THE ROLLING STONES - CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING

CAN’T YOU HEAR MY KNOCKING

THE ROLLING STONES

SONGWRITERS: KEITH RICHARDS & MICK JAGGER

COUNTRY: U.K.

ALBUM: STICKY FINGERS

LABEL: ROLLING STONES RECORDS

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1971

"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1971 album Sticky Fingers. The song is over seven minutes long, and begins with a Keith Richards open-G tuned guitar intro. At two minutes and forty-three seconds, an instrumental break begins, with Rocky Dijon on congas; tenor saxophonist Bobby Keys performs an extended saxophone solo over the guitar work of Richards and Mick Taylor, punctuated by the organ work of Billy Preston. At 4:40 Taylor takes over from Keys and carries the song to its finish with a lengthy guitar solo.

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London, England in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones(guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger(lead vocals), Keith Richards(guitar, backing vocals), Bill Wyman(bass), Charlie Watts(drums), and Ian Stewart(piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued as a touring member until his death in 1985. Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since. Following Wyman's departure in 1993, Darryl Jones joined as their touring bassist. Touring keyboardists for the band have been Nicky Hopkins(1967–1982), Ian McLagan(1978–1981), Billy Preston(through the mid-1970s) and Chuck Leavell(1982–present). The band was first led by Brian Jones, but after teaming as the band's songwriters, Jagger and Richards assumed leadership while Jones dealt with legal and personal troubles.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the US in 1964, and identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, the group began a short period of musical experimentation in the mid-1960s that peaked with the psychedelic album Their Satanic Majesties Request(1967). Subsequently, the group returned to its "bluesy" roots with Beggars Banquet(1968) which along with its follow-ups Let It Bleed(1969), Sticky Fingers(1971) and Exile on Main St.(1972) is generally considered to be the band's best work and is seen as their "Golden Age". During this period, they were first introduced on stage as "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Musicologist Robert Palmer attributed the endurance of the Rolling Stones to their being "rooted in traditional verities, in rhythm-and-blues and soul music", while "more ephemeral pop fashions have come and gone".

Yeah, you got satin shoes

Yeah, you got fancy boots

Y'all got cocaine eyes

Yeah, you got speed freak jive

Can't you hear me knockin' on your window

Can't you hear me knockin' on your door

Can't you hear me knockin' down the dirty street

Hey, help me baby,

I ain't no stranger

Help me baby,

I ain't no stranger

Help me baby,

I ain't no stranger

Can't you hear me knockin' when you're safe asleep

Can't you hear me knockin' down the gas light street

Can't you hear me knockin' throw me down the keys

Allright now

Hear me ringing big bells toll

Hear me singing soft and low

I've been begging on my knees

I've been kickin' Help me please

Hear me prowlin I'm gonna take you down

Hear me growlin', yeah I've got flatted feet

Now, now, now hear me howlin'

I'm all around your street now hear me knockin'

I'm around your town.