As recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra
with vocals by Harry Edison & Bill Johnson:

We was at the club tonight. Ol' Richard went home early. He's
got the key to the house. I'm gonna knock on the door, see if
I kin get in.

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Open the door, Richard!! Ya see, Richard sleeps in the back room.
It's kinda hard to hear. Maybe I better knock a little louder.

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Open the door, Richard!! I don't think Richard heard me yet.
Knock one more time. Let's see what's gonna happen.

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Richard, open the door, please.

Open the door, Richard
Open the door and let me in
Open the door, Richard
Richard, why don't you open that door?

Richard, open the door, man-it's co-hold out here'n this air.
Now look! There's that old woman 'cross the street lookin' out
the windah
(Who's that, Widow Sweet?)
That must be her sister, I guess. She wants to make sure this
is me. She's tryin' to find out what's happenin'. Yes, it's me
and I'm late again!
(Did you hear what the lady's sayin'?)
No, what is she sayin'?
(She said you sure [bad word] out here'n the [bad word]  Man, I got class I ain't never used yet. I'm gonna
knock again. Richard's got to get up.

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Open the door, Richard!! Man, you got a key to the house?
(No, I don't have a key. I don't have a key)
Somebody's got to get in the house. We can't climb in the transit
(Oh, I know he's in there.)
How you know he's in there?
(I can hear him breathin')
Ooooh, let's try it one more time!

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Richard, open that door, man. Maybe Richard's gone.

(Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat)

Open the door, Richard
Open the door and let me in
Open the door, Richard
Richard, why don't you open that door?

I know he's in there
(How you know he's in there?)
Why, you got on the suit
I know I got on the only suit. Ain't got but one suit between
us. That's the reason why I don't like to rooooom with nobody

Richard, why don'tcha open the door, man?