“Lord protect my child…”

There was little reason for me to doubt – even prior to discovering this song – that Bob Dylan is the greatest songwriter that has ever graced the face of the Earth. The preponderance of evidence already supports my position. But every once in a while I still come across a gem from Dylan that I haven’t heard and it almost always blows me away.

Case in point, this little number titled Lord, Protect My Child. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a song that captures the longings of a parent’s heart quite like this. Not only that, but the song ties that passion to the gospel message. It’s the kind of thing that’ll yank out your soul through your tear ducts.

This version is performed by Susan Tedeschi and appears on her Hope and Desire album. (Hey, I said Dylan was the greatest songwriter, not musician or singer!) If you’re a parent, particularly the father of a young boy, you may want to grab a tissue, read along with the lyrics and try your best to hold it together.