‘That What I Like About You’ by The Romantics is another good one from the same era, it has the same kind of fun, catchy early ‘80’s vibe! It will have you dancing in your seats.
Sharona Alperin was a real girl, who singer/guitarist Doug Fieger fell in love with in LA in 1977. They dated for 4 years & got engaged, but never married. They split up, but remained friends, & she visited him frequently when he was dying of cancer in 2010. She has had a very successful career as a realtor in LA.
Oh I remember that version with that solo, very rarely got play time but when it did, My Sharona went to another level. It was definitely a headbanger during 1979-1980.
“My Sharona” briefly got a second life in 1994 when it received relentless media exposure after appearing on the soundtrack to Reality Bites starring Winona Ryder.
This song was overplayed to death, to the point where I was sick of it as a kid - but hearing it now - it was a banger! I can appreciate it more now that its been 40 years...40 freakin' years!
One of my all time faves! I am glad that younger people (I was born in 1957, 66yrs now) are listening and enjoying our classic rock. We grew up with thee very best music on the planet, 60s, 70,s and 80s.
This song was EVERYWHERE in 1979! Love it or hate it, you couldn't escape it. Oh and before I forget, good luck to your Bengals in the Super Bowl, Jordan!
Most radio stations play the shorter version of “My Sharona” that was released as a single in June of 1979 when their first album “Get The Knack” came out. “My Sharona” stayed in the number one position for six weeks. The FM rock stations would play the longer version of the song that’s on the album. To this day, when I hear the long version on the radio, I crank it UP. It has a much longer guitar solo, the single version severely cuts it out.
Which is where they got bit here. This video is the shortened version. The Knack are all about 2 things. The original cover art and the insane guitar solo which is mostly missing here. Some one steered them wrong with this video. You definitely need to hear the entire solo to really get this song.
Written by lead singer Doug Fieger for his love interest Sharona Alperin, whom he dated for 4 years. Sadly, Doug died of cancer in 2010. Sharona became a real estate agent in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, this video cut out the longer guitar solo, which is excellent.
Just for the record, they were a transition between Rock and punk. Kinda like the Cars. I lived thru it all, we just didn't try to place a label on it. It was either good and spoke to you or it didn't
these guys played a concert at my college way back then, it was pretty cool. now that you've heard this, y'all REALLY need to checkout Weird Al Yankovich - "My Bologna"...it's an absolute classic and was one of Weird Al's first big hits.
I believe it was THE first hit for Al... as I recall, it was the first parody. Prior to that, he had done "My Belvedere", which wasn't a parody, it was just goofy.
I saw a mini-docu on Weird Al a long time ago. Doug Feiger (singer) was annoyed. Not because of the parody- but because of how seemingly easy it was for Al to copy their style, and how good his recording sounded 😀
A couple songs in the same vein as My Sharona are Jenny - 8675309 by Tommy Tutone and What I like About You by the Romantics. I had to laugh when J said this is a dirty little song - it is, and it was written about the lead singers girlfriend Sharona.
At the time he wrote it she wasn’t…he had a crush on her…..she was 8 yrs younger and his then girlfriend introduced them. The real Sharon’s is on the record cover.
Labor Day '79 I think of Don't Bring Me Down, ELO and Pop Muzik, M ,,, ? Odd even gas rationing at Palo Alto, Classical music station was introducing digital as Direct to Disc. I learn later it wasn't always direct but digital mediator so no tape hiss. CDs would go on market to the rich in '82,
It IS a dirty little song, Jay! (Sorry Amber) The lead singer wrote it about a teenage groupie (a girl named Sharona) he kind of became obsessed with. I think they eventually had a relationship (once she turned 18). Musically, everyone talks about the bass riff but listen to the guitar playing in the bridge. It's great.
Sharona went on to become a successful real estate agent, and has her name & likeness on some billboards around town, in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.
It's the guitar solo that separates this song from most pop or new wave songs. Maybe the best guitar solo in a pop song ever. Not talking about Skynyrds Free Bird, Eagles Hotel C or Zeps Stairway; they were southern rock and rock/hard rock; but Sharona had an ass kicking guitar solo and Sharona was a pop/new wave song, which was so unusual
Due to them coming out at the same time, I always pair up this song with Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” from the Live at Budakan album. Both were such epic songs!!
I was in Jr High when that song came out! Wow the memories….Have you guys done “Whip It” by Devo or “Rock Lobster” by TheB52’s ? “Telephone “ by Blondie is great tool
You have not lived till you dance to this in a store just like off the movie Reality Bites. Great songs just makes you want to move anywhere you hear them.
I know I’m a little odd where in general, I hate solos….this is one of my few exceptions…an absolutely great solo that fits really well and too bad it’s the shortened version
You two are obviously much younger than me. If you were even teenagers in 1979, you would have to have been living in a cave to not have heard this song. You simply could not avoid it. It was everywhere!
If I was asked to name one HUGE song to kickstart the 80s, it would likely be this one. I'm not sure I can convey in words just how GINORMOUS this song was back then. One would think "My Sharona", their debut single, would kick off a string of endless hits.... sadly, this didn't happen. They had one other hit from their first album, "Good Girls Don't". Their second album had one minor hit, "Baby Talk Dirty", and then they just kind of faded from the spotlight. But you know, sometimes one big hit is enough, and people still sing this song to this day. What a great choice! (P.S. You know you've done something right if Weird Al Yankovic parodies your music, which he did with "My Bologna".) While I'm at it, I'd also like to recommend "The Breakup Song" and "Jeopardy" by Greg Kihn Band. Great early 80s guitars!
I was just about to comment on the whole album. To this day it stands up… great Power Pop record . Let Me Out… great opener and the drummer Bruce Gary kills it
You cannot underestimate the importance of this song in music history. At the time disco was reigning supreme and there was a growing backlash against it (think Disco Demolition Night in July 1979). Rock lovers rallied around My Sharona and sent it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 6 weeks. It became the #1 song of the year. Although there were a few disco hits after this, My Sharona is credited as effectively ending the disco era.
How do you for get all the HUGE LPS AND Great bands that came out during the disco area ? Van Halen The Police Toto ,The Cars Are just a few that had HUGE HITS IN THE DISCO AREA ,There was way more music in the late and mid 70s than disco Rumors 1977 Peter Frampton comes alive 1976 Kansas Bostons Boston from 1976 TYhe rock band Heart was huge in the mid to late 70s ,Led Zeppelin Queen ACDC WERE HUGE during the so called disco area , The list is ENDLESS Not only that but 70s COUNTRY R N B JAZZ SOUL Are you kidding me lol The mid to late 70s were way MORE THAN JUST DISCO What bout Videos killed the Radio star 1979 . I like to rock April Wine 1979 Triumphs Lay it on the line 1979 The 1st huge rap song Was Rappers delight it was a huge single in 1979 by The Sugar hill gang The mid to late 70s were WAY MORE THAN DISCO . This would be like saying The 80s were just big on their Big hair bands And nothing else was popular lol
There were so many other sons than disco in the late 70s you must have had your ears closed lol .Just like there was way more music in the 80s Other than big hair bands
I can name at least a 5000 hits other than disco from 1976 till mid night Dec 31st 1979 And discco was STILL IN THE 80s And there was a lot of 70s new wave in the 80s
Well I don't want to hear that she is Putting in you in your place. I prefer to hear the line, I always sing when I hear the song, that tells you where she is sitting. So I guess that is the dirty version.
This rates high on the game of "I can name that song in three notes". There are certain songs whose opening beats are so iconic you just know what they are within the first few sounds. And YES it is a very explicit song !
This is one of those songs that, once you paid attention to the lyrics, you could almost not believe they actually played it on the radio back in the day. (hahahaha) But this song was HUGE back in the day. And your reaction to it shows exactly why that was!
"This is one of those songs that, once you paid attention to the lyrics, you could almost not believe they actually played it on the radio back in the day. " that must be why Nothin' to Lose by KISS was never played on the radio...... lol
@@michaelzilkowsky2936 - Perhaps you dudes need to listen to "Calling Dr Love" by Kiss to discover that lyrics like this were not uncommon to the airwaves. There were also songs in the 70s where you heard the happy endings.
That moment when she realized it was a dirty song was priceless! Now do their other hit Good Girls Don’t and pay attention to those lyrics! My Sharona was huuuge when it came out. That riff alone is up there with the all time great riffs. Plus, that solo is top notch. It’s not short but because it’s so well-constructed it seems that way. Really enjoyed you two reacting to this one.
In July 1979, I was in the Air Force deployed to a base outside of Las Vegas. I worked on jets in a hangar 12 hours a day with local radio blaring on speakers into the work area. I heard this song 20 times a day for a month. Everybody was constantly humming that base line, just by osmosis. Everytime I hear it I'm back in that hangar turning wrenches and jamming out.
This was the number one song of all of 1979. Their debut album was fantastic front to back with witty lyrics and impeccable drumming throughout. The follow up hit was not as big but worth a good listen: “Good Girls Don’t.” Thanks for the reaction!!
There is something significant about this song. At the late 70's the mainstream was dominated by disco . Many thought that rock was dead. And then My Sharona came and made such a commercial success that gave a vital breath to rock music . Of course rock wasn't dead at that time, great musicians and bands made fantastic music, but commercially they were somehow "outsiders". We can say that Knack saved the day in a way ...
Yes, punk rock came about because of the desire to break away from the really really studio produced disco and pop/rock that was popular at the time. That's why it was called punk- creating the idea that is was young people without the benefit of big studio capabilities. New Wave(like this) was an off-shoot of Punk, in that it lacked big studio sound but often had much synth and was thought of as non-violent. Much of Punk was pretty violent. This song was a very different sound than the pop/rock in the mainstream.
The 70's and the 80's were just two decades of musical progression. Everybody had a new sound and each was unique. I still regard myself as being so lucky to have grown up in those two decades.
Funny story: My sister and I had this song just blasting out of her 69 mustang. We were, of course, bopping to the song. We looked over at the red light and next to us, in a boat of a Cadillac, was an older couple (grey hair) and they were bopping to song too! NOTE: We knew them (Knack) and they played at our house party, they play a mean train kept a rollin, but I told them the story and they loved it! Such a catchy song….
True, man. I always favoured this to be one of the underrated rock solos of all time, was thinking the same a moment ago while watching the video and came right across your comment😀
Too bad this was only the short version. I've seen various live performances and Berton just nails it every time. When he does the scratchy descending lick I always wonder whether he was friends with Randy Rhoads because Randy does the same sort of descending lick during the palm muted part of the solo in I Don't Know
My husband went to school with the singer, Doug Feiger. They were in bands together at the Detroit area high school. We met Sharona back stage. She was 17, Doug was older. Rest In Peace, Doug.
AWWW late summer of 79, I could turn on the radio and jam out to this song, HOT STUFF by Donna Summer or DONT BRING ME DOWN by ELO while eagerly anticipating Fleetwood Macs follow up album to Rumours. Those were the days!!! A great fun naughty song to listen to is AFTERNOON DELIGHT by the Starland Vocal Band, which came out in 76.
Spot on Ken. And they were all playing at the roller rink and public pool. Don't forget about a couple of 1HW's just before this like: "Undercover Angel" - Alan O'Day and "Hot Child in the City" - Nick Guilder 😊
@@jerickson725 Holy cow J, I had forgotten about those 1HWs, they were great fun to listen to. I miss my local skating rink and public pool, even the buildings have been torn down.
You need to go down the rabbit hole of the "Ramones" "Rock and Roll High School" is a good place to start ✌️ Much respect and love to you both... keep on being you 🥰
Don't do live Ramones songs, studio recordings until you get The Ramones. They play REALLY fast live, so if you don't already know the song you can't get it.
For us 'kids' in the Detroit area, this song was special because the lead singer, Doug Feiger came from here. He sadly passed away in 2010. His brother, Jeffrey Feiger became famous for a different reason, he was a lawyer who represented 'Dr. Death' or Dr. Kavorkian an MD who had built a machine that would allow people to give themselves a combination of drugs so they could pass away. It was national news back then. Jeffrey is still working and can be seen in personal injury lawyer ads on local TV.
I never knew he was his brother, but I think he was on an episode of a Zak Bagans' (of "Ghost Adventures" fame) TV show of haunted relics others would bring to him, and it also featured items in his horror musem in Las Vegas. On that episode he showed Kervorkian's "death van", which he had purchased, to one of the few people on Earth who might be able to confirm it as authentic, and that was Kervorkian's lawyer. Towards the end of the assisted suicide spree, his lawyer said that he was in the van for the last six of them, as Kervorkian was getting arrested a lot, and having his lawyer on hand made things go faster after arrest.
One hit wonder but this song has become a classic and part of the musical lexicon. Never gets old. I turn up the volume everytime I hear the opening riff
Here's some more of The Knack you should check out for starters: "(She's So) Selfish", "Frustrated", "Rocket O' Love", "Lucinda", "Heartbeat", "Good Girls Don't", "Your Number or Your Name"
I was on my BMX in 1979, passing by the arcade near my house when this song came on the juke box (okay, I just made 3 MAJOR 70's references). I stopped in front of the doors as this song pounded loudly into the street. Everyone quit what they were doing and grooved their asses off. When the song was over, everyone went back to what they were doing and I went on my way... TO THE RECORD STORE! Okay, that made 4 references.
When you analyse this song and really listen to all the components coming together so perfectly, you realise what an absolute masterpiece my Sharona really is.
Thank you, I was freshman in highschool when this came out, I was trying to think of a way to describe it, it wasn't progressive or new wave, but not really rock either. But it was the death knell to disco.
@@shariwelch8760 what other songs did this song inspire in the early 80s? I don’t understand why this song “ushered in” the 80s sound. What is the 80s sound? The early 80s was the second British Invasion and they did not sound like this song.
I agree with him that it's a dirty little song. I used to hear it all the time but couldn't understand all the lyrics until I looked them up and I was like whoaaaaa!!! 😂
You actually heard the shortened version. Go on the web and listen to the full version where the guitar solo is not cut off. It is widely considered one of the best guitar solos ever, not because of difficulty but because of how well it was written and fits the song. Check it out.
Thanks for the memories guys! This was my one and only "groupie" experience! Let me explain. The song came out my junior year of high school. It was huge! I was so excited when I found out that The Knack would be playing at the Arizona State Fair in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. My best friend and I just had to go! We were able to get great seats near the stage and they gave a fantastic concert. Anyway we were leaving and we met some other kids who were there. We stopped outside the Coliseum near the back exit and were just talking to the kids we met. It turns out we were right next to the exit where vehicles enter and leave the Coliseum. We decided to just wait there to see if we could see them leave. Just then a couple of guys walked by that I assume were either employees of the venue or maybe roadies for the band and one of them said, "Just a bunch of groupies!" There were about 10 or 15 kids standing around and one of the guys said, "Hey, if we've got the name, we might as well play the game!" Just then the metal garage door rolled open and the limo carrying The Knack rolled out. We all stated screaming and chasing the limo! The windows rolled down and the band stuck their arms out to shake hands. I got to shake hands with Berton Averre the lead guitarist! Quite a thrill for a 16 year old! Anyway, thanks again for the trip down memory lane!
The cutest thing about this video is when he said her and she’s like no it’s not. That was so cute. This is a total song! I’m 54 years old. Listen to this song and trust me it is.
Hi Guys. I'm 75 now, and we had a record shop in St. Louis called "Peaches". I was shopping there one afternoon, and there was about 20 people in there. They used to promote new singles by putting the needle on the record in the backroom. As soon as they started this song, I looked around to see if I was the only one that was kind of Dancing. Well I had no reason to be embarrassed. EVERYONE including the workers were also reacting the same way. It was a Marvelous, joyous experience. And who was listening to the Words? As the Ting Tings said "Shut up and let me Dance!" LOL
Peaches on Hampton Ave. had several mini concerts with the band on the roof. Saw Fleetwood Mac put their hand prints in the concrete. Really fun times.
Find the version with the extended guitar solo. One of the best jams ever. Definitely a naughty song, but doesn't hold a candle to "Good Girls Don't" (uncensored version).
I just shook my house laughing so hard at J's reaction. This whole album is fun, I loved it. I saw these guys in a little college auditorium, it was such a fun show.
Get the Knack is the album; it was released about a week before my 16th birthday, and I fell in love with it immediately. The best song on the album is She's so Selfish. You'll love it when you hear it.
This song never fails to fill me with a serious case of the happy feels. This was the first 45 I ever bought. Just as good today as it was back in 1979!
LOL Guys! Amber's reaction is the same as me and my brother when this song came out. We used to sing it along with the radio. But one day our mom was driving and it came on. We were NOT singing along. The car was so quiet when our mom said "That's a filthy song. You turn that off or find another station". We both exclaimed "No it's not!". You know our mom won that and instantly. Oh the great memories!
This was a colossal #1 song for them in August 1979. I saw the knack in sacramento in 1980, great show. We even talked to the singer outside briefly. Those were some great times, great music.
You can't not love this. Period. But I have to say that I loved their follow up hit single almost as much. Let's hear your reaction to the Knack - Good Girls Don't. Tight, sexy guitar pop at its best.
If they do “Switching to Glide,” they should do it with “The Beat Goes on” since those two were always played together as a kind of Pt 1 (“The Beat…”) and Pt 2 (“Switchin’…”).
@Bill Bufford I told them about Johnny Lang months ago and hoped they'd see the note. I love hearing him sing"634-5789" (by Wilson Pickett) from "Blues Brothers 2000". 🙂
'My Sharona' was the 1 hit by pop rockers The Knack in 1979... (the late) singer/guitarist Doug Fieger was also the one who got Weird Al Yankovic signed for the first time, when he heard Weird Al's parody 'My bologna'...😂 The song became a hit again in 1994 when it was on the soundtrack to the Winona Ryder movie 'Reality bites'...
"it's a dirty little song"! that's what my parents thought too back in 1979, we were 16 years old and it was wild, the girls loved it, the guys loved the girls who loved it and it was an awesome song for an amazing time in our lives. Thx to the Knack!!
I would think Greg Kihn is better known for "Jeopardy" (especially because of the Weird Al Effect) but I actually like "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" better.
There's a brilliant scene in Reality Bites (one of my favourite movies - it's from 1994) where Winona Ryder and Janeane Garofalo are in a gas station when this song comes on the radio. They ask the cashier to turn up the volume and they go wild dancing in the aisles. That movie has a brilliant soundtrack!
I'm afraid Jay hit it right on the head on the first verse. Every time I played this song on my show I was amazed that the FCC allowed it on the air. Nowadays, no biggie. Back then, whoooooo lord! I'm glad though. I love this song.
It's always so cute when Amber is surprised a song is about sex. I bet 85% of the songs sung by men in the 70s were about sex. You couldn't escape it. 😄
@@BillGraper It wasn't the f#$%Ng '70's!!!! Jesus, this was the 80's!! And this was labeled "possibly" the most contrive band of the era. Maybe, maybe not, . . . but go look at the media about them. . . ." Nuke the Knack", etc.
The lead singer of The Knack (Doug Fieger) wrote this song when he was 25 and pursuing a then 17 year old girl (Sharona Alperin). Doug is know to like much younger girls. He even titled on of their albums "But the Little Girls Understand". He died at the age of 57 in 2010.
If you're looking at the "canon" of Rock Music, this song is definitely a part of that canon. It's not only a great song on its own merit, it's one of the earliest songs of the canon that took fill advantage of structure. Having two distinct solo sections was unusual at the time, and the unexpected extra 2-beat pause at the end of the second solo was a big deal. They set a pattern the first time around, then they broke that pattern just because they could.
A classic example of what they called Power Pop back in the 70s. Badfinger, The Raspberries, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Nick Lowe, The Romantics, The Vapors, The Kings.
Classic, classic - this song was EVERYWHERE!!! Based on your love of rock, you have to check out Billy Squire - you are going to love him!! Another big rocker from the early 80's - check out Lonely is the Night, The Stroke, My Kinda Lover - just to name a few!
While the band was from Los Angeles Lead Singer Doug Fieger was from Detroit, Michigan One of my Childhood friends was good friends of Dougs during the 60's to Mid 70's before he moved out to Los Angeles.
Modern rock was being ushered in by 1979. The Knack cemented their place in music history with this ultra catchy tune. Nothing like it was being played on regular rock stations!
Don't exactly agree. "Modern rock" was a response to disco around the mid 1970s. BOSTON and JOURNEY sold huge numbers of albums. 1979 was one rotten year so it's appropriate that the "fun" of disco was dying and the hangover was setting in.
@@davestang5454 John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten labeled it “boring old rock n roll”. In reference to bands like Journey & Boston. Despite the record sales. With that being said, I can agree to disagree. Cheers! 😊
in the summer of 1979...there was nothing bigger on radio or arguably on the music scene than The Knack.
Actually, that and the Devil Went Down to Georgia.
@geraldobrien7323 You're right.
I have great memories of that.
Hard to over estimate how big this song was when it hit the air waves
‘That What I Like About You’ by The Romantics is another good one from the same era, it has the same kind of fun, catchy early ‘80’s vibe! It will have you dancing in your seats.
One of the best party songs of all time... If the dancefloor was bare and that song came on you suddenly couldn't SEE the dancefloor anymore
Gr8 song
Talking in your Sleep and One in a Million are great ones as well!
Mix it together with what The Police, The Cars, and Cheap Trick were doing around that time and you've got some fun, upbeat, catchy stuff.
Talking in your sleep is another good one.
Sharona Alperin was a real girl, who singer/guitarist Doug Fieger fell in love with in LA in 1977. They dated for 4 years & got engaged, but never married. They split up, but remained friends, & she visited him frequently when he was dying of cancer in 2010. She has had a very successful career as a realtor in LA.
One hit wonder
@@FrankJoe324have you made your mark in this world?
The extended solo version of this song has one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded, IMO.
I thought that felt a little short I was like... just wait until you hear the solo... wait, that was it?!?
YES!!! The full length solo is sooo gooood!! I have to agree, one of the greatest ever recorded.
Yes!!!!
Oh I remember that version with that solo, very rarely got play time but when it did, My Sharona went to another level. It was definitely a headbanger during 1979-1980.
Agreed
"Good Girls Don't" is another great song by The Knack.
It's a great sound and has an r rated version
As is "She's So Selfish".
Good Girls Don't is The Knack's best song. Let's hope the Rob Squad reacts to it. Hopefully the album version and not the radio edit.
@@ScottKornfeld I loved frustrated
The dirty version
“My Sharona” briefly got a second life in 1994 when it received relentless media exposure after appearing on the soundtrack to Reality Bites starring Winona Ryder.
Such a fun scene in that movie with this song.
That's how I know this song! Haha
I can't help but think of that scene wherever I hear it.
Oh yes! Dancing around inside the little mini mart. 😂
I had fun in an an L.A. nightclub waay back in the day when the band there announced they signed a record deal. And it was The Knack. 🙂👍
This song was overplayed to death, to the point where I was sick of it as a kid - but hearing it now - it was a banger! I can appreciate it more now that its been 40 years...40 freakin' years!
yep
just like how they played Blinded by the Light until our ears bled.
I don't care how many times I've heard it, I've never gotten tired of it.
@@deanm375 and Hotel California!
Fun fact - you can sing along and say scuh-ro-tum when they say Sharona.
the song that killed disco!! it was the first song that headed disco demolition era, where they would have record burning parties
One of my all time faves! I am glad that younger people (I was born in 1957, 66yrs now) are listening and enjoying our classic rock. We grew up with thee very best music on the planet, 60s, 70,s and 80s.
So did i baby boomer and the 60s,70s, and 80s greatest music ever
@@HighwayStar-hy3uu I won't listen to anything else as it's mostly garbage
This song was EVERYWHERE in 1979! Love it or hate it, you couldn't escape it. Oh and before I forget, good luck to your Bengals in the Super Bowl, Jordan!
In the BAG!
I can't see them losing. They've been playing hungry and won the last 2 on the road.
I was 7 and I remember it :)
@@bossfan49 that was then and now they're goin down.
whodey!
Most radio stations play the shorter version of “My Sharona” that was released as a single in June of 1979 when their first album “Get The Knack” came out. “My Sharona” stayed in the number one position for six weeks.
The FM rock stations would play the longer version of the song that’s on the album. To this day, when I hear the long version on the radio, I crank it UP. It has a much longer guitar solo, the single version severely cuts it out.
I rate it as the best or 2nd best (Free Bird) guitar solo of all time. that anyone would hear this song without the full solo is a tragedy.
Which is where they got bit here. This video is the shortened version. The Knack are all about 2 things. The original cover art and the insane guitar solo which is mostly missing here. Some one steered them wrong with this video. You definitely need to hear the entire solo to really get this song.
Well said Mike! This version is a rip off.
Playing the single version should be a crime! This song has an underrated guitar solo that needs to be heard.
@@scottsettle597 I agree 100%!
Written by lead singer Doug Fieger for his love interest Sharona Alperin, whom he dated for 4 years. Sadly, Doug died of cancer in 2010. Sharona became a real estate agent in Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, this video cut out the longer guitar solo, which is excellent.
Just for the record, they were a transition between Rock and punk. Kinda like the Cars. I lived thru it all, we just didn't try to place a label on it. It was either good and spoke to you or it didn't
This song has one of the longest and best guitar solos ever played. This version cut it short by a minute. Worth a listen uninterrupted.
I so agree
these guys played a concert at my college way back then, it was pretty cool. now that you've heard this, y'all REALLY need to checkout Weird Al Yankovich - "My Bologna"...it's an absolute classic and was one of Weird Al's first big hits.
I believe it was THE first hit for Al... as I recall, it was the first parody.
Prior to that, he had done "My Belvedere", which wasn't a parody, it was just goofy.
I saw a mini-docu on Weird Al a long time ago. Doug Feiger (singer) was annoyed. Not because of the parody- but because of how seemingly easy it was for Al to copy their style, and how good his recording sounded 😀
@@mr.knowitall6440 "another one rides the bus" was his first big hit. then came "my bologna"
This song had a ton of parodies. My favorite was "9 Caronas".
@@kurtborchers6178 You are 100% WRONG...
"My Bologna" was released in 1979.
"Another One Rides the Bus" was released in 1981.
A couple songs in the same vein as My Sharona are Jenny - 8675309 by Tommy Tutone and What I like About You by the Romantics. I had to laugh when J said this is a dirty little song - it is, and it was written about the lead singers girlfriend Sharona.
Yes! I think of all of those, too, when I hear this song! Also “Ah! Leah!”’ by Donnie Iris. I have great memories of those days!
At the time he wrote it she wasn’t…he had a crush on her…..she was 8 yrs younger and his then girlfriend introduced them. The real Sharon’s is on the record cover.
I laugh every time I tell someone that 8675409 is about a 900-number. 😂
Labor Day '79 I think of Don't Bring Me Down, ELO and Pop Muzik, M ,,, ? Odd even gas rationing at Palo Alto, Classical music station was introducing digital as Direct to Disc. I learn later it wasn't always direct but digital mediator so no tape hiss. CDs would go on market to the rich in '82,
It IS a dirty little song, Jay! (Sorry Amber) The lead singer wrote it about a teenage groupie (a girl named Sharona) he kind of became obsessed with. I think they eventually had a relationship (once she turned 18). Musically, everyone talks about the bass riff but listen to the guitar playing in the bridge. It's great.
Actually, the family babysitter.
Sharona Halperin a much younger girl that became his girl for a while.
@@marlarogers9304 he wasn’t married or had kids so no.
Sharona went on to become a successful real estate agent, and has her name & likeness on some billboards around town, in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.
It's the guitar solo that separates this song from most pop or new wave songs. Maybe the best guitar solo in a pop song ever. Not talking about Skynyrds Free Bird, Eagles Hotel C or Zeps Stairway; they were southern rock and rock/hard rock; but Sharona had an ass kicking guitar solo and Sharona was a pop/new wave song, which was so unusual
There's a reason why some songs are TIMELESS! 20.. 30... 40.... 60 year later -- this song is still amazing and current!
The Knack is also known as the band that was the subject of Weird Al Yankovic's first parody ever...My Bologna.
You can't listen to this song with out hearing Weird Al sing
Due to them coming out at the same time, I always pair up this song with Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” from the Live at Budakan album. Both were such epic songs!!
Yes another song we yelled out singing while cruising in 1979. Also Lonesome loser by Little River Band.
Totally with you on that, Kathy!
Love me so,e Cheap Trick, they def need to react to them…
Good shout! One of my absolute favourites. Going to listen to it now, thanks
@@viacrucis2509 Little River Band was my first concert, at Ravinia in 1978!
I was in Jr High when that song came out! Wow the memories….Have you guys done “Whip It” by Devo or “Rock Lobster” by TheB52’s ? “Telephone “ by Blondie is great tool
You have not lived till you dance to this in a store just like off the movie Reality Bites. Great songs just makes you want to move anywhere you hear them.
Agreed! It's a *must* to dance along the supermarket isles when this song is on, at the very least!
Such a classic movie moment!!!
Didn't Reality Bites also give us "Stay" by Lisa Loeb and 9 Stories?
"Oooh, that bass" In the hands of a good bassist, there is no other sound like a Rickenbacker bass.
Thats how we kept in shape in the 70s... We Danced!
Highly underrated guitar solo. Dig this tune.
One of my favourite guitar solos.
One of the catchiest hook lines in rock music! They played it to death back in the day.
The guitar solo was shortened in this version. That solo is everything. The solo is real famous, you have to listen to the whole thing.
Absolutely. It's not the same song without it.
PREACH!!!
Exactly bro...one of the best solos ever!
I know I’m a little odd where in general, I hate solos….this is one of my few exceptions…an absolutely great solo that fits really well and too bad it’s the shortened version
You two are obviously much younger than me. If you were even teenagers in 1979, you would have to have been living in a cave to not have heard this song. You simply could not avoid it. It was everywhere!
Due to this song, The Knack has topped “Greatest One Hit Wonders” lists of all time that I have seen.
If I was asked to name one HUGE song to kickstart the 80s, it would likely be this one. I'm not sure I can convey in words just how GINORMOUS this song was back then. One would think "My Sharona", their debut single, would kick off a string of endless hits.... sadly, this didn't happen. They had one other hit from their first album, "Good Girls Don't". Their second album had one minor hit, "Baby Talk Dirty", and then they just kind of faded from the spotlight. But you know, sometimes one big hit is enough, and people still sing this song to this day. What a great choice! (P.S. You know you've done something right if Weird Al Yankovic parodies your music, which he did with "My Bologna".) While I'm at it, I'd also like to recommend "The Breakup Song" and "Jeopardy" by Greg Kihn Band. Great early 80s guitars!
Yes, The Breakup Song!!!! Absolute stellar banger, and they would appreciate the similar style and tone.
Exactly! I knew as a teen this was the beginning of a change for the 80s. Finally music for us.
I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!!!!!
My favorite Knack song is "Good Girls Don't"
@@rksnj6797 Mine is “Your Number or Your Name.”
Hahah, Jay listening to the lyrics again while Amber’s all about the melody! Thanks for the reaction as always, guys.
It’s rare when Jay actually understands the lyrics before Amber!
GHWB's favorite song! It makes me feel old just knowing that.
@@BruceHoult GHWB as in George Herbert Walker Bush, former President?
@@johnpatrick1647 the very same
@@BruceHoult Yeah, kind of makes me feel old now.
An, I'm not. I was only 3 when this came out.
This whole album is excellent...not a bad song on it. Good Girls Don't is a really fun song if you want to check out more from this band!
Love it! Good Girls Don't, one of my fave's from way back then. If she didn't recognize this as a kind of naughty song, THAT one will confirm it. lol
Yeah the entire album is great!
Agreed, Good Girls Don't is an awesome song!
It's the best album ever recorded.
I was just about to comment on the whole album. To this day it stands up… great Power Pop record . Let Me Out… great opener and the drummer Bruce Gary kills it
You cannot underestimate the importance of this song in music history. At the time disco was reigning supreme and there was a growing backlash against it (think Disco Demolition Night in July 1979). Rock lovers rallied around My Sharona and sent it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 6 weeks. It became the #1 song of the year. Although there were a few disco hits after this, My Sharona is credited as effectively ending the disco era.
How do you for get all the HUGE LPS AND Great bands that came out during the disco area ? Van Halen The Police Toto ,The Cars Are just a few that had HUGE HITS IN THE DISCO AREA ,There was way more music in the late and mid 70s than disco Rumors 1977 Peter Frampton comes alive 1976 Kansas Bostons Boston from 1976 TYhe rock band Heart was huge in the mid to late 70s ,Led Zeppelin Queen ACDC WERE HUGE during the so called disco area , The list is ENDLESS Not only that but 70s COUNTRY R N B JAZZ SOUL Are you kidding me lol The mid to late 70s were way MORE THAN JUST DISCO What bout Videos killed the Radio star 1979 . I like to rock April Wine 1979 Triumphs Lay it on the line 1979 The 1st huge rap song Was Rappers delight it was a huge single in 1979 by The Sugar hill gang The mid to late 70s were WAY MORE THAN DISCO . This would be like saying The 80s were just big on their Big hair bands And nothing else was popular lol
I loved rock and lots of the disco songs too...............Dont know why people wanted to stop disco...It was great while it lasted............
There were so many other sons than disco in the late 70s you must have had your ears closed lol .Just like there was way more music in the 80s Other than big hair bands
I can name at least a 5000 hits other than disco from 1976 till mid night Dec 31st 1979 And discco was STILL IN THE 80s And there was a lot of 70s new wave in the 80s
The lead was cut short for the video.
The full lead will forever be immortalized as one of the greatest and highly technical leads of that era.
😊❤🤘🤘
Love this song as well as the other big hit, Good Girls Don't
Clean or dirty version?
Well I don't want to hear that she is Putting in you in your place. I prefer to hear the line, I always sing when I hear the song, that tells you where she is sitting. So I guess that is the dirty version.
This rates high on the game of "I can name that song in three notes". There are certain songs whose opening beats are so iconic you just know what they are within the first few sounds. And YES it is a very explicit song !
*name that tune
This is one of those songs that, once you paid attention to the lyrics, you could almost not believe they actually played it on the radio back in the day. (hahahaha) But this song was HUGE back in the day. And your reaction to it shows exactly why that was!
"This is one of those songs that, once you paid attention to the lyrics, you could almost not believe they actually played it on the radio back in the day. "
that must be why Nothin' to Lose by KISS was never played on the radio...... lol
@@michaelzilkowsky2936 - Perhaps you dudes need to listen to "Calling Dr Love" by Kiss to discover that lyrics like this were not uncommon to the airwaves. There were also songs in the 70s where you heard the happy endings.
Just learned recently that Sharona was an actual person, and the lead singer was smitten with her. Eventually they did get together.
That moment when she realized it was a dirty song was priceless! Now do their other hit Good Girls Don’t and pay attention to those lyrics! My Sharona was huuuge when it came out. That riff alone is up there with the all time great riffs. Plus, that solo is top notch. It’s not short but because it’s so well-constructed it seems that way. Really enjoyed you two reacting to this one.
In July 1979, I was in the Air Force deployed to a base outside of Las Vegas. I worked on jets in a hangar 12 hours a day with local radio blaring on speakers into the work area. I heard this song 20 times a day for a month. Everybody was constantly humming that base line, just by osmosis.
Everytime I hear it I'm back in that hangar turning wrenches and jamming out.
Creech AFB? I was stationed at a radar detachment in Hawthorne Nevada from 81-83. I absolutely loved it out there.
@@dc9632 No, Nellis. It was Red Flag, working F-15s
@@albertsmith9315 my uncle Joe Ruggeri worked there during that time. I wanna say he worked on the 15s as well.
REMEBER THE SUGAR HILL GANG RAPPERS DELITE came out the same time And Mjs songs Dont stop toll you get enough,
This was the number one song of all of 1979. Their debut album was fantastic front to back with witty lyrics and impeccable drumming throughout. The follow up hit was not as big but worth a good listen: “Good Girls Don’t.” Thanks for the reaction!!
:Good girls don't".. excellent song! Totally forgot about it... seeing if I can add to my playlist on AMZN.
I'm off to listen to "Good Girls Don't" right now... :)
You HAVE to listen to the 'unedited' version - the one from the album. Kicks butt! :)
@@meanderer06513 Yeah, that SOLO!!!
@@BillGraper that solo was like a dream to a kid in 7th grade (me). I just air guitarred the broom forever!
There is something significant about this song. At the late 70's the mainstream was dominated by disco . Many thought that rock was dead. And then My Sharona came and made such a commercial success that gave a vital breath to rock music . Of course rock wasn't dead at that time, great musicians and bands made fantastic music, but commercially they were somehow "outsiders". We can say that Knack saved the day in a way ...
Yes, punk rock came about because of the desire to break away from the really really studio produced disco and pop/rock that was popular at the time. That's why it was called punk- creating the idea that is was young people without the benefit of big studio capabilities. New Wave(like this) was an off-shoot of Punk, in that it lacked big studio sound but often had much synth and was thought of as non-violent. Much of Punk was pretty violent. This song was a very different sound than the pop/rock in the mainstream.
@@dangeroreilly2028 Violent?? As in Beat on the Brat (with a baseball bat) by the Ramones?
The 70's and the 80's were just two decades of musical progression. Everybody had a new sound and each was unique. I still regard myself as being so lucky to have grown up in those two decades.
Funny story: My sister and I had this song just blasting out of her 69 mustang. We were, of course, bopping to the song. We looked over at the red light and next to us, in a boat of a Cadillac, was an older couple (grey hair) and they were bopping to song too! NOTE: We knew them (Knack) and they played at our house party, they play a mean train kept a rollin, but I told them the story and they loved it! Such a catchy song….
One of the most under-rated guitar solos in music history! This song will move you to the umteenth degree.
True, man. I always favoured this to be one of the underrated rock solos of all time, was thinking the same a moment ago while watching the video and came right across your comment😀
*Guitar Hero expert mode flashbacks*
Too bad this was only the short version. I've seen various live performances and Berton just nails it every time. When he does the scratchy descending lick I always wonder whether he was friends with Randy Rhoads because Randy does the same sort of descending lick during the palm muted part of the solo in I Don't Know
If you like this guitar solo check out the version that’s on the album. One of my favourite guitar solos of all time.
@@steveinfinityandbeyond the chord changes on Doug's Strat going into the solo are nice, too.
My husband went to school with the singer, Doug Feiger. They were in bands together at the Detroit area high school. We met Sharona back stage. She was 17, Doug was older. Rest In Peace, Doug.
Doug was 26 - 9 years older
AWWW late summer of 79, I could turn on the radio and jam out to this song, HOT STUFF by Donna Summer or DONT BRING ME DOWN by ELO while eagerly anticipating Fleetwood Macs follow up album to Rumours. Those were the days!!! A great fun naughty song to listen to is AFTERNOON DELIGHT by the Starland Vocal Band, which came out in 76.
Spot on Ken. And they were all playing at the roller rink and public pool. Don't forget about a couple of 1HW's just before this like: "Undercover Angel" - Alan O'Day and "Hot Child in the City" - Nick Guilder 😊
@@jerickson725 Holy cow J, I had forgotten about those 1HWs, they were great fun to listen to. I miss my local skating rink and public pool, even the buildings have been torn down.
@@kenpaden Happy to ignite the memories! It's like the songs you forgot that you forgot. There are so many ... Magic by Pilot comes to mind too!
RIP Doug. He was a friend.
Literally my favourite song. The intro, the bass, the riff, the singing, the suggestive lyrics. This could be 20 minutes long and i'd be fine.
You need to go down the rabbit hole of the "Ramones" "Rock and Roll High School" is a good place to start ✌️ Much respect and love to you both... keep on being you 🥰
Don't do live Ramones songs, studio recordings until you get The Ramones. They play REALLY fast live, so if you don't already know the song you can't get it.
For us 'kids' in the Detroit area, this song was special because the lead singer, Doug Feiger came from here. He sadly passed away in 2010. His brother, Jeffrey Feiger became famous for a different reason, he was a lawyer who represented 'Dr. Death' or Dr. Kavorkian an MD who had built a machine that would allow people to give themselves a combination of drugs so they could pass away. It was national news back then. Jeffrey is still working and can be seen in personal injury lawyer ads on local TV.
I never knew he was his brother, but I think he was on an episode of a Zak Bagans' (of "Ghost Adventures" fame) TV show of haunted relics others would bring to him, and it also featured items in his horror musem in Las Vegas. On that episode he showed Kervorkian's "death van", which he had purchased, to one of the few people on Earth who might be able to confirm it as authentic, and that was Kervorkian's lawyer. Towards the end of the assisted suicide spree, his lawyer said that he was in the van for the last six of them, as Kervorkian was getting arrested a lot, and having his lawyer on hand made things go faster after arrest.
We had so much musical talent from the Detroit area back in the good ole days.
@@NoBSchannel313 So true!
wow I never knew they were brothers!!! TY4 the info!!! I am also from MI and I never knew!
Rip Doug
1979 Senior year party song! Great fun to sing and jump around to.
One hit wonder but this song has become a classic and part of the musical lexicon. Never gets old. I turn up the volume everytime I hear the opening riff
Don't agree. "Good Girls Don't" was also a hit by THE KNACK. It's on a movie sound track too.
@@davestang5454 Good girls dont may even be better than this song IMO.
Since mid 90's when ever I hear this song, Janine Garofalo dancing always comes to Mind
This 1979 debut single went to #1. They had a few more songs, but nothing achieved the same success.
Good Girls Don't being their biggest follow up.
Tarantino wanted to use it in Pulp Fiction during the 'gimp' scene, but apparently one band member is born-again and refused.
Here's some more of The Knack you should check out for starters: "(She's So) Selfish", "Frustrated", "Rocket O' Love", "Lucinda", "Heartbeat", "Good Girls Don't", "Your Number or Your Name"
I was hoping you'd get to this song one day. It's such a funky jam! 🤘😃
I was on my BMX in 1979, passing by the arcade near my house when this song came on the juke box (okay, I just made 3 MAJOR 70's references). I stopped in front of the doors as this song pounded loudly into the street. Everyone quit what they were doing and grooved their asses off. When the song was over, everyone went back to what they were doing and I went on my way...
TO THE RECORD STORE! Okay, that made 4 references.
When you analyse this song and really listen to all the components coming together so perfectly, you realise what an absolute masterpiece my Sharona really is.
My Sharona always immediately transports me back to the summer of 79. It was constantly on the radio and I almost wore out the album "Get the Knack"
Still play it! Also, "Good Girls Don't." A great pick me up song!!
Still play it! Also, "Good Girls Don't." A great pick me up song!!
This was a historical important song that officially ended the Disco era and kick started the 80's sound.
Thank you, I was freshman in highschool when this came out, I was trying to think of a way to describe it, it wasn't progressive or new wave, but not really rock either. But it was the death knell to disco.
In America. Disco never died in other countries.
No, this wasn't the 80s sound, and this is from 1979.
@@sexysadie2901 That doesn't mean it wasn't an 80's sound. Most rock writers and critics say it was the first 80's sound hit.
@@shariwelch8760 what other songs did this song inspire in the early 80s? I don’t understand why this song “ushered in” the 80s sound. What is the 80s sound? The early 80s was the second British Invasion and they did not sound like this song.
I agree with him that it's a dirty little song. I used to hear it all the time but couldn't understand all the lyrics until I looked them up and I was like whoaaaaa!!! 😂
This song was number one in the Billboard charts when I was born back in 1979.
You actually heard the shortened version. Go on the web and listen to the full version where the guitar solo is not cut off. It is widely considered one of the best guitar solos ever, not because of difficulty but because of how well it was written and fits the song. Check it out.
God, I remember when you couldn't go two hours without hearing this song on the radio. PRE MTV.
Haven't heard this loud enough yet. Love this song. Always gets me bopping around the room. "Good Girls Don't" is another.
Thanks for the memories guys! This was my one and only "groupie" experience! Let me explain. The song came out my junior year of high school. It was huge! I was so excited when I found out that The Knack would be playing at the Arizona State Fair in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. My best friend and I just had to go! We were able to get great seats near the stage and they gave a fantastic concert. Anyway we were leaving and we met some other kids who were there. We stopped outside the Coliseum near the back exit and were just talking to the kids we met. It turns out we were right next to the exit where vehicles enter and leave the Coliseum. We decided to just wait there to see if we could see them leave. Just then a couple of guys walked by that I assume were either employees of the venue or maybe roadies for the band and one of them said, "Just a bunch of groupies!" There were about 10 or 15 kids standing around and one of the guys said, "Hey, if we've got the name, we might as well play the game!" Just then the metal garage door rolled open and the limo carrying The Knack rolled out. We all stated screaming and chasing the limo! The windows rolled down and the band stuck their arms out to shake hands. I got to shake hands with Berton Averre the lead guitarist! Quite a thrill for a 16 year old! Anyway, thanks again for the trip down memory lane!
The cutest thing about this video is when he said her and she’s like no it’s not. That was so cute. This is a total song! I’m 54 years old. Listen to this song and trust me it is.
best guitar solo of the punk/new wave era coming up....
Hi Guys. I'm 75 now, and we had a record shop in St. Louis called "Peaches". I was shopping there one afternoon, and there was about 20 people in there. They used to promote new singles by putting the needle on the record in the backroom. As soon as they started this song, I looked around to see if I was the only one that was kind of Dancing. Well I had no reason to be embarrassed. EVERYONE including the workers were also reacting the same way. It was a Marvelous, joyous experience. And who was listening to the Words? As the Ting Tings said "Shut up and let me Dance!" LOL
Peaches on Hampton Ave. had several mini concerts with the band on the roof. Saw Fleetwood Mac put their hand prints in the concrete. Really fun times.
I'm really amazed a 75yr old knows the Ting Tings! My dad liked The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson when he was around 72 😂
I loved Peaches.
Peaches is still around ?! We had one in Norfolk Virginia back in the 80’s !!
Find the version with the extended guitar solo. One of the best jams ever.
Definitely a naughty song, but doesn't hold a candle to "Good Girls Don't" (uncensored version).
Another 70s song
I just shook my house laughing so hard at J's reaction. This whole album is fun, I loved it. I saw these guys in a little college auditorium, it was such a fun show.
Get the Knack is the album; it was released about a week before my 16th birthday, and I fell in love with it immediately. The best song on the album is She's so Selfish. You'll love it when you hear it.
This song never fails to fill me with a serious case of the happy feels. This was the first 45 I ever bought. Just as good today as it was back in 1979!
LOL Guys! Amber's reaction is the same as me and my brother when this song came out. We used to sing it along with the radio. But one day our mom was driving and it came on. We were NOT singing along. The car was so quiet when our mom said "That's a filthy song. You turn that off or find another station". We both exclaimed "No it's not!". You know our mom won that and instantly. Oh the great memories!
Every time I hear this song I can't help but think of Weird Al's parody "My Bologna" which was one of Weird Al's first hit songs also.
This was a colossal #1 song for them in August 1979. I saw the knack in sacramento in 1980, great show. We even talked to the singer outside briefly. Those were some great times, great music.
You can't not love this. Period. But I have to say that I loved their follow up hit single almost as much. Let's hear your reaction to the Knack - Good Girls Don't. Tight, sexy guitar pop at its best.
Nick Glider - Hot Child in the City
The Kings - Switching to Glide
Sweet - Fox on the Run
you might like them
If they do “Switching to Glide,” they should do it with “The Beat Goes on” since those two were always played together as a kind of Pt 1 (“The Beat…”) and Pt 2 (“Switchin’…”).
@@writerjohnmcnally certainly, can't separate them
Wow, haven't thought of those in forever! So excellent
Let's take a detour down Blues Alley: Johnny Lang "Lie to Me." You will not be disappointed and I think he was 14 when he recorded it. Check him out.
@Bill Bufford
I told them about Johnny Lang months ago and hoped they'd see the note. I love hearing him sing"634-5789" (by Wilson Pickett) from "Blues Brothers 2000". 🙂
Johnny Lang is an awesome artist! I hope that Jay and Amber take a cue and give his music a listen.
'My Sharona' was the 1 hit by pop rockers The Knack in 1979... (the late) singer/guitarist Doug Fieger was also the one who got Weird Al Yankovic signed for the first time, when he heard Weird Al's parody 'My bologna'...😂
The song became a hit again in 1994 when it was on the soundtrack to the Winona Ryder movie 'Reality bites'...
That riff is in the top 10 of all time!!
"it's a dirty little song"! that's what my parents thought too back in 1979, we were 16 years old and it was wild, the girls loved it, the guys loved the girls who loved it and it was an awesome song for an amazing time in our lives. Thx to the Knack!!
OMG This is my Go To cleaning the House Song 😂🥰✌️
Y’all should check out “The Breakup Song” by Greg Khin. They don’t write em like that any more.
I would think Greg Kihn is better known for "Jeopardy" (especially because of the Weird Al Effect) but I actually like "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" better.
I love the outtro guitar solo, it’s absolutely spectacular!
I'm surprised that nobody in the comments mentioned that this was #1 on the Top 40 charts for weeks and I think the biggest selling single of 79.
I was only 10 years old in 1979, and I remember this song was all over the radio at that time. They ran this song into the ground!
There's a brilliant scene in Reality Bites (one of my favourite movies - it's from 1994) where Winona Ryder and Janeane Garofalo are in a gas station when this song comes on the radio. They ask the cashier to turn up the volume and they go wild dancing in the aisles. That movie has a brilliant soundtrack!
Oh yes, My favorite scene from that movie
Evian is naïve spelled backwards.
I'm afraid Jay hit it right on the head on the first verse. Every time I played this song on my show I was amazed that the FCC allowed it on the air. Nowadays, no biggie. Back then, whoooooo lord! I'm glad though. I love this song.
It's always so cute when Amber is surprised a song is about sex. I bet 85% of the songs sung by men in the 70s were about sex. You couldn't escape it. 😄
To see Amber's reaction to "The Knack's Good Girls Don't" will be interesting.
Yep! Except for the song "Afternoon Delight." We all know that's not about sex. 😏
@@BillGraper It wasn't the f#$%Ng '70's!!!! Jesus, this was the 80's!! And this was labeled "possibly" the most contrive band of the era. Maybe, maybe not, . . . but go look at the media about them. . . ." Nuke the Knack", etc.
Her face kills me. Every. Single. Time.
@@stuarthazard3162 It was released in 1979, but it did become a staple of the very early 80s on the radio
"Always get it up for the touch of the younger kind" is about the 17 year old Sharona who was the lead singer's girl friend at the time.
The lead singer of The Knack (Doug Fieger) wrote this song when he was 25 and pursuing a then 17 year old girl (Sharona Alperin). Doug is know to like much younger girls. He even titled on of their albums "But the Little Girls Understand". He died at the age of 57 in 2010.
If you're looking at the "canon" of Rock Music, this song is definitely a part of that canon. It's not only a great song on its own merit, it's one of the earliest songs of the canon that took fill advantage of structure. Having two distinct solo sections was unusual at the time, and the unexpected extra 2-beat pause at the end of the second solo was a big deal. They set a pattern the first time around, then they broke that pattern just because they could.
That second solo is one of my favourite solos ever. It's a classic.
A classic example of what they called Power Pop back in the 70s. Badfinger, The Raspberries, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Nick Lowe, The Romantics, The Vapors, The Kings.
Oh yes, the Vapors with Turning Japanese!
Classic, classic - this song was EVERYWHERE!!! Based on your love of rock, you have to check out Billy Squire - you are going to love him!! Another big rocker from the early 80's - check out Lonely is the Night, The Stroke, My Kinda Lover - just to name a few!
While the band was from Los Angeles Lead Singer Doug Fieger was from Detroit, Michigan One of my Childhood friends was good friends of Dougs during the 60's to Mid 70's before he moved out to Los Angeles.
Modern rock was being ushered in by 1979. The Knack cemented their place in music history with this ultra catchy tune. Nothing like it was being played on regular rock stations!
Don't exactly agree. "Modern rock" was a response to disco around the mid 1970s. BOSTON and JOURNEY sold huge numbers of albums. 1979 was one rotten year so it's appropriate that the "fun" of disco was dying and the hangover was setting in.
@@davestang5454 John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten labeled it “boring old rock n roll”. In reference to bands like Journey & Boston. Despite the record sales. With that being said, I can agree to disagree. Cheers! 😊
I was 16 the year this came out, and absolutely everyone was playing this entire album all day and night, every day.
It was HUGE.