Knocking on Heaven’s Door – Doors in Pop and Modern Culture, part 3
by Lucy AtkinsonYes, I know, we’ve already used this blog title! But this time, we really, really had to. That is because we are talking about the actual song, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, first written by The Freewheelin’ (Bob Dylan), and later, covered, by many, many people. I have had several arguments during my lifetime over who actually wrote the song (with some claiming that of course it was Guns and Roses, or no, it was Eric Clapton), but Wikipedia (bless its reliability) proves me right that it was a Dylan song originally. The phrase itself sounds a lot like it is, was or should be a saying, for those who are dying … but people don’t tend to use it in daily conversation about people (at least, I have never heard it used – has anyone else?) Here we look at all the different versions of the song which is so useful for making our blog a little more poetic!
Mama, take this badge off of me
I can’t use it anymore.
It’s gettin’ dark, too dark for me to see
I feel 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 doorMama, put my guns in the ground
I can’t shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin’ down
I feel 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
It was originally written by Dylan for the soundtrack of Pat Garret and Billy the Kidd, in 1973. When you know that, the lyrics start to make a lot more sense. I found it out only recently, and has always wondered what the significance of a badge was, in the first verse, and who the singer was meant to be, shooting guns in the second verse. It was in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Best Songs of All Time list, and is one of the most extensively covered songs in history.It has been covered by:
• Guns and Roses (reached number 2 on the pop charts, and extended to 5:40, from the original 2:35 single)
• Siouxie and the Banshees
• The Grateful Dead
• Aerosmith
• Bryan Ferry
• Mark Knopfler
• Wyclef Jean
• Roger Waters
• Givan Tichy
• Eric Clapton
• The Sisters of Mercy
• Seether
• Cold Chisel
• U2
• Television
• Guided By Voices
• Stained Class
• Avril Lavigne
• Daniel Lioneye
• Bon Jovi
• The Lost Dogs
• Randy Crawford
• Dolly Parton
• Leatherface
A little known fact (there probably is a reason for that…) is that the B-side to the Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door single was named Turkey Chase. Hmm, sounds insightful, moving, a comment on our own mortality!
There was also another version, written by Dunblane musician Ted Christopher in response to the horrible Dunblane massacre of 1996, where 16 schoolchildren were killed … it went straight to the top of the UK charts and all the proceeds went to charities for children. This is the new verse:
Lord these guns have caused too much pain
This town will never be the same
So, for the bairns of Dunblane,
We ask, please, never again.
The massacre was a large instigator for gun law reform in the UK … proving that something good must always come out of something terrible.
The song means so many things to so many different people – what does it mean to all of you?
Photo credits: Knock Knock Knocking On Heaven’s Door by Miguel Angel Barron Silva
