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.
The Feeling I Get
The Knack Lyrics
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to be what i am and to be what they want me to be
i die a little each time you sigh you don't see the future i see
and the feeling i get is you don't wanna feel it with me
it's give and it's take so you take what you think you will need
you think it can last if they'd quit messing 'round with the speed
and when i slip and i start to cry 'cause it's not the way it should be
hold me hold me
won't you ever be mine
don't you see you're my destiny
so fine oh so fine
it's all very well to believe that what will be will be
but the way that it feels when you're fast in my arms holding me
it sends a shiver all down my spine your touch is electricity
but the feeling i get is you don't wanna feel it with me
The Knack's song "The Feeling I Get" is a heart-wrenching and relatable track about the frustrations of unrequited love. The lyrics speak to a sense of displacement and inner turmoil that is felt when one's own desires are misunderstood or ignored by the person they care for. The opening verse sets the tone for the song and captures the essence of the internal conflict faced by the singer. They express how difficult it is to balance their own desires with the expectations placed upon them by society and those they care about. This creates a dissonance within them that is highlighted through the use of the phrase "awful hard no it's not very easy for me."
As the song progresses, the singer speaks to their feelings of being undervalued and unappreciated. The line "I die a little each time you sigh you don't see the future I see" speaks volumes to the frustration of being dismissed or ignored when one is actively trying to connect with another. The chorus of the song is an almost desperate plea for connection and affection from the person they desire. However, despite their earnest pleas, the singer feels as though their attempts to connect are consistently falling short. This sense of isolation is emphasized through the repetition of the last line "and the feeling I get is you don't wanna feel it with me."
Overall, "The Feeling I Get" is a poignant examination of the pain and frustration that comes with unrequited love. The lyrics capture the overwhelming sense of loneliness and isolation that one can feel when trying to connect with another person. The Knack's ability to convey this sentiment in a powerful and relatable way is a testament to their talent as both songwriters and performers.
Line by Line Meaning
it's awful hard no it's not very easy for me
I find it extremely challenging, in fact, it's quite difficult to be myself and also live up to other people's expectations.
to be what i am and to be what they want me to be
I struggle to reconcile being true to myself while also fulfilling other people's desires and expectations of me.
i die a little each time you sigh you don't see the future i see
When you express your doubt, it feels like a small part of me is dying because you don't understand or share my vision for the future.
and the feeling i get is you don't wanna feel it with me
I get the sense that you don't want to share in the same experiences or emotions that I do, which makes me feel disconnected from you.
it's give and it's take so you take what you think you will need
Relationships are about reciprocity, so we both give and take what we think is necessary for our well-being.
you think it can last if they'd quit messing 'round with the speed
You believe our relationship can survive if outside influences stop affecting it negatively.
and when i slip and i start to cry 'cause it's not the way it should be
If I make a mistake or things go wrong, I become emotional and upset because they're not what I envisioned or desired.
then the feeling i get is you don't wanna feel it with me
In those moments, I feel like you don't want to share in my pain or help me through it, which makes me feel even more alone.
hold me hold me
I want you to physically comfort me and hold me close to help me feel better.
won't you ever be mine
I'm expressing my desire for a deeper and more committed relationship with you, where we truly belong to one another.
don't you see you're my destiny
I believe that you are the one for me, the person I am meant to be with and share a future with.
so fine oh so fine
I find you to be simply amazing, perfect in every way, and I want to be with you forever.
it's all very well to believe that what will be will be
While it's comforting to think that fate will take care of everything, we still have a role to play in shaping our destiny.
but the way that it feels when you're fast in my arms holding me
When we are physically close and intimate, I feel a sense of euphoria that is unmatched by any other experience.
it sends a shiver all down my spine your touch is electricity
Your touch has a powerful and electrifying effect on me, making me feel alive and exhilarated.
but the feeling i get is you don't wanna feel it with me
Despite these intense sensations, I still feel disconnected and as if you don't want to share in these experiences with me.
Contributed by Henry D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.