Keep A-Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)
Keep a Knockin
Perry Bradford (early 1930s)
Keep knockin' and you can't come in,
I guess you better let me be.
Kinda busy and you can't come in,
Got your daddy and you can't come in,
Yes, yes, I know you want to come in. I'm so sure you can't come in 'cause I ain't even botherin'.
You can open the transom but you can't come in.
I hear you tippin' but you can't come in.
Knock, knock, knock. I know you're worried, big boy.
Shake my doorknob but you can't come in.
I know you're worried, but you can't come in.
Knock, knock, knock! You can't come in here!
"Keep A-Knockin' (but You Can't Come In)" is a popular song originally written by Perry Bradford in the early 1930s. Variations were recorded by Lil Johnson in 1935 and Louis Jordan in 1939 but it was most popularized by Little Richard in September 1957, which reached #2 on the U.S. R&B charts and #8 on the U.S. pop charts. Rolling Stone magazine later ranked this version in their Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, placing it at #442.
Song Appears On
Lockdown 2020 (CD)
Videos Song Appears In
Keep A-Knockin' (Little Richard 1932 - 2020) (Lockdown Sessions No. 7)