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.
My Sharona
The Knack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?
Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run
Got it coming off of the line, Sharona
Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind
I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind
My, my, my, I-I, whoa
Come a little closer, huh, a-will ya, huh?
Close enough to look in my eyes, Sharona
Keeping it a mystery, it gets to me
Running down the length of my thighs, Sharona
Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind
I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind
My, my, my, I-I, whoa
M-m-m-my Sharona
M-m-m-my Sharona
When you gonna give to me, g-give to me?
Is it just a matter of time, Sharona?
Is it d-d-destiny, d-destiny
Or is it just a game in my mind, Sharona?
Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind
I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind
My, my, my, I-I, whoa
M-m-m-m-m-m-m-my, my, my, I-I, whoa
M-m-m-my Sharona
M-m-m-my Sharona
M-m-m-my Sharona
M-m-m-my Sharona
Ooh-oh, my Sharona
Ooh-oh, my Sharona
Ooh-oh, my Sharona
At first glance, "My Sharona" by The Knack appears to be a song about a young woman who catches the attention of the singer, who wants her to reciprocate his feelings. The lyrics are full of sexual innuendos, with the singer expressing his desire for Sharona by telling her she makes his "motor run" and he is always aroused by the "touch of the younger kind." The song is meant to be catchy and fun, with its upbeat melody and easy-to-sing chorus.
However, some listeners have interpreted the lyrics as being more sinister than playful. Many have criticized the song for its sexualization of underage girls, with the line "I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind" being particularly troubling. Critics have accused The Knack of promoting pedophilia and glorifying sexual misconduct. In response, the band has claimed that Sharona, who was a real person and the inspiration for the song, was actually 18 years old at the time of its writing.
Despite the controversy surrounding its content, "My Sharona" remains a beloved classic rock song that continues to be played on radio stations and at parties. Its infectious melody and memorable chorus have made it one of the most recognizable songs of the 1970s.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one
The singer is affectionately addressing Sharona as his 'little pretty one', expressing his interest in her.
When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?
The singer is asking Sharona when she will give him some attention and time with her.
Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run
The singer is saying that Sharona excites him and arouses him sexually, as if she is starting his 'motor'.
Got it coming off of the line, Sharona
The singer implies that his sexual desire for Sharona is powerful and immediate, like a product coming off of a factory line.
Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind
The singer is admitting he has a 'dirty mind' and will never stop pursuing Sharona sexually.
I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind
The singer has a preference for younger women and finds them sexually stimulating.
My, my, my, I-I, whoa
The singer is overcome with excitement about the possibility of being with Sharona.
M-m-m-my Sharona
The singer is repeating Sharona's name, emphasizing his infatuation with her.
Come a little closer, huh, a-will ya, huh?
The singer is asking Sharona to get closer to him so he can see her more clearly.
Close enough to look in my eyes, Sharona
The singer wants Sharona to come close enough to him so that he can make eye contact with her.
Keeping it a mystery, it gets to me
The singer is frustrated that Sharona is keeping something about herself a mystery and it is affecting him emotionally.
Running down the length of my thighs, Sharona
The singer is feeling aroused by Sharona's presence, to the point where he can feel it in his thighs.
When you gonna give to me, g-give to me?
The singer is expressing his desire for Sharona to give herself to him sexually.
Is it just a matter of time, Sharona?
The singer wonders if it is just a matter of time before Sharona will let him have what he wants from her.
Is it d-d-destiny, d-destiny?
The singer is considering whether his connection with Sharona is destined to be something more than just a passing sexual attraction.
Or is it just a game in my mind, Sharona?
The singer reflects on the possibility that his infatuation with Sharona may just be a fantasy in his mind, rather than a real opportunity.
Ooh-oh, my Sharona
The singer continues to express his obsession with Sharona through repetition of her name.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Burton Averre, Doug Fieger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Karl Ricker
1-hit wonder!!
Clarissa Moll
you've never had hit.
Judy Johnson
I Need a Lover!
Алфонсо Родрįгуез Цортéс RC
One hit wonder...
menchitty11
They actually had two other Top 40 singles; "Good Girls Don't" (peaked at #11 on both Billboard and Cash Box) and "Baby Talks Dirty" (#38 on Billboard/#30 on Cash Box).
Clarissa Moll
you've never had hit.