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Warren Zevon — Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Album: The Wind
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 117









Released: 2003
Length: 3:58
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Mama take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's getting dark, too dark to see
And 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 coming down
And I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door, hey

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
Open up, open up, open up, open up
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Open up for me, yeah
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
Open up, open up, open up, open up for me, yeah
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Comments (36)add comment

Line-up in Album:
Gil Bernal - Saxophone
Jackson Browne - Vocals (bckgr)
T Bone Burnett - Vocals (bckgr)
Jorge Calderon - Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Guitar (Electric), Maracas, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Tres, Spanish Vocals
Mike Campbell - Guitar (Electric)
Luis Conte - Percussion, Bongos, Conga, Drums, Maracas
Ry Cooder - Slide Guitar
Brad Davis - Guitar (Electric), Vocals (bckgr)
Brad Davis - Guitar (Electric), Vocals (bckgr)
Steve Gorman - Drums
Reggie Hamilton - Bass (Upright)
Emmylou Harris - Vocals (bckgr)
Don Henley - Drums
Jim Keltner - Drums
David Lindley - Vocals (bckgr), Lap Steel Guitar, Electric Saz
Randy Mitchell - Vocals (bckgr), Slide Guitar
Tom Petty - Vocals (bckgr)
James Raymond - Piano
Timothy B. Schmit - Vocals (bckgr)
Tommy Shaw - Vocals (bckgr), Guitar (12 String Acoustic)
Bruce Springsteen - Guitar (Electric), Vocals (bckgr)
Billy Bob Thornton - Vocals (bckgr)
John Waite - Vocals (bckgr)
Joe Walsh - Slide Guitar
Dwight Yoakam - Vocals (bckgr)
Jordan Zevon - Vocals (bckgr), Executive Producer
Warren Zevon - Guitar (Acoustic), Piano, Guitar (Electric), Keyboards, Vocals, Producer

Posted 14 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
it is the context of this song that stirs the emotions- cannot the same be said for other great songs?
Posted 20 years ago by Kowalski1972    [ Reply ]
joe1 wrote:
Feck me!! Why cover the Uncoverable? There are certain songs that should never be covered...and this is one of them...Warren Zevon should be castrated for that effort..... Pleeeeease... 'only cover', Bill?...Thank *** for that!
why? is his voice to low for you? well, sorry for that bit of disrespect for warren's memory. but hey, don't any of you critics realize that he was dying of lung cancer when he recorded "knockin' on heaven's door?" in that context this version gains sort of an ironic poignancy. bill's playing this song as part of a "death" set. just heard george harrison, robert palmer, warren zevon, johnny cash, and now a tracy chapman gospel song ABOUT death.
Posted 20 years ago by bluedot    [ Reply ]
Warren gets a pass on this one. Knocked and entered. I'll give it a seven.
Posted 20 years ago by Soul_of_Wit    [ Reply ]
As relevant as this was to Warren, I just cannot get around the Axl Rose/G&R stigma this song carries. I just cannot stomach that guy.
Posted 20 years ago by Mot    [ Reply ]
Gimme Dylan's version over this any day. Puh-leeese! I remember calling up my local rock station to request this song just after I heard about the massacre at TianAnMen Square -- the place name means, literally, "The Gate/Door of Heavenly Peace".
Posted 20 years ago by Amazon    [ Reply ]
Every verse and refrain in this song has exactly the same short melody. It doesn't matter who plays and sings it, it always comes to... yaaaawn. Fast forward.
Posted 20 years ago by saeys    [ Reply ]
Is there a way to score something less than 1? Something about this song inspired me to ask.
Posted 20 years ago by bothanesque    [ Reply ]
Ugh. If one more person covers this boring song, I'll puke.
Posted 20 years ago by beelzebubba    [ Reply ]
DavidCarrico wrote:
I'll take Axel's rendition anyday over this
Right on, you can have it. No returns or exchanges.
Posted 20 years ago by rgj13    [ Reply ]
Art_Carnage wrote:
I generally don't like most BD covers, but Zevon gets a free pass on this one. This rips right to the soul.
i agree. i hear this song and get sad every time.
Posted 20 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
I'll take Axel's rendition anyday over this
Posted 20 years ago by DavidCarrico    [ Reply ]
poignant, yes; appropriate, yes; moving, a little; but good? definitely not.
Posted 21 years ago by redwizard    [ Reply ]
thought it was "freebird" at first, guitar does sound like skynyrd
Posted 21 years ago by SuperWeh    [ Reply ]
Wow. He does a great job of this. Weirdly prophetic, like J.Cash's last song that he ever got published (When The Man Comes Around) ending with "and his name was death" (or something, I'm not exactly quoting)... (Not redundant) ...oooohhhhh WEIRD!!! The next song in the set is EXACTLY the JCash song I was talking about!!!
Posted 21 years ago by alanb    [ Reply ]
Bad cover
Posted 21 years ago by BigCalm    [ Reply ]
ok... so i fully understand that playing this is kind of like a tribute to the man, the legend... but this cover is seriously just really pretty bland. somebody needs to declare a moratorium on famous bands recording this one. i mean, when every single high-school, college, and crappy hometown barband covers a song (see "Wonderful Tonight" also) is there really any need for a good artist to record it as well. it's just redundant. it's just redundant. it's just redundant. it's just redundant. it's just redundant. why not take a wild chance and record a cover of "Free Bird" instead. :roll:
Posted 21 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
... well.. so far this is the best song off of zevon's final album... course, thats not saying much... i'm starting to wish the guy hadn't died so i wouldn't have to suffer through the trash he put on his last album. And to the people who say "wow, zevon's last album feels really urgent" i say pull yer head out yer prostierier and see this album for what it really is... a mediocre musician's rushed final album.
Posted 21 years ago by Eul0gy    [ Reply ]
ya know who else does a really nice version of this song? BOB DYLAN! jeez, enough of the crap dylan covers aready.
Posted 21 years ago by fjelgar    [ Reply ]
chilling....!
Posted 21 years ago by sfearll    [ Reply ]
nowhere near as good as the guns'n'roses version.
Posted 21 years ago by shaggenstein    [ Reply ]
Nope, I think this is a good version of a song that's been beaten to death elsewhere. He sounds really good here.
Posted 21 years ago by rgrace    [ Reply ]
Roverfish wrote:
Freebird!! :bananabanger: I get the beat-you-over-the-head symbolism, but I really think Warren could have picked a better swan song. Sorry...I'm going to miss him as much as anyone, but it won't be because of this song.
I think the most fitting send-off that he wrote was "My Ride's Here". Quinessential Zevon, from last album before he got the sad diagnosis.
Posted 21 years ago by mperry    [ Reply ]
Zevon sings this song better than Dylan ever could.
Posted 21 years ago by KevinM    [ Reply ]
Enough already!
Posted 21 years ago by widespot    [ Reply ]
I generally don't like most BD covers, but Zevon gets a free pass on this one. This rips right to the soul.
Posted 21 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
He's a funny guy. May the cancer go into remission.
Posted 21 years ago by Geed    [ Reply ]
Freebird!! :bananabanger: I get the beat-you-over-the-head symbolism, but I really think Warren could have picked a better swan song. Sorry...I'm going to miss him as much as anyone, but it won't be because of this song.
Posted 21 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
I think my favorite cover of this song is still Guns 'n' Roses.
Posted 21 years ago by nolands    [ Reply ]
Sickest, saddest sounding version of this song ever.
Posted 21 years ago by tazochai    [ Reply ]
Thanks for playing this - it\'s wonderful. I\'d heard a recent article on NPR about Warren\'s condition, and made a mental note to watch for the album - now I can purchase it.
Posted 21 years ago by wilderbill    [ Reply ]
Get out your handkerchiefs nice version of a great Dylan song (amazingly good covers of this song over the years) Thanks Warren, we'll miss you --Shari
Posted 21 years ago by shari    [ Reply ]
This guy's always had a talent for thumbing his nose at various social conventions. But "open up, open up." Man, that's too strange!
Posted 21 years ago by tonypf    [ Reply ]
Amazing and poignant.
Posted 21 years ago by cowboybull    [ Reply ]