Bob Dylan described “Shot of Love”, the title track of his 1981 album, as his “most perfect song” in an interview with NME. He said it expressed his spiritual, musical and romantic outlook, making the choice notable because the album is widely regarded as one of the more divisive releases in his catalogue.

The song was not released as a single and appeared on Dylan’s 21st studio album, which concluded his Christian-themed trilogy after Slow Train Coming and Saved. Although Shot of Love reached the UK top 10, it peaked at No. 33 on the US Billboard chart, reflecting the mixed public response to Dylan’s religious-era work.