Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Roger McGuinn Lyrics

The song Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Roger McGuinn is a poignant expression of the feelings of despair and hopelessness that one goes through when faced with their own mortality. The opening lines of the song, "Mama, take this badge off of me, I can't use it anymore," suggest a sense of resignation to one's fate. The badge here is a metaphor for the burdens and responsibilities of life that he can no longer bear. The next line, "It's gettin' dark, too dark to see," conjures an image of the inevitability of death looming near. The feeling of being lost and confused as the darkness sets in is further accentuated when he says, "I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door," implying that he is on the verge of crossing over to the other side.

The second stanza of the song sees a continuation of the same theme, with the singer asking his mother to put his guns in the ground since he can no longer use them. The long black cloud that comes down represents the darkness that has engulfed him, and there is a sense of surrender to the inevitable. The repeated lines, "Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door," adds to the feeling of desperation that the singer must be experiencing.

Overall, the song is a poignant expression of the fear and hopelessness that one goes through as they approach the end of their life. The vivid imagery that the lyrics evoke allows the listener to empathize with the singer and feel their struggle.