{"id":26259,"date":"1988-08-30T11:00:00","date_gmt":"1988-08-30T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/?p=26259"},"modified":"2026-02-23T21:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T05:16:54","slug":"cover-me-knock-on-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/08\/30\/cover-me-knock-on-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Knock on Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Bruce loves Stax Records, and it&#8217;s hard to get more Stax than Eddie Floyd&#8217;s &#8220;Knock on Wood.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Killer horn riff? Check.<\/p>\n<p>Irresistible get-your-ass-outta-your-chair beat? Check.<\/p>\n<p>The tightest backing band in the land, Booker T. and the MGs? Check.<\/p>\n<p>And the secret ingredient that elevates &#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; to the top of the Stax: Al Jackson&#8217;s improvised <em>knock-knock-knock-knock<\/em> in the chorus.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"758\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Kceiks__PsE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; was a hit for Floyd in 1966, peaking at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Soul Singles chart. (Amii Stewart&#8217;s disco version was a monster hit a dozen years later, but it hasn&#8217;t aged well.)<\/p>\n<p>It remains Floyd&#8217;s biggest hit to this day, and a decade after he rode the charts with it, he performed it with the E Street Band.<\/p>\n<p>It was the evening of April 29, 1976 (the same night Bruce and Steve broke into Graceland), and Bruce and the band were playing the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. During the encore, Bruce invited &#8220;the man that wrote the book&#8221; to the stage and took a supporting role while Floyd fronted the E Street Band for &#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; (with a wink and a nod to &#8220;Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some).&#8221;<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-26259-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Knock-on-Wood-1976-04-29.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Knock-on-Wood-1976-04-29.mp3\">https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Knock-on-Wood-1976-04-29.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>It was a terrific performance, but as great as the E Street Band is, you really can&#8217;t do justice to &#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; without a horn section.<\/p>\n<p>Flash forward 36 years: At Bruce&#8217;s legendary second show at Fenway Park on the Wrecking Ball Tour, Bruce saw a sign for &#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; and leapt at it. By this point in the tour, the super-sized E Street Band&#8211;complete with horn section and backing vocalists&#8211;was firing on all cylinders, and when Bruce threw this particular curve ball, they <em>nailed<\/em> it.<\/p>\n<div id=\"v-sWYkADsQ-1\" class=\"video-player\"><iframe title='VideoPress Video Player' aria-label='VideoPress Video Player' width='758' height='426' src='https:\/\/videopress.com\/embed\/sWYkADsQ?hd=1&amp;cover=1&amp;loop=0&amp;autoPlay=0&amp;permalink=1&amp;muted=0&amp;controls=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;useAverageColor=0&amp;preloadContent=metadata' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen data-resize-to-parent=\"true\" allow='clipboard-write'><\/iframe><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" src='https:\/\/s0.wp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/video\/assets\/js\/next\/videopress-iframe.js'><\/script><\/div>\n<p>Okay, it&#8217;s a little loose in spots, but for an unplanned performance, it&#8217;s fantastic, and Bruce clearly had a great time throughout.<\/p>\n<p>Other than a few off-tour performances, these were the only two times Bruce has performed &#8220;Knock on Wood&#8221; in concert. But they hopefully won&#8217;t be the last, because this is a perfect song for Bruce and the band.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Knock on Wood<br \/>\nFirst performed:<\/strong> April 29, 1976 (Memphis, TN)<br \/>\n<strong>Last performed:<\/strong> August 15, 2012 (Boston, MA)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 April 2, 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Twice only: Bruce and the E Street Band tackle the immortal Stax classic, &#8220;Knock on Wood.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,3612,5],"tags":[794,1427],"class_list":["post-26259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover-me","category-great","category-meeting-across-the-river","tag-eddie-floyd","tag-knock-on-wood"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/knockwood.jpg?fit=1600%2C1600&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9w3Lk-6Px","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3488,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/14\/cover-me-634-5789-soulsville-u-s-a\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":0},"title":"Cover Me: 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)","author":"Ken","date":"August 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Whenever Bruce goes to Soulsville, U.S.A., there's gonna be a party. Check out some great performances of this Stax classic.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/634-e1534120173459.jpg?fit=500%2C495&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":56631,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/29\/kingdom-of-days-april-29-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":1},"title":"April 29","author":"Ken","date":"April 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On this date: Bruce makes his legendary late-night Graceland expedition. Plus: great video of Bruce's return visit to JazzFest and rare performances and premieres over the years.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Kingdom of Days&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Kingdom of Days","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/kingdom-of-days\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/26274134007_d68e0d7c7f_o.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/26274134007_d68e0d7c7f_o.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/26274134007_d68e0d7c7f_o.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/26274134007_d68e0d7c7f_o.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/26274134007_d68e0d7c7f_o.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9990,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/17\/cover-me-green-onions\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":2},"title":"Cover Me: Green Onions","author":"Ken","date":"May 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Listen to the E Street Band cover the Stax classic \"Green Onions\" in a rare instrumental performance.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/green-onions.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/green-onions.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/green-onions.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/green-onions.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/green-onions.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":34693,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2022\/05\/30\/roll-of-the-dice-mans-job\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":3},"title":"Roll of the Dice: Man&#8217;s Job","author":"Ken","date":"May 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This Stax\/Volt homage (featuring Sam Moore himself) is an unjustly overlooked gem from Bruce's early 1990s era.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Roll of the Dice&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Roll of the Dice","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/roll-of-the-dice\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mansjob.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mansjob.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mansjob.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mansjob.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mansjob.jpg?fit=1200%2C696&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39250,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/12\/cover-me-i-forgot-to-be-your-lover\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":4},"title":"Cover Me: I Forgot to Be Your Lover","author":"Ken","date":"November 12, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Bruce tackles one of the all-time greatest Stax singles with the help of Stax legend Sam Moore.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/forgottobe.webp?fit=820%2C820&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/forgottobe.webp?fit=820%2C820&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/forgottobe.webp?fit=820%2C820&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/forgottobe.webp?fit=820%2C820&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58378,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/15\/kingdom-of-days-august-15-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":26259,"position":5},"title":"Kingdom of Days: August 15","author":"Ken","date":"August 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It's a day for legendary shows, from the 1975 Bottom Line radio broadcast to the '78 Largo video to the stunning, unpredictable second night in Fenway in 2012. Lots of great video and many more highlights inside.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Kingdom of Days&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Kingdom of Days","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/kingdom-of-days\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/springsteen-bruce-the-e-street-band-2015-complete-bottom-line-broadcast-1975-lp-250.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/springsteen-bruce-the-e-street-band-2015-complete-bottom-line-broadcast-1975-lp-250.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/springsteen-bruce-the-e-street-band-2015-complete-bottom-line-broadcast-1975-lp-250.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26259"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67990,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26259\/revisions\/67990"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}