12_billy/knockin_on_heavens_door.htm

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  11 <title>Knockin' On Heaven's Door</title>
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  16
  17 <h1 class="songtitle">Knockin' on Heaven's Door</h1>
  18
  19 <p>Words and music Bob Dylan<br />
  20 Released on <a href="index.htm" class="recordlink">Pat Garret &amp; 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 &Oslash;strem</p>
  26
  27 <hr />
  28
  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>
  32
  33 <p>The Am7 is played as a simple Am in most versions.</p>
  34
  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>
  37 <p>
  38 In many live versions, the last line of the refrain is &ldquo;Just like so
  39 many times before&rdquo; (thanks to Wayne Hampton for reminding me).
  40 </p>
  41 <hr />
  42
  43 <pre class="tab">
  44 |:G . D . Am7 . . . |G . D . C . . . :|</pre>
  45
  46 <pre class="verse">
  47 G               D            Am7
  48 Mama, take this badge off of me
  49 G        D         C
  50  I can't use it anymore.
  51 G             D                 Am7
  52  It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
  53 G                D                    C
  54  I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
  55 </pre>
  56 <pre class="refrain">
  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
  61 </pre>
  62 <pre class="verse">
  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.
  67 </pre>
  68 <pre class="refrain">
  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>
  73
  74 <hr />
  75
  76
  77 <h2 class="songversion">Live 1975 version</h2>
  78
  79 <p>The chords are the same as above.</p>
  80
  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>
  85
  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>
  91
  92 <hr />
  93
  94 <h3>Live version, 2001</h3>
  95
  96 <p>The most stable chord sequence in the world (maybe with the exception of &quot;All
  97 Along the Watchtower&quot;) has been changed!</p>
  98
  99 <pre>| E . B . | F#m . . . | E . B . | A . . . |</pre>
 100
 101 <pre class="verse">
 102 E               B            F#m
 103 Mama, take this badge off of me
 104 E        B         A
 105  I can't use it anymore.
 106 A             E(/g#)            B
 107  It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
 108 C#m              B                    A
 109  I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
 110  </pre>
 111
 112 <hr />
 113
 114 <h3>Alternative outtake verses from the Burbank sessions, Feb 1973</h3>
 115
 116 <p>Take #1:</p>
 117
 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>
 122
 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>
 127
 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>
 132
 133 <p>Take #2: </p>
 134
 135 <p>&quot;Ok, let's do it without the vocal. It's the last time I work for anybody though,
 136 on a movie. With music.&quot;</p>
 137
 138 <hr />
 139
 140 <h3>Various live lyric changes</h3>
 141
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (1974, various locations, incl. the version on <a
 147 href="../15_beforetheflood/index.htm"><em>Before the Flood</em></a>. <br />
 148 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This verse is inserted between the two verses on the original album)</p>
 149
 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>
 154
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Waterbury CT, 751111)</p>
 161
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Boston, 751121)</p>
 167
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (MSG, &quot;Night of the Hurricane&quot;, 751208)</p>
 173
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (New Orleans, 760503, Fort Worth 760516)</p>
 179
 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>
 184
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Earl's Court, London 810628)</p>
 190
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Earl's Court, London 810629) </p>
 196
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Drammen, Norway, 810710)</p>
 202
 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>
 207
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Avignon, 810725)</p>
 213
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Bristol Connecticut, Lake Compounce 4 Sep, 1988. Submitted by Patrik Winquist)</p>
 219
 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 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Unknown date and location, submitted by Chris Barrett)</p>
 225 </body>
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