I gaze into the doorway of temptation’s angry flame/
And every time I pass that way I’ll always hear my name.
Make sure you listen to this version of Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand” from his box set. During the early 80s, Dylan went through a Christian Rock phase. It lasted three albums. It was…different. Dylan has gone through many phases in his career so you have to roll with it and find the gems. “Every Grain Of Sand” was his best song during this period.
The song is about seeing God’s work in the intricacies and beauty of the world. And perhaps seeing that you are just a small part of everything can in some ways bring you clarity and comfort. The song is intimate; it explains a lot about what brought him to Christianity during that time.
This isn’t a feeling or belief unique to Christianity, many religions and spiritual people place their belief in God due to seeing the vast complexity of the universe and inferring an intelligent designer. The ancient greeks discussed it–the Design (or teleological) Argument for the Existence of God. It is heavily flawed when placed up to scrutiny, but there is still an initial almost innate appeal.
The regular release of Every Grain Of Sand is a “C”…nothing special. Dylan’s voice was off, as was the production and instrumentation. This demo, however, is a masterpiece. Dylan’s voice sounds amazing and tender. There is a piano and acoustic guitar that are both uses as accompaniment as he plays the song live. There is a downside to this version…it was recorded at someone’s home, and apparently their dog likes the song too, and we can hear the dog howling in the background!
Every Grain Of Sand Lyrics
In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet floods every newborn seed
There’s a dying voice within me reaching out somewhere
Toiling in the danger and the morals of despair
Don’t have the inclination to look back on any mistake
Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break
In the fury of the moment I can see the master’s hand
In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand
Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer
The sun beams down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay
I gaze into the doorway of temptation’s angry flame
And every time I pass that way I’ll always hear my name
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand
I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer’s dream, in the chill of a wintry light
In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there’s someone there, other times it’s only me
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand
Songwriters: Bob Dylan
