The Knocks were formed in 2008 by James "JPatt" Patterson and Ben "DJ B-Roc" Ruttner. Patterson and Ruttner met at New York City's New School and shared an apartment, where they set up small recording studios in their bedrooms. The loud noise coming from their apartment led to neighbors constantly knocking on their door in order to get them to pipe down, hence the duo's name. Early success as remixers, however, enabled them to build their own studio in Manhattan. During 2008 and 2009, Knocks remixes surfaced for Katy Perry ("I Kissed a Girl"), Britney Spears ("3"), and PRGz ("Soul Glo"). B-Roc and Andrew W.K. also released DAMN! The Mixtape Vol. 1 in 2009, featuring several Knocks productions.
In 2010, the Knocks released their first singles, the sunny "Dancing with the DJ" (which later appeared on their 2011 EP Magic) and the whistling "Make It Better." Over the course of the next few years, the duo's profile was magnified by additional remixes for Tegan and Sara ("Closer"), the 1975 ("Girls"), and Dragonette ("Let It Go"), among others, in addition to tours with Ellie Goulding, Dragonette, and Sleigh Bells. They also collaborated with Fred Falke for the Kitsuné Music release "Geronimo" in 2012, as well as Treasure Fingers for "DYWT," released on Fool's Gold Clubhouse in 2014. Also in 2014, the group released an EP, titled Comfortable and released on the Neon Gold label, that included collaborations with X Ambassadors and Ra Ra Riot.
Signed to Big Beat, the Knocks slowed it down a bit for the 2014 single "Classic," one of their funkier and more disco-indebted singles, featuring Powers. An EP titled So Classic appeared in April 2015, followed by a new version of "Classic" featuring a verse by Fetty Wap. The Knocks spent much of the year working on their long-delayed debut album, which was previewed by the singles "I Wish (My Taylor Swift)" (with Matthew Koma) and "New York City" (featuring Cam'ron). Finally, in March 2016, the duo released their first full-length, 55, which included additional guest appearances from Wyclef Jean, Walk the Moon, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alex Newell, and Semi-Precious Weapons' Justin Trantor. That July, the pair remixed selected tracks from the album on the 55.5 EP.
In early 2017, the Knocks released Testify, an EP of new songs featuring collaborations with MNEK, Delacey, and Tayla Parx. Later that year, the duo teamed up with Skylar Spence and released a future funk mixtape as Amelia Airhorn. They also formed the Mary Nixons, a group with Mat Zo, and issued the single "Adrian." They followed with the Captain Cuts collaboration "House Party." July 2018 saw the release of the single "Shades" which appeared later that year on the Knocks' second full-length, New York Narcotic. The album also featured contributions from Method Man, Sofi Tukker, and Foster the People.
2019 brought several singles, including the Kah-Lo collaboration "Awa Ni" and "Lucky Me" (with Great Good Fine Ok). Most of these were collected on the EP Summer Series: 2019. Several more singles arrived in 2020, including "One Fine Day" (with Idris Elba), "Bodies" (with MUNA), and "All About You" (featuring Foster the People). The following year, they released Melody & Silence, an EP with Foster the People that included a remix of the single, as well as covers of hits by Beck, Moby, and the Verve. Also in 2021, the Knocks released "R U High" (featuring Mallrat) and "Sound the Alarm" (featuring Rivers Cuomo and Royal & the Serpent), and were featured on Purple Disco Machine's "Fireworks." The following year saw the release of the full-length effort, HISTORY, which featured collaborations with Foster the People, MUNA, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Cold War Kids, Parson James, and Yoke Lore, among others.
Biography by Andy Kellman
Fung Wah Bus
The Knocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
The city makes me cry when I think of us
Brooklyn blurs away, leave it in the dust
Everything has changed, no one left to trust
Nothing is the same on the Fung Wah Bus
The city lights go by, like the things we've lost
Argued on the bridge 'til the sun came up
Now I sit alone on the Fung Wah Bus
Time to roll away
Time to roll away
And I'm sayin' goodbye
And I'm sayin' goodbye
To all my friends
To all my friends
And I'm sayin' goodbye
And I'm sayin' goodbye
'Cause all good things end
Yeah, all good things, they end
On the Fung Wah Bus
The city makes me cry when I think of us
Brooklyn blurs away, leave it in the dust
Everything is lame, no one left to trust
Nothing is the same on the Fung Wah Bus
The city lights go by, like the things we've lost
Argued on the bridge 'til the sun came up
Now I sit alone on the Fung Wah Bus
Time to roll away
Time to roll away
The lyrics of The Knocks's song "Fung Wah Bus" evoke feelings of nostalgia, reflection, and bittersweet goodbyes. The Fung Wah Bus represents a journey or a mode of transportation that symbolizes leaving behind a place or a chapter of one's life. The opening lines convey a sense of sadness and longing as the singer looks back on their time in the city, possibly with a romantic partner. The mention of Brooklyn fading away and leaving it in the dust suggests a feeling of moving on and leaving the past behind.
The lyrics continue to explore themes of change and loss, with the singer expressing that everything has changed and there is a lack of trust in those around them. The city lights passing by symbolize the passage of time and the things that have slipped away or been lost along the journey. The reference to arguing on a bridge until sunrise hints at unresolved conflicts or difficulties in the relationship, leading to the singer now finding themselves alone on the bus, perhaps contemplating the end of that chapter.
The repeated refrain of "Time to roll away" emphasizes the theme of moving on and letting go of the past. It conveys a sense of determination to leave behind what no longer serves them and embrace new beginnings. The subsequent lines about saying goodbye to friends and acknowledging that all good things must come to an end further underline the idea of closure and acceptance of endings as a natural part of life.
Overall, "Fung Wah Bus" captures the complex emotions tied to transitions, farewells, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a poignant picture of leaving behind familiar places and relationships, acknowledging the inevitability of change, and finding the courage to embark on a new journey despite the heartache and uncertainty that may come with it.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin Michael Ruttner, Frans Mernick, Nick Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Buckle 97
Such a switch up oof. Her voice, the lyrics 😍😍😍 a masterpiece yall.
itstheknocks
LYRICS
Ooooo (x3)
On the fung wah bus
The city makes me cry when I think of us
Brooklyn blurs away leave it in the dust
Everything has changed
No one left to trust
Nothing is the same on the fung wah bus
The city lights go by like the things we’ve lost
Argued on the bridge till the sun came up
Now I sit alone on the fung wah bus
Time to roll away
Oooo, time to roll away
Ooooo
And I’m sayin’ goodbye (x2) to all my friends (x2)
And I’m sayin’ goodbye (x2), cause all good things end
All good things they end
On the fung wah bus
The city makes me cry when I think of us
Brooklyn blurs away leave it in the dust
Everything is lame
No one left to trust
Nothing is the same on the fung wah bus
The city lights go by like the things we’ve lost
Argued on the bridge till the sun came up
Now I sit alone on the fung wah bus
Time to roll away
Ohhh (x2), time to roll away
Oooo (fade out)
asife00
Beautiful track. Looks more like a train than a bus though🙂. But I like it. Cool video. Keep it up y'all.
----Q----Hi Fwend!!!
Excellent!!!
Hal Brenner
This is the song that comes on when the lights turn on at 4am and everyone is like...uughhh fuck why did I stay here this long....can we do more coke?
TonyZed68
Not use to that from you... but still a very good song.
Jose Garcia
1
G M
What the actual hell on earth has happened to their music?
Buckle 97
Artist change it is how you improve. If everyone done everything the same way for ever nothing new would ever get made.
G M
@Buckle 97 contemplates pessimistically