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Rolling Stones Songs: ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’
Y’all got cocaine eyes/ Yeah, you got speed-freak jive now…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Stargroves, Newbury and Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, March-May 1970 Guest musicians: Bobby Keys (sax), Rocky Dijon (congas), Jimmy Miller (percussion), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Billy Preston (organ), Ronnie Lane and Pete Townshend (backing vocals) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni In this song, the lyrics take a back seat to the driving force of the music itself. Lines like “You got satin shoes/You got plastic boots/Y’all got cocaine eyes/You got speed-freak jive” serve primarily to complement the rhythm rather than convey a deep message. Their true purpose lies in enhancing the song’s pulsating energy. What really stands out is the music, capturing the raw urgency and power of rock ’n’ roll in its purest form.
It’s probably wise not to overanalyze the lyrics of this song—after all, even Mick Jagger himself wasn’t entirely sure what he had written. According to Robert Greenfield’s Ain’t It Time We Said Goodbye, chaos ensued shortly before the album’s release when someone realized that the lyrics for this song and a few others had never been officially filed, making them ineligible for copyright protection.
In a scramble to fix the oversight, members of The Stones’ team were tasked with transcribing the lyrics by listening to acetate pressings of the tracks. When it came to this song, they hit a snag with one of the lines near the end, ultimately settling on “I’ve got flatted feet, now.” Jagger later claimed he hadn’t written that line but admitted he couldn’t recall the actual lyrics, so the makeshift version ended up staying in the song.
This quirky anecdote adds to the song’s charm, reflecting the improvisational and spontaneous energy that often defined The Rolling Stones’ creative process. It’s a testament to the band’s ability to roll with the punches—even when it comes to their own lyrics.
Keith Richards reflects on the magic of the recording in his autobiography Life: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking came out flying—I just found the tuning and the riff and started to swing it and Charlie picked up on it just like that, and we’re thinking, hey, this is some groove. So it was smiles all around,.
The tuning Richards refers to is a five-string configuration that became a signature part of his playing style. “Five strings cleared out the clutter,” he explains. “It gave me the licks and laid on textures.” This stripped-down approach not only defined the sound of the song but also underscored the band’s ability to lock into a groove and let the music take the lead.
At 7:14, Can’t You Hear Me Knocking stands out as one of the longest tracks in The Rolling Stones’ catalog. However, Mick Jagger’s vocal contributions conclude by the 2:45 mark, leaving the rest of the song to unfold as an extended instrumental jam. This departure from their usual format reflects the band’s willingness to experiment with new styles during this period, with a noticeable Santana-inspired influence shaping the track’s unique groove.
The song features standout contributions from several guest musicians: Bobby Keys on saxophone, Rocky Dijon on percussion, and Billy Preston on organ. Bobby Keys, along with trumpet player Jim Price, later joined The Stones on their 1970 European tour after working on the Sticky Fingersalbum. Keys’ iconic saxophone solo on this track was entirely spontaneous. Once he began playing, the band allowed the moment to flow, capturing his inspired performance in real time. Keith Richards, in particular, was thrilled with the raw energy and creativity that came through, describing it as a perfect addition to the song’s improvisational spirit.
The Stones performed a shortened version of Can’t You Hear Me Knocking a few times prior to its official release on the Sticky Fingers album. These rare performances occurred during their 11-date farewell tour in the UK, a series of shows held before the band left England to escape heavy tax burdens. After this brief stint, the song was shelved for decades, not making a return to their setlist until 2002.
By the time they revisited it, the band had the resources to bring along a full ensemble of supporting musicians, including skilled percussionists, to capture the song’s complex dynamics. Although they had used percussionists on earlier tours, they were hesitant to include this track in live performances. Each rehearsal ended in frustration—either with uninspired attempts to replicate the album’s intricate arrangement or with messy, unfocused improvisations. When they finally reintroduced the song live, it marked a turning point in their ability to translate its free-flowing energy and layered instrumentation to the stage, bringing a renewed appreciation for this iconic track.
In the words of Mick Taylor (1979): “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking is one of my favorites. The jam at the end just happened by accident; that was never planned. Towards the end of the song I just felt like carrying on playing. Everybody was putting their instruments down, but the tape was still rolling and it sounded good, so everybody quickly picked up their instruments again and carried on playing. It just happened, and it was a one-take thing. A lot of people seem to really like that part.”
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