Keep A-Knockin'
title: "Keep A-Knockin'" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1957-singles", "little-richard-songs", "louis-jordan-songs", "1920s-songs", "year-of-song-unknown", "songs-with-unknown-songwriters", "specialty-records-singles", "the-crickets-songs"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_A-Knockin'" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Keep A-Knockin |
| cover | Keep A-Knockin'.jpg |
| border | yes |
| type | single |
| artist | Little Richard |
| album | Little Richard |
| B-side | Can't Believe You Wanna Leave |
| released | |
| recorded | January 16, 1957 |
| Washington, D.C. | |
| genre | Rock and roll |
| length | |
| label | Specialty (no. 611) |
| writer | Richard Penniman |
| prev_title | Jenny, Jenny |
| prev_year | 1957 |
| next_title | Good Golly, Miss Molly |
| next_year | 1958 |
| :: |
| name = Keep A-Knockin | cover =Keep A-Knockin'.jpg |border=yes | alt = | type = single | artist = Little Richard | album = Little Richard | B-side = Can't Believe You Wanna Leave | released = | recorded = January 16, 1957 Washington, D.C. | studio = | genre = Rock and roll | length = | label = Specialty (no. 611) | writer = Richard Penniman | producer = | prev_title = Jenny, Jenny | prev_year = 1957 | next_title = Good Golly, Miss Molly | next_year = 1958
"Keep A-Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)" is a popular song that has been recorded by a variety of musicians over the years. The lyrics concern a lover at the door who will not be admitted; some versions because someone else is already there, but in most others because the knocking lover has behaved badly.
Early versions are sometimes credited to Perry Bradford and J. Mayo Williams. Variations were recorded by James "Boodle It" Wiggins in 1928, Lil Johnson in 1935, Milton Brown in 1936 and Louis Jordan in 1939. A similar lyrical theme appears in "Open the Door, Richard" from 1946, but from the viewpoint of the one knocking.
Wiggins' version was entitled "Keep Knockin' An You Can't Get In", which was recorded in Chicago, Illinois, in around February 1928 and released by Paramount Records (12662) that year.
In 1957, when Little Richard recorded it as an uptempo rock and roll song, "Keep A-Knockin reached number two on the U.S. R&B charts and number eight on the U.S. pop charts. | last = Whitburn | first = Joel | author-link = Joel Whitburn | title = Top R&B Singles 1942–1988 | year = 1988 | publisher = Record Research, Inc | isbn = 0-89820-068-7 | page = 260 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whit/page/260
Personnel
- Little Richard — vocals, piano
- Wilbert Smith, Grady Gaines, Clifford Burks — tenor saxophones
- Samuel Parker — baritone saxophones
- Nathaniel Douglas — guitar
- Olsie Robinson — bass
- Charles Connor — drums
Recognition and influence
Rolling Stone magazine later ranked "Keep A-Knockin at number 442 in its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". | date = December 9, 2004 | title = The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time | magazine = Rolling Stone | issue = 963 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407 | access-date = August 4, 2014 The version of the song recorded by Louis Jordan was featured in the 2015 videogame Fallout 4, as part of the in-game radio station "Diamond City Radio".
Little Richard's version of the song has made numerous appearances in popular culture. It is featured in the Full House episode "Too Little Richard Too Late", performed by Little Richard himself. A version with alternate lyrics was recorded for as the opening theme of the NBC TV series Friday Night Videos. Film appearances include Up in Smoke, Christine, and the theatrical trailer for Home Alone.
Cover versions
Swedish rock band the Shanes recorded a version of the song in August 1964. Backed by "Come On Sally", a song written by the group's lead guitarist Staffan Berggren, it was released as a single that same month. It was their first vocal single following three the Shadows-inspired instrumental singles. It nonetheless became a chart hit, reaching number eight on Tio i Topp on 29 August 1964, staying there for two weeks. Both sides of the single are included on the group's debut album Let Us Show You released in October 1964.
References
References
- Prince, Patrick. (July 4, 2010). "James Wiggins came 'Knocking' long before Little Richard did".
- "Illustrated James 'Boodle It' Wiggins discography".
- {{Pop Chronicles. 14. 4. Little Richard
- Vera, Billy. "The Specialty Story 1944-1964". Specialty Records.
- "The Shanes - Keep A'Knockin".
- "The Shanes - History".
- (1998). "Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74". Premium Publishing.
- "The Shanes - Let Us Show You".
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