1. The Knack was an American new wave/power pop band from Detroit, Michigan, based in Los Angeles. They rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", which was an international hit in 1979. The power pop of "My Sharona", coupled with the band's retro 60s look, earned the band comparisons to The Beatles (though the band members themselves viewed the 'New Beatles' label as tongue-in-cheek). Many music critics hated disco, which dominated the music industry at the time, and were, at best, coolly receptive to other developing trends like punk, electronica, and heavy metal.
The Knack's hard rock influences earned them some critical credibility and massive commercial success with their debut album, 1979's 'Get The Knack'. The band had formed in May 1978, known at first as '20/20', and, after shopping their demo tape to various record labels without success, they began playing the local club circuit. Quickly gaining a following as musicians such as Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen praised them, they finally signed with Capitol Records in January 1979. Reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, 'Get The Knack' has earned praise for decades, with Kurt Cobain in particular claiming it as one of his top fifty albums of all time.
While fans praised their new wave and power pop fueled sound, many critics still found issues with the group's in-your-face image in their lyrics, with accusations of misogyny popping up. After subsequent releases, the social backlash against the Knack (similar to that of The Monkees a generation earlier) was strong. Dave Marsh of 'Rolling Stone' in particular wrote, "In Fieger's lyrics, women are literally commodities whose chief purpose is to be brutalized." A 'Knuke the Knack' campaign emerged based on that as well as the perceived corporate-based over-hype. With their second album, '...But the Little Girls Understand', getting less commercial success (doing well, but not up to expectations), the band broke up mid-tour on New Year’s Day 1982. Besides the turmoil around the group, they also faced near total burnout among themselves, particularly given Fieger's drugs-heavy lifestyle, and the band members reportedly hadn't the energy to do much of anything after their third album, 'Round Trip', came out.
They re-united sporadically several years later and released a new album on January 16, 1991, titled 'Serious Fun'. A comeback accompanied by a public reunion and tour, it failed to reach either commercial or critical success but resulted in the hit single "Rocket O' Love", which reached #9 in Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart. They continued playing through the 90s and into the new millennium, with 2003's 'Re-Zoom' (or 'Zoom') being their last studio album. Commercial airplay mostly eluded the group over the 90s, but a generation of new fans who loved 80s-era new wave music provided a devoted cult following. Lead singer and main songwriter Doug Fieger was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Fieger battled the disease until his death on Valentine's Day 2010.
Fieger, a native of Detroit, Michigan, had previously played in a country rock band called Sky. Of the three other original members of the Knack (Berton Averre - Guitar, Prescott Niles - Bass, and Bruce Gary - Drums), Averre and Niles remained with the group as it ended. Gary died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2006. Several drummers had played for the group over the years, including Billy Ward (Serious Fun album), Terry Bozzio (Zoom album), and David Henderson as 'Holmes Jones' (Normal as the Next Guy and Live at the Rock N Roll Funhouse albums). Pat Torpey (Mr. Big) played the drums for the group right before they ended.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. The Knack was a short-lived 1960s American psych/garage band from Los Angeles, CA. They recorded for Capitol Records. Formed in 1965, the band comprising Mike Chain (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dink Kaplan (lead guitar, backing vocals), Larry Gould (bass, backing vocals) and Pug Baker (drums), formally débuted at The Ice House in October 1966 and released four singles in total, of which Time Waits For No One was the best-seller. They toured throughout the U.S. but worked most frequently in Hollywood.
3. The Knack was a mid-60's British band originally known as The Londoners, a moniker they adopted whilst paying their beat group dues in the clubs of Germany in the early 60s. Upon returning to the UK in 1965 and changing their name to the rather hipper The Knack (after the recently released Richard Lester film), they recorded half a dozen singles for Decca and Piccadilly including the mod R&B ravers "She Ain't No Good", "Time Time Time" and "Stop!". Their final single, "(Man From The) Marriage Guidance And Advice Bureau", featured a more mature acoustic sound, which nodded towards both The Kinks and the impending psychedelic explosion. They broke up in 1967 and leader Paul Gurvitz formed the band The Gun.
Lil' Cals Big Mistake
The Knack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but i don't go for nothing like that
after it's over what gets you there
do you still hang around with that cat
who told you lies
fogged up those innocent eyes
blessed you with death in disguise
guess you were bloodied but
now it's your turn to give
no i do not believe that you really care
you got no place for wearing your hat
over by dewey you met the man
and he blew you away in a flash
seems someone set you up and when he ran
you were left holding onto the stash
you bought the farm
dead with your head on your arm
i knew he'd do you some harm
why did you try to be
like all the thieves
that you see on tv
you were bound and determined to make your stand
but you couldn't come up with the cash
fagenson looked out of his window
and he could not believe what he saw
calvin thinking he was bobby fuller
squealing and swinging
don swore he was singing
a verse or two of i fought the law
yours was the hungriest mouth to feed
but it just wasn't meant to be fed
six shots of shelter is what you need
but you got seven ounces of lead
it's not so nice
after they put you on ice
i see no virtue in vice
this time you blew it
but next time around
when you breeze into town
just remember they're watching so keep your hands
both securely on top of your head
The Knack's "Lil’ Cals Big Mistake" is a cautionary tale about the consequences of getting involved in shady activities. The singer expresses his disappointment and disbelief towards the subject, a person who got involved in illegal activities, was set up and ended up dead. The first verse describes the aftermath of the subject's involvement with a cat that lied and fooled them, ultimately leading them down a dangerous path that ended in tragedy. The second verse recounts the moment the subject met their demise - they were set up, left holding the stash, and ultimately shot. The chorus emphasizes the consequences of the subject's actions and how they must now pay the price for their mistakes.
The song's lyrics also serve as a commentary on the glamorization of crime in popular culture. The verses warn against trying to be like the thieves we see on TV, as it can lead to dangerous and deadly consequences. The song suggests that instead of glorifying criminal activities, people should aim to live virtuously and avoid getting caught up in illegal activities that could cost them their lives.
Overall, "Lil’ Cals Big Mistake" is a cautionary tale that highlights the dangers of getting involved in criminal activities and emphasizes the importance of making good choices.
Line by Line Meaning
i still remember the whole affair
I have not forgotten about what happened
but i don't go for nothing like that
But I don't approve of actions like that
after it's over what gets you there
What motivates you after it's all said and done
do you still hang around with that cat
Are you still friends with the person who caused the trouble
who told you lies
The person who deceived you
fogged up those innocent eyes
Misled you with lies and deception
blessed you with death in disguise
Caused harm or danger disguised as something good
guess you were bloodied but
You may have been hurt physically or emotionally
that's how you live
That's your way of life or decision-making process
now it's your turn to give
It's your time to make amends or give back
no i do not believe that you really care
I don't think you actually care
you got no place for wearing your hat
You don't belong or fit in here
over by dewey you met the man
You met someone in the area by Dewey Street
and he blew you away in a flash
He took you by surprise and caused harm
seems someone set you up and when he ran
It appears someone planned to frame you and left you holding the responsibility
you were left holding onto the stash
You were left responsible for holding onto something valuable
you bought the farm
You got yourself into trouble
dead with your head on your arm
You died with your head down, defeated
i knew he'd do you some harm
I had a feeling that person would cause you harm
why did you try to be
Why did you attempt to live like
like all the thieves
Like criminals
that you see on tv
That you see on television
you were bound and determined to make your stand
You were determined to make a statement
but you couldn't come up with the cash
But you couldn't afford or acquire what you needed
fagenson looked out of his window
Fagenson glanced out of his window
and he could not believe what he saw
He was in disbelief of what he saw
calvin thinking he was bobby fuller
Calvin believed he was Bobby Fuller
squealing and swinging
Singing and moving in an animated manner
don swore he was singing
Don stated that he heard him singing
a verse or two of i fought the law
A line or two from the song 'I Fought the Law'
yours was the hungriest mouth to feed
You had the greatest burden to carry
but it just wasn't meant to be fed
But it wasn't meant to be fulfilled
six shots of shelter is what you need
You need protection or safety
but you got seven ounces of lead
But you were given bullets and killed
it's not so nice
It's not pleasant or good
after they put you on ice
After you were killed and placed in a morgue
i see no virtue in vice
I see no good or benefit in bad behavior
this time you blew it
You made a mistake this time
but next time around
But in the future
when you breeze into town
When you visit or come back to this town
just remember they're watching so keep your hands
Remember there are people keeping tabs on your actions, so keep your hands
both securely on top of your head
securely in plain sight to avoid suspicion
Contributed by Gabriel M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.