Song of the Week #114 – “Knock On Wood”
Written by admin on July 9, 2012 – 10:31 pm - |
Eddie Floyd’s signature hit “Knock On Wood” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons.
“Knock On Wood” was released on single in the summer of 1966, backed with “Got To Make A Comeback,” and was also the title track of Floyd’s debut album on Stax Records the following year. |
Eddie Floyd had been in the music business for a decade before “Knock On Wood” gave him his breakthrough hit as a solo artist. He sang with the R&B vocal group the Falcons from 1955 until 1963, which also featured Wilson Pickett on lead vocal from 1960-63. Two years after leaving the Falcons, Floyd signed on with Stax Records as a songwriter, writing songs such as “Stop! Look What You’re Doing” and “Comfort Me” for Carla Thomas, and “Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do)” and “634-5789 (Soulsville USA)” for Wilson Pickett. The latter three were co-written with guitarist Steve Cropper, with whom he would pen “Knock On Wood”.
Although “Knock On Wood” was Floyd’s biggest hit and the song that he will always be most associated with, Floyd had not originally intended to release his version. In a recent interview with BBC Radio, he recalled:
| “The song Knock On Wood was a demo for Otis Redding. We submitted it to the company and they didn’t think it was suited for him. And all the guys in the band were saying that sounds like a hit on Eddie. Eventually I got my wish and Otis and Carla did ‘Knock On Wood.’ Had Otis been in town and heard the song, I would have never happened because when he did hear it he wanted to do it.” |
In August 1968, Rolling Stone’s Jan Wenner interviewed the Stax house band, Booker T. and the MG’s, about some of the finest Stax recordings, including “Knock On Wood.” Guitarist and songwriter, Steve Cropper, was asked how he wrote the song:
| “Just like you write any song, you just get together and see what you come up with. It was written basically from an inspiration of an idea. I don’t remember now who came up with the idea of the title ‘Knock On Wood,’ whether it was Eddie or myself. I can recall when we finished the song, we did it in the hotel room, real late at night, and we were so happy about it we called the trumpet player Wayne Jackson, a staff man. He got off work at 1:30 and we told him to come over to the hotel and help us get some horn lines into it. That’s how happy we were about the song. When I look back on it now, we must have really thought we had something. What ingredient made it a hit, I don’t know. I’ve always dug it, the main thing I’ve always dug is the bass line. Until Duck came along to the session, we didn’t have the bass line, and to me it’s a vital part of the song.” |
The “hotel room” referred to by Cropper was the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, which in April 1968 was the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Eddie Floyd has said that the lyric “It’s like thunder and lightning, the way you love me is frightening” came about because there was a thunder storm while the pair were writing the song.
When asked by Wenner how he came up with the bass line, Donald “Duck” Dunn gave a vague and modest reply:
| “I don’t know. I’ll tell you the truth: I couldn’t find anything to play on it and the bass line is a bass line that any bass player should learn when he first starts playing. It sounds like a beginner’s line. The simplicity of it.” |
Most would agree that knowing when to play simple is a skill that the best players have. Dunn was certainly one of the best.
What doesn’t get a mention in the Rolling Stone interview is how the classic intro to the song came about, which is odd as it’s arguably the most memorable part of the song. In a recent interview with Clashmusic.com, Cropper explained:
| “Eddie Floyd was sitting waiting on me to come up with an intro. I just couldn’t think of one. Man, we had the song finished but we just had to have an intro! I beat myself to death but I couldn’t come up with anything. I don’t know what fell out of the ceiling but I thought “I wonder what ‘Midnight Hour’ would sound like backwards?” If I played the same changes the other way up? That’s the intro to ‘Knock On Wood’.” |
On top of the accomplished backing is of course Eddie Floyd’s very fine lead vocal. The Stax suits thankfully realised that the performance was too good to remain in the vaults.
“Knock On Wood” – Eddie Floyd
Authorship
As noted above, “Knock On Wood” was written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper.
Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper
Recording date/location
“Knock On Wood” was recorded on July 13, 1966 at Stax Recording Studios in Memphis, TN.
Musicians
The following musicians appear on “Knock On Wood”:
- Eddie Floyd – vocals
- Steve Cropper – guitar
- Donald “Duck” Dunn – bass
- Wayne Jackson – trumpet.
Andrew Love and Floyd Newman probably played the tenor sax and baritone sax parts, respectively. If anyone knows for sure, let us know via our “contact us” page.
Chart performance
“Knock On Wood” hit number one on Billboard’s R&B chart on November 13, 1966 and three weeks later peaked at number 28 on the Hot 100.
The single reached number 19 on the UK singles chart.
Other notable versions
There have been more than 100 recorded version of “Knock On Wood,” with at least a dozen recorded within a year of the original. Here’s some strong renditions.
“Knock On Wood” – Amii Stewart
Amii Stewart hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979 with what is probably the best known cover of “Knock On Wood.” This was the tail end of the disco era and Stewart’s lively production reflects that, not least the sonic drums. The best part of the recording is Stewart’s vocal, which is excellent from start to finish.
“Knock On Wood” – Eric Clapton
Clapton turned in a solid version of “Knock On Wood” on his 1985 album “Behind The Sun.” There’s little to differentiate it from the original, with Clapton retaining Floyd’s arrangement and even asking Donald Dunn to replicate his original bass part. The addition of a simple piano part was a nice touch.
There will be a new Song of the Week on July 16.
For those in the UK, Eddie Floyd will guess on Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 on Saturday, July 14 at 6:00pm.
Eddie Floyd’s “Knock On Wood” is available on numerous compilation albums, including “The Very Best Of Eddie Floyd.”
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The Very Best Of Eddie Floyd(CD) |
Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
Tags: Amii Stewart, Booker T and the MGs, Donald Duck Dunn, Eddie Floyd, Eric Clapton, Knock On Wood, Stax Records, Steve Cropper
Posted in Song of the Week, Soul |
