Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Nick Cave
Canonical path: /nick-cave/knockin-on-joe
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
Knockin' On Joe
Read Knockin' On Joe lyrics by Nick Cave on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
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Curated by Ethan Walker
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Lyrics
Knockin' On Joe
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These chains of sorrow, they are heavy, it is true
And these locks cannot be broken,
no, not with one thousand keys
O Jailer, you wear a ball-n-chain you cannot see
You can lay your burden on me
You can lay your burden down on me
You can lay your burden down upon me
But you cannot lay down those memories.
Woooo wooo wooo
Woooo wooo wooo
Here I go!
Knockin on Joe!
This square foot of sky will be mine til I die
Knocking on Joe
Woooo wooo wooo
All down the row.
Knockin on Joe.
O Warden I surrender you
Your fists cain't hurt me anymore
You know, these hands will never wash
These dirty Death Row floors
O Preacher, come closer, you don't scare me anymore
Just tell Nancy not to come here
Just tell her not to come here anymore
Tell Nancy not to come
And let me die in the memory of her arms.
O woo woo woo
Woo woo woo
All down the row.
Knockin on Joe.
O you kings of halls and ends of halls
You will die within these walls
And I'll go, all down the row
Knockin on Joe.
O Nancy's body is a coffin,
she wears my tombstone at her head
O Nancy's body is a coffin,
she wears my tombstone at her head
She wears her body like a coffin
She wears a dress of gold and red
She wears a dress of gold and red
She wears a dress of red and gold
Grave-looters at my coffin
before my bodies even cold.
It's a door for when I go
Knockin on Joe
These hands will never mop
your dirty Death Row floors
No! You can hide! You can run!
O but your trial is yet to come
O you can run! You can hide!
But you have yet to be tried!
You can lay your burden down here
You can lay your burden down here
Knockin on Joe
You can lay your burden upon me
You can lay your burden down upon me
Knockin on Joe
You cain't hurt me anymore
Knockin on Joe.
[Ad lib]
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Who performs "Knockin' On Joe"?
Nick Cave performs "Knockin' On Joe", and this lyric page sits inside the Nick Cave catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Knockin' On Joe"?
Yes. The related section below points to The Good Son and All The Gold In California with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Nick Cave?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Nick Cave's lyric pages.
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