The mid-80s saw the emergence of one of the most legendary rock bands of all time, with Guns N’ Roses considered to be one of the most important bands in history.
Throughout their years in the music industry, they have released many acclaimed songs, some of which have been covers of work done by other artists. This is the case of Bob Dylan‘s ‘Knocking on heaven’s door’.
The original hit was released in September 1973 as part of the soundtrack for the film ‘Billy the Kid’. It is a song that focuses on a deputy sheriff who dies after receiving a gunshot wound. Simple and emotional, the song is considered one of the 81-year-old Duluth-born artist’s greatest hits.
Over the years, many artists have released their versions of ‘Knocking on heaven’s door’. However, perhaps the most popular is the one released by Guns N’ Roses on their fourth studio album, ‘Use Your Illusion II’, in 1991.
There are many who, in fact, prefer the rhythm of the Californian group to that of Bob Dylan‘s original version.
The story behind Guns N’ Roses’ version of ‘Knocking on heaven’s door’
In order to find out why Guns N’ Roses decided to take a chance on the song, one has to look at the unauthorized biography ‘Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N’ Roses’.
In it, it is explained that the origin of the band’s decision can be traced back to a fight between Axl and a police officer, for which the musician spent a few days in hospital.
“Two days later I woke up, tied to the bed with some wires banging against me”, he said in the book.
They say that, as a result of that, Bob Dylan‘s song became an obsession and, after talking to Slash, they decided to give their own touch to ‘Knocking on heaven’s door’, a version that is now part of music history.