There are several bands called The Knack. For the less famous ones: see bel… Read Full Bio ↴There are several bands called The Knack. For the less famous ones: see below. The by far most famous and successful ones were the 'My Sharona' guys from Detroit, MI, United States.

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.

Lucinda
The Knack Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She hides behind a smile
She lies
Beware of what you do
Take care, she will get to you
Trust in experience
Believe it's true

Lucinda gonna cut you down

Lucinda gonna make you cry
She been around don't ask me why
She got to hurt you
She gonna hurt you, hurt you

This girl is not a child
She's wise
She knows just what to say
She knows how to get her way
Don't let her steal your heart
'Cause when she's through

Lucinda gonna cut you down
Lucinda gonna make you cry
She been around don't ask me why
She got to hurt you
She gonna hurt you, hurt you

You're thinking you're the number one
You're king and she will wear your crown
Lucinda gonna cut you down
It's gonna hurt you
It's got to hurt you, hurt you

Lucinda gonna cut you down
Lucinda gonna cut you down

Lucinda gonna cut you down
Lucinda gonna cut you down

Overall Meaning

The Knack's song "Lucinda" is a cautionary tale about a seductive and manipulative woman who uses her sharp wit and charms to win over unsuspecting men and then leaves them heartbroken. The song describes her as a cunning and calculating woman who hides behind a smile and knows just what to say to get her way. The lyrics warn men to be wary of Lucinda because she will eventually cut them down and make them cry.

The lyrics suggest that Lucinda is not just any woman but a femme fatale who has already been around and hurt other men. The song implies that men should not be fooled by her sweet demeanor and good looks because she is not a child but a wise and experienced woman who knows how to play games. The chorus drives this message home with the repetition of the warning: "Lucinda gonna cut you down, Lucinda gonna make you cry, she been around don't ask me why, she got to hurt you, she gonna hurt you, hurt you."

Overall, "Lucinda" is an example of how The Knack was able to create catchy and upbeat songs with a deeper meaning beneath the surface. It's a testament to their ability to make music that is not only fun to dance to but also has something to say.

Line by Line Meaning

She hides behind a smile
She conceals her true feelings with a smile

She lies
She is not honest

Beware of what you do
Be cautious of your actions

Take care, she will get to you
Be careful, she will influence you

Trust in experience
Rely on past knowledge

Believe it's true
Have faith that it is accurate

Lucinda gonna cut you down
Lucinda will bring you down

Lucinda gonna make you cry
Lucinda will cause you to weep

She been around don't ask me why
She has been present, without explanation

She got to hurt you
She intends to harm you

She gonna hurt you, hurt you
She will cause you pain