From album
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Bob Dylan · 1973 · Track 7
Details
TonalidadG
Compás4/4
Tempo70 BPM
Duración2:29
CompositorBob Dylan / Bob Dylan
ÁlbumPat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Año1973
ISRCUSSM11304547
Credits
Music Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan
If you like this, try
The story behind
The story behind Knockin' on Heaven's Door is as simple as it is moving. Bob Dylan composed it with a very specific scene from the 1973 film, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, in mind. The lyrics, which barely span two short verses, reflect the moment of a lawman in his final instants, addressing his wife. It is an exercise in pure simplicity, as described by biographer Clinton Heylin, but with a resonance that transcends the screen. Released as a single in August 1973, shortly after the film's premiere, this piece quickly became a global hit, reaching the top spots on charts in several countries and establishing itself as one of Dylan's most popular and frequently performed compositions after the 1960s.
The album that housed this song, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, released in July 1973, was Bob Dylan's first work conceived as a soundtrack. He himself participated in the film, playing the character "Alias". The record, which includes instrumental music and vocal tracks, was directly inspired by the cinematic narrative. The production was handled by Gordon Carroll, with Dan Wallin as recording engineer. This work, which also includes the track "Turkey Chase" as the B-side of the single, reached number 16 in the United States and 29 in the United Kingdom, being certified gold by the RIAA. The song has been reinterpreted by numerous artists, including Eric Clapton, who recorded a reggae-style version in January 1975, and later his own which reached number 38 in the UK. In 1987, the band Guns N' Roses began performing it, releasing a studio version in 1990 for the soundtrack of Days of Thunder, which climbed to number 18 on the US rock charts and 56 in Canada. This version was modified for their 1991 album, Use Your Illusion II, and became a major hit, topping charts in Portugal, Belgium, and the Netherlands, being the best-selling song of 1992 in the latter.
0:00