1 <?xml version=
"1.0" encoding=
"UTF-8"?>
2 <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC
"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
3 "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
4 <html lang=
"en" xml:
lang=
"en" xmlns=
"http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
7 ../12_billy/knockin_on_heavens_door.tex
8 by bpb2html on Wed Mar 30 09:41:32 Centr. Europa, normaltid 2005 -->
11 <title>Knockin' On Heaven's Door
</title>
12 <link rel=
"stylesheet" type=
"text/css" href=
"../css/general.css" />
17 <h1 class=
"songtitle">Knockin' on Heaven's Door
</h1>
19 <p>Words and music Bob Dylan
<br />
20 Released on
<a href=
"index.htm" class=
"recordlink">Pat Garret
& Billy The Kid
</a> (
1973) and on
<a
21 href=
"../28_biograph/index.htm" class=
"recordlink">Biograph
</a> (
1985), and in live versions on
<a
22 href=
"../15_beforetheflood/index.htm" class=
"recordlink">Before the Flood
</a> (
1974),
<a
23 href=
"../21_budokan/index.htm" class=
"recordlink">At Budokan
</a> (
1978),
<em>Dylan and the Dead
</em>(
1988),
<a href=
"../37_unplugged/index.htm" class=
"recordlink">MTV Unplugged
</a> (
1995), and
<a
24 href=
"../42_bs5/index.htm" class=
"recordlink">Live
1975</a> (
2002)
<br />
25 Tabbed and transcribed by Eyolf
Østrem
</p>
29 <p>The challenge with this song is not the chords, which are quite simple, actually, but
30 the lyrics, which change quite a lot, almost from show to show, with improvised new lines
31 about what brings him to the door, knockin'.
</p>
33 <p>The Am7 is played as a simple Am in most versions.
</p>
35 <p><a class=
"recordlink" href=
"../37_unplugged/index.htm">Unplugged
</a> version same as below, but with a capo on the
2nd fret (on Jackson's guitar;
36 Dylan fumbles around with an occasional lick on an uncapoed guitar).
</p>
38 In many live versions, the last line of the refrain is
“Just like so
39 many times before
” (thanks to Wayne Hampton for reminding me).
44 |:G . D . Am7 . . . |G . D . C . . . :|
</pre>
48 Mama, take this badge off of me
50 I can't use it anymore.
52 It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
54 I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
57 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
58 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
59 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
60 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
63 Mama, put my guns in the ground
64 I can't shoot them anymore.
65 That long black cloud is comin' down
66 I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
69 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
70 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
71 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
72 Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
</pre>
77 <h2 class=
"songversion">Live
1975 version
</h2>
79 <p>The chords are the same as above.
</p>
81 <p>Mama wipe the blood off of my face
<br />
82 I can't see through it anymore
<br />
83 I need someone to talk to, and a new hiding place
<br />
84 I feel like I'm looking at heaven's door
</p>
86 <p>[Roger McGuinn:]
<br />
87 Mama I can hear that thunder roar
<br />
88 Echoin' down from God's distant shore
<br />
89 I can hear 'em callin' for my soul
<br />
90 Feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
</p>
94 <h3>Live version,
2001</h3>
96 <p>The most stable chord sequence in the world (maybe with the exception of
"All
97 Along the Watchtower
") has been changed!
</p>
99 <pre>| E . B . | F#m . . . | E . B . | A . . . |
</pre>
103 Mama, take this badge off of me
105 I can't use it anymore.
107 It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
109 I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
114 <h3>Alternative outtake verses from the Burbank sessions, Feb
1973</h3>
118 <p>Mama, put my guns in the ground
<br />
119 I don't need them anymore.
<br />
120 long black train is comin' round
<br />
121 I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
</p>
123 <p>Mama, take this badge off of me
<br />
124 I don't need it anymore.
<br />
125 It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
<br />
126 I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
</p>
128 <p>Mama, put my guns in the ground
<br />
129 I can't shoot them anymore.
<br />
130 that long black train is comin' round
<br />
131 I'm knockin' up on heaven's door
</p>
135 <p>"Ok, let's do it without the vocal. It's the last time I work for anybody though,
136 on a movie. With music.
"</p>
140 <h3>Various live lyric changes
</h3>
142 <p>Mama wipe the blood from my face
<br />
143 I'm sick and tired of the war
<br />
144 Got a lone black feelin', and it's hard to trace
<br />
145 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
146 (
1974, various locations, incl. the version on
<a
147 href=
"../15_beforetheflood/index.htm"><em>Before the Flood
</em></a>.
<br />
148 This verse is inserted between the two verses on the original album)
</p>
150 <p>Mama take these bells out of my ears
<br />
151 I can't hear them anymore
<br />
152 They're bringin' me down and givin' me tears
<br />
153 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
</p>
155 <p>Roger McGuinn's verse:
<br />
156 Mama I can hear that thunder roar
<br />
157 Echoin' down from God's distant shore
<br />
158 I can hear it callin' for my soul
<br />
159 Feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
160 (Waterbury CT,
751111)
</p>
162 <p>Mama wipe the blood off of my face
<br />
163 I can't see through it anymore
<br />
164 I need someone to talk to, and a new hiding place
<br />
165 I feel like I'm knocking on heaven's door
<br />
166 (Boston,
751121)
</p>
168 <p>Mama take these tears out of my eyes
<br />
169 I can't see through them anymore
<br />
170 Just for once, I'd like to see the sunrise
<br />
171 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
172 (MSG,
"Night of the Hurricane
",
751208)
</p>
174 <p>Mama take this badge off of me
<br />
175 I can't feel it anymore
<br />
176 It's getting dark, too dark to see
<br />
177 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
178 (New Orleans,
760503, Fort Worth
760516)
</p>
180 <p>Mama tow my barge down to sea
<br />
181 Pull it down from shore to shore
<br />
182 Two brown eyes are lookin' at me
<br />
183 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
</p>
185 <p>Goin' down by that road
<br />
186 Feelin' down and more and more
<br />
187 Take the train by [...]
<br />
188 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
<br />
189 (Earl's Court, London
810628)
</p>
191 <p>[...] on this scene
<br />
192 fallin' down like to the floor
<br />
193 Two brown eyes are looking at me
<br />
194 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
195 (Earl's Court, London
810629)
</p>
197 <p>Mama take me above all that misery
<br />
198 Let it fall down to the floor
<br />
199 Two brown eyes are looking at me
<br />
200 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
<br />
201 (Drammen, Norway,
810710)
</p>
203 <p>Mama take this [front part away]
<br />
204 I just don't want it anymore
<br />
205 Aah, when I get in front of something it's too much to pay
<br />
206 Yeah, Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door
</p>
208 <p>Mama take my boat [out of the sea]
<br />
209 Let it fall down to the floor
<br />
210 Two brown eyes are looking at me
<br />
211 Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
<br />
212 (Avignon,
810725)
</p>
214 <p>Mama wipe the blod from my face
<br />
215 I just can't see trough it any more
<br />
216 Sometimes you feel so damn out of place
<br />
217 And I feel like I'm knockin' on-a heavens door
<br />
218 (Bristol Connecticut, Lake Compounce
4 Sep,
1988. Submitted by Patrik Winquist)
</p>
220 <p>The sun is setting down
<br />
221 On this ill-forgotten town
<br />
222 Two riders are coming down
<br />
223 Bury my heart in this ground
<br />
224 (Unknown date and location, submitted by Chris Barrett)
</p>