About the song
“**Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door**” is a renowned song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, written specifically for the soundtrack of the 1973 film *Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid*. Released as a single two months after the film’s premiere, the song quickly gained popularity and became a worldwide hit, reaching the Top 10 in various countries. Its enduring appeal is evident in the numerous covers it has inspired, including notable versions by Eric Clapton, Guns N’ Roses, and Randy Crawford.
The song is often praised for its simplicity and emotional depth. Bob Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin described it as “an exercise in splendid simplicity,” a fitting characterization of a song that resonates with its straightforward yet powerful lyrics. The composition features only two short verses, which effectively comment on a pivotal scene in the film: the death of a frontier lawman, portrayed by Slim Pickens, who tenderly refers to his wife, played by Katy Jurado, as “Mama.”
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” has been widely recognized for its impact and significance. In Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, it was ranked 190th in 2004 and 192nd in 2010, highlighting its lasting influence and relevance in music history.
The recording of the song featured a talented group of musicians, including Bob Dylan himself on vocals and guitar, Roger McGuinn on guitar, Jim Keltner on drums, and Terry Paul on bass. Additional contributions came from Carl Fortina on harmonium and backing vocals by Carol Hunter, Donna Weiss, and Brenda Patterson.
Overall, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” stands as one of Bob Dylan’s most iconic and widely covered songs, capturing a universal theme of mortality with poignant simplicity and melodic grace. Its place in music history is firmly cemented by its continued popularity and the diverse interpretations it has inspired.
Video
Lyrics
Mama take this badge from me
I can’t use it anymore
It’s getting dark too dark to see
Feels like 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 cold black cloud is comin’ down
Feels like 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
“You just better start sniffin’ your own rank subjugation jack
‘Cause it’s just you against your tattered libido
The bank and the mortician, forever man
And it wouldn’t be luck if you could get out of life alive”
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)
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)
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