Knockin' on Heaven's Door Words and music Bob Dylan Released on Pat Garret & Billy The Kid (1973) and on Biograph (1985), and in live versions on Before the Flood (1974), At Budokan (1978), Dylan and the Dead (1988), MTV Unplugged (1995), and Live 1975 (2002) Tabbed and transcribed by Eyolf Шstrem The challenge with this song is not the chords, which are quite simple, actually, but the lyrics, which change quite a lot, almost from show to show, with improvised new lines about what brings him to the door, knockin'. The Am7 is played as a simple Am in most versions. Unplugged version same as below, but with a capo on the 2nd fret (on Jackson's guitar; Dylan fumbles around with an occasional lick on an uncapoed guitar). |:G . D . Am7 . . . |G . D . C . . . :| G D Am7 Mama, take this badge off of me G D C I can't use it anymore. G D Am7 It's gettin' dark, too dark to see G D C 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 Mama, 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 Live 1975 version The chords are the same as above. Mama wipe the blood off of my face I can't see through it anymore I need someone to talk to, and a new hiding place I feel like I'm looking at heaven's door [Roger McGuinn:] Mama I can hear that thunder roar Echoin' down from God's distant shore I can hear 'em callin' for my soul Feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door Live version, 2001 The most stable chord sequence in the world (maybe with the exception of "All Along the Watchtower") has been changed! | E . B . | F#m . . . | E . B . | A . . . | E B F#m Mama, take this badge off of me E B A I can't use it anymore. A E(/g#) B It's gettin' dark, too dark to see C#m B A I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door. Alternative outtake verses from the Burbank sessions, Feb 1973 Take #1: Mama, put my guns in the ground I don't need them anymore. long black train is comin' round I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door. Mama, take this badge off of me I don't need it anymore. It's gettin' dark, too dark to see I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door. Mama, put my guns in the ground I can't shoot them anymore. that long black train is comin' round I'm knockin' up on heaven's door Take #2: "Ok, let's do it without the vocal. It's the last time I work for anybody though, on a movie. With music." Various live lyric changes Mama wipe the blood from my face I'm sick and tired of the war Got a lone black feelin', and it's hard to trace Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door (1974, various locations, incl. the version on Before the Flood. This verse is inserted between the two verses on the original album) Mama take these bells out of my ears I can't hear them anymore They're bringin' me down and givin' me tears Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door Roger McGuinn's verse: Mama I can hear that thunder roar Echoin' down from God's distant shore I can hear it callin' for my soul Feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door (Waterbury CT, 751111) Mama wipe the blood off of my face I can't see through it anymore I need someone to talk to, and a new hiding place I feel like I'm knocking on heaven's door (Boston, 751121) Mama take these tears out of my eyes I can't see through them anymore Just for once, I'd like to see the sunrise Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door (MSG, "Night of the Hurricane", 751208) Mama take this badge off of me I can't feel it anymore It's getting dark, too dark to see Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door (New Orleans, 760503, Fort Worth 760516) Mama tow my barge down to sea Pull it down from shore to shore Two brown eyes are lookin' at me Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door. Goin' down by that road Feelin' down and more and more Take the train by [...] Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door. (Earl's Court, London 810328) [...] on this scene fallin' down like to the floor Two brown eyes are looking at me Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door (Earl's Court, London 810329) Mama take me above all that misery Let it fall down to the floor Two brown eyes are looking at me Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door (Drammen, Norway, 810710) Mama take this [front part away] I just don't want it anymore Aah, when I get in front of something it's too much to pay Yeah, Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door Mama take my boat [out of the sea] Let it fall down to the floor Two brown eyes are looking at me Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door. (Avignon, 810725) Mama wipe the blod from my face I just can't see trough it any more Sometimes you feel so damn out of place And I feel like I'm knockin' on-a heavens door (Bristol Connecticut, Lake Compounce 4 Sep, 1988. Submitted by Patrik Winquist) The sun is setting down On this ill-forgotten town Two riders are coming down Bury my heart in this ground (Unknown date and location, submitted by Chris Barrett) Версия звучавшая в одноменном гениальном фильме.