The Rance Allen Group - 5:53
  11. "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking" - Bob Dylan & Mavis Staples - 5:17

Executive Producer Jeffrey Gaskill
Produced by Joel Moss