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
The One
The Knocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The vacant stare of a waning moon
Your eyes were grey just like the waves
When you can tell the storm is on it's way
We hit it off
We had a real nice time
We shared an apartment for about three years
We shared ourselves but it wasn't enough
To assuage the fears when we got the plus
We knew it'd be trouble
But we jumped right in
Just for the chance to cause some trouble again
It was all right, for a while
It was real nice, for a while
The Knocks's song "The One" tells the story of a past relationship that started with a promising spark, but eventually fizzled out. The lyrics speak to the initial attraction and chemistry between two people who hit it off on their first meeting. However, as time passed, the relationship became strained and began to reveal underlying fears and insecurities. Despite sharing their lives together for several years, the couple's attempts to reconcile their differences were ultimately unsuccessful, leaving them feeling unfulfilled and wanting more.
The song's chorus highlights the bittersweet nature of the relationship, with the line "It was all right, for a while. It was real nice, for a while" indicating that although there were moments of happiness and joy, they were ultimately short-lived. The repetitive chorus serves to emphasize the cyclical nature of the relationship, implying that the couple was doomed to repeat their mistakes again and again, despite their best efforts to make things work.
Overall, "The One" offers a poignant commentary on the complexities of love and relationships, reminding listeners that even the most promising beginnings can end in disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
You stared at me from across the room
From afar, you had your eyes set on me
The vacant stare of a waning moon
Your look was dull and lifeless, like a fading lunar cycle
Your eyes were grey just like the waves
Your gaze was as murky as the sea's tumultuous waters
When you can tell the storm is on its way
I could sense the impending chaos from your demeanor
We hit it off
We immediately connected and had chemistry
We had a real nice time
We enjoyed each other's company and had a good moment
We shared a cab and we shared our fears
We opened up to each other, taking the same ride together and sharing our doubts
We shared an apartment for about three years
For an extended period, we lived together and shared our space
We shared ourselves but it wasn't enough
Although we were intimate, our connection was lacking
To assuage the fears when we got the plus
Even with a pregnancy, we couldn't alleviate our anxieties
We knew it'd be trouble
We were aware of the potential complications
But we jumped right in
Still, we took the plunge anyway
Just for the chance to cause some trouble again
Simply for the opportunity to stir up some more drama
It was all right, for a while
Things were fine, but only for a temporary period
It was real nice, for a while
While it lasted, everything was genuinely enjoyable
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Nunziantte DiBenedetto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Himawari
Other Artists: "This is the hottest collab of the year"
The Knocks: "Hold my shades."
Miguel Menendez
Classic!!
Loved this song back in the day! (and still do)
blackfunkafly
As an Australian fan of The Knocks, I can't begin to tell you how happy this collaboration makes me!
Riz Kapdi
One of my favorite songs because it introduced me to Sneaky Sound System
ur best friend
I'm digging these vibes.
Disciple Of Satoshi
It is an atrocity that this song isn't in the multi-million views.
G1lberto
I love this SONG!!
itstheknocks
New music coming soon!
gagasluxury
oh wow
Loafy 🍞
Great job as usual, guys! I’m so excited for your next content!