13 Great Songs About Death
8. Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Leave it to Dylan to make a song of such simple composition into one of the revered folk songs of all time. Written for the 1973 Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, the song tells the story of a dying sheriff succumbing to his gunshot wounds. It is played as Sheriff Colin Baker suffers this exact fate in the film which also has a cameo from Dylan himself.
The song has given the usually rigid Dylan the chance to show off his softer side, giving Scottish musician Ted Christopher rare official permission to alter the lyrics of the song to honour those lost in the Dunblane school massacre in 1996. Christopher's version of the song reached number one in the UK and proceeds from it have since gone to a plethora of charities.
Many artists have added their own spin to track, both live and in studio. The most notable examples come from legendary guitarist Eric Clapton, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and then Guns N' Roses for their 1992 Use Your Illusion II album. They then performed the piece at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, continuing with the song's emotional lore.