Artist & Tune
Version by Charlie King
Version by Rick Burkhardt
Reference
About the Song
This song was written about an incident where an African American gay state representative tried to gain entrance to a room where Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republican leaders were holding a closed door signing of legislation to restrict voting rights in Georgia. She knocked on the door and would not stop until she was arrested and taken away.
news broadcast about the event
Brian Kemp’s office was locked up so tight
She would not stop knocking at the door
He was signing a bill, out of reach, out of sight
She would not stop knocking at the door
Representative Cannon, a woman on fire
She would not stop knocking at the door
Raised a ruckus, the truth, & the Governor's ire
She would not stop knocking at the door
(bridge #1) She hollered, she knocked, she persisted - she did!
He’d much rather work in the dark
Like the ol’ Ku Klux Klan, but State Rep. Park Cannon
Knows under the sheet he’s a shark!
The Georgia Assembly had passed legislation
She would not stop knocking at the door
To send Georgia voters back to the plantation
She would not stop knocking at the door
The voters had spoken, a red state turned blue
She would not stop knocking at the door
Now the Georgia Assembly is staging a coup
She would not stop knocking at the door
(bridge #2) She hollered, she knocked, she persisted - she did!
The governor thought he could hide
But running a scam on the likes of Park Cannon
Is swimming against the tide
They dragged her in cuffs to squad car outside
She would not stop knocking at the door
Rosa Parks smiling down on one more freedom rider
Who would not stop knocking at the door
So many have fought for the freedom to vote
She would not stop knocking at the door
She could not get his veto but she sure got his goat
She would not stop knocking at the door
(bridge #3) She was hauled off to jail like her heroes of old
They booked her & here’s what she wrote
"We will not live in fear we will not be controlled"
And we will not be robbed of our vote. So...
Here’s to the name of persistent Park Cannon
And to all who have gone on before
And here’s to the allies who offer their hand in
The dull daily door-knocking chore
And here’s to the people of Georgia who voted
For Warnock & OSS-off and more
Stacey Abrams, Park Cannon, undaunted, devoted
Determined to walk through that door
(reprise)
Raise your fist, lend a hand, carry on like Park
She would not stop knocking - She kept the boat rocking
She would not stop knocking at the door
- lyrics & music by Charlie King
(c) 2021 Pied Asp Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.