“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is one of the most sung songs in Bob Dylan’s extensive catalog of songs. Originally written in 1973 for Sam Peckinpah’s western “Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid,” the song has become a lyrical masterpiece. Dylan released “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” as a single shortly after the song’s appearance on the film’s soundtrack, with the B-side “Turkey Chase.” The track climbed the Billboard charts and eventually reached the number 12 position, making it a success in its time; today, it is considered one of the greatest songs of all time. In 1975, Eric Clapton offered his interpretation of the song, first contributing guitar to Arthur Louis’ reggae-infused version of the song, and later recording his own version. During the late ’70s and ’80s, the Jerry Garcia Band often performed the song, and the Grateful Dead also included it in their repertoire during the ’90s. R&B singer Randy Crawford has also released a cover of the song, along with many others. However, the most famous version of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is the cover released by Guns ‘N’ Roses in 1990. Indeed, their version is perhaps even more popular than Dylan’s original, becoming an international success for the band in the early ’90s. From a lyrical standpoint, the meaning of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” can be directly interpreted by aligning the song with the scene of the film for which it was originally written, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.
