Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Bob Dylan

About Knockin' On Heaven's Door

"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song by Bob Dylan, written for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Released as a single two months after the film's release, it became a worldwide hit, reaching the Top 10 in several countries. The song became one of Dylan's most popular and most covered post-1960s compositions, spawning covers from Guns N' Roses, Eric Clapton, Randy Crawford and more. Described by Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin as "an exercise in splendid simplicity", the song features two verses, each of which represent the film's title characters and American frontier legends Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.  


Year:
2012
85 
#1

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan ( /ˈdɪlən/; born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and artist. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" has been described as radically altering the parameters of popular music in … more »

32 fans

Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


6 facts about this song

Song Originality
1. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was originally written and performed not by Randy Crawford, but by the legendary Bob Dylan. 2. Dylan wrote this classic rock and roll anthem in 1973 as part of the soundtrack for the movie "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid".
Popularity
3. Despite its rather melancholic and grim theme, is one of Dylan's most popular songs. 4. The song charted in multiple countries, including the US and the UK, demonstrating its widespread popularity.
Cover Versions
5. Due to its immense popularity, numerous artists have covered "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" over the years. This includes notable artists like the rock band Guns N' Roses and singer Avril Lavigne. 6. American jazz singer Randy Crawford released her own version of the song in 1989. 7. Crawford’s version reached number 27 on the UK Singles Chart following its release. 8. In contrast to the rock-and-roll original, Crawford's version is a jazz rendition, demonstrating the song's versatility. 9. Eric Clapton has also covered this song and was a very good friend to Bob Dylan.
Song Theme
10. The song's title and lyrics are inspired by the vista of death, more specifically a dying deputy’s feeling who had been fatally shot during a gun-battle in "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid". 11. Despite, or perhaps because of, their somber subject matter, the lyrics of the song are some of Dylan's most quoted.
Live Performances
12. Bob Dylan often performed the song during his live concerts, and it became a staple of his performances. 13. Crawford also often included the song in her live performances and is appreciated by fans for her soulful interpretation.
Significant Film
14. The song has been featured in many significant films over the years, including "Dances with Wolves" and "Hurricane".

Discuss the Knockin' On Heaven's Door Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Knockin' On Heaven's Door Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/32340708/Bob+Dylan/Knockin%27+On+Heaven%27s+Door>.

    Missing lyrics by Bob Dylan?

    Know any other songs by Bob Dylan? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Knockin' On Heaven's Door

    46.2M
    366.5K     20,820

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1973

    Billboard #12


    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Which famous rapper is going ‘sicko-mode’?
    A Kanye west
    B Travis scott
    C Quavo
    D Drake

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Don't miss Bob Dylan's

    Upcoming Events

    »
    Bob Dylan tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Knockin' On Heaven's Door

    »