Knocking At Your Back Door

Album: Perfect Strangers (1984)
Charted: 68 61
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song takes place in a strip club and is about anal sex, hence "Back Door." Like "Pictures Of Lily," it was an effort to push the limits of what could be inserted lyrically in a song that receives airplay. It did surprisingly well, charting at #61 in the US and getting substantial airplay on rock radio.
  • The Perfect Strangers album features the Mark II lineup of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and Jon Lord. It was the first Deep Purple album with this lineup since their 1973 effort Who Do We Think We Are.

    In re-forming this permutation of the band, they froze out David Coverdale, who was with them from 1973-1976. According to Ian Paice, Coverdale was not happy about it, but understood the decision. Paice said the Mark II lineup was the only one he would have re-formed with. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mark - Londonderry, NH, for above 2

Comments: 3

  • Jon Rocks On The North Coast from Elyria, Ohio"When Lucy met the Rocket" then she knew what was knocking at her back door!
  • Sim from Cleveland RocksPowerful song. The DEEP PURPLE WALL of SOUND
  • Jef from Passaic, NjI heard this song was about convincing a woman to have anal sex.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.