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.
Teacher Teacher
The Knack Lyrics
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Cheeks flushed, apple red
Ringing you every day
Begging for a word of praise
I've put aside my foolish games
I run and hide and callin' names
School's out, the bells'll ring
Now's the time to teach me everything
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
I can't learn it fast enough
Teacher, teacher, teach me more
I've got to learn to love for sure
Lesson one, just begun
Growing up ain't much fun
Grown up, out of school
Out of luck and out of rules
No one there to tell me how
A different world, teacher teach me now
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
I can't learn it fast enough
Teacher, teacher, teach me more
I've got to learn to love for sure
Lesson two, nothing new
I can't love, just passing through
Books I read don't understand
What it means to be a man
I need a woman just like you
Teacher, teacher, teach me what to do
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
I can't learn it fast enough
Teacher, teacher, teach me more
I've got to learn to love for sure
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
I can't learn it fast enough
Teacher, teacher, teach me more
I've got to learn to love for sure
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
I can't learn it fast enough
The Knack's song "Teacher Teacher" is a song about a young man who is in love with his teacher, hence the title of the song. The song paints a picture of a young love that is innocent and pure, but the young man is struggling to understand love and how to express it. The young man is described as being the teacher's pet, with cheeks flushed and apple red, an indication of his passion for the teacher.
The song talks about the young man's experience in school, where he was made to run and hide, and where he played foolish games. The young man says that school is now over, and it is time for him to learn everything he needs to know about love. He pleads with his teacher to teach him love because he cannot seem to learn it fast enough.
The song has a catchy tune, and it is easy to understand why it became an instant hit when it was released. The lyrics are straightforward and relatable, and the song's theme is a universal one. The message is clear; the young man is in love, but he needs help understanding how to express it. The song is a classic and has become a favorite among fans of the band.
Line by Line Meaning
Young love, teacher's pet
The singer is a young person in love with their teacher.
Cheeks flushed, apple red
The singer is blushing with infatuation and admiration for the teacher.
Ringing you every day
The singer is constantly trying to communicate with the teacher.
Begging for a word of praise
The artist wants validation and attention from the teacher.
I've put aside my foolish games
The artist is willing to mature and grow for the sake of their feelings for the teacher.
I run and hide and callin' names
The singer has experienced rejection and embarrassment in their pursuit of the teacher.
School's out, the bells'll ring
The school day is ending and the singer hopes to have more time with the teacher outside of school.
Now's the time to teach me everything
The artist is ready and eager to learn everything about love from the teacher.
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
The artist is asking the teacher to instruct them on how to love.
I can't learn it fast enough
The artist is excited but impatient about the prospect of learning how to love from the teacher.
Teacher, teacher, teach me more
The singer wants to continue learning from the teacher even after the initial lessons on love.
I've got to learn to love for sure
The artist feels that learning how to love is essential for their happiness and well-being.
Lesson one, just begun
The teacher is beginning to teach the singer about love.
Growing up ain't much fun
The transition to adulthood is difficult for the singer and they hope to learn how to navigate it with the teacher's help.
Grown up, out of school
The singer has left school and is now on their own in the real world.
Out of luck and out of rules
The artist feels lost and uncertain without the structure and guidance of school.
No one there to tell me how
The artist misses the teacher's guidance and instruction on how to love.
A different world, teacher teach me now
The singer is struggling to adjust to the new challenges of adulthood and seeks the teacher's guidance more than ever.
Lesson two, nothing new
The teacher is continuing to teach the singer about love but the lessons are familiar.
I can't love, just passing through
The artist feels incapable of experiencing love without the teacher's help and guidance.
Books I read don't understand
The artist has tried to learn about love on their own through reading, but feels that it has not been helpful.
What it means to be a man
The artist is struggling with traditional gender roles and expectations as they navigate their romantic feelings for the teacher.
I need a woman just like you
The singer is hopelessly in love with the teacher and wishes to find someone who is like them.
Teacher, teacher, teach me what to do
The artist is asking the teacher to give them specific guidance on how to navigate their feelings for them.
Teacher, teacher, teach me love
The singer is reiterating their desire for the teacher to instruct them on love.
Contributed by Asher I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
José Luis Sanmartín Román
El rock en toda su expresión con esta gran banda,herencia de muchos otros grupos de antaño que hicieron que el rock'n roll siguiera evolucionando.
José Luis Sanmartín Román
Un poco de hard y pop, el clásico rock gringo la herencia musical de el mundo.