I remember buying this album the week it came out in 1979. I also remember how disappointed I was with its banal lyrics and Christian message, which seemed so much at variance with Dylan's free-thinking genius. Mark Knopfler's irritating guitar playing is particularly intrusive, making all the tracks sound very similar. In retrospect, this album marks the end of Dylan's great period. He would continue to record great songs (including some religious songs, such as "Every grain of sand") but no more great albums (not even 2001's much touted "Love and theft").