| "My Sharona" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US variant of the standard artwork | ||||
| Single bythe Knack | ||||
| from the albumGet the Knack | ||||
| B-side | "Let Me Out" | |||
| Released | June 18, 1979[1] | |||
| Recorded | April 1979 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:58 (single edit) 4:52 (album version) | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Mike Chapman | |||
| The Knack singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| The Knack – "My Sharona" onYouTube | ||||
"My Sharona" (/ʃəˈroʊnə/) is the debut single by Americanpower pop bandthe Knack. The song was written byBerton Averre andDoug Fieger, and it was released in 1979 from their debut album,Get the Knack. It reached number one on theBillboard Hot 100 singles chart, where it remained for six weeks, and was number one onBillboard's1979 Top Pop Singles year-end chart.
It wascertified gold by theRecording Industry Association of America, representing 1,000,000 copies sold,[5] and wasCapitol Records' fastest gold status debut single sincethe Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1964.[6] It has since gone on to sell more than 10 million copies as of 2010, becoming one of thebest-selling singles of all time.[7][8]
WhenDoug Fieger was 25 years old, he met 17-year-old Sharona Alperin,[9] who inspired a two-month-long run of songwriting, as well as eventually becoming his girlfriend for the next four years. Fieger recounted that "It was like getting hit in the head with a baseball bat; I fell in love with her instantly. And when that happened, it sparked something and I started writing a lot of songs feverishly in a short amount of time." Fieger and Averre worked out the structure and melody of the song. Averre was originally averse to using Alperin's name in the song, but Fieger wanted it to be a direct expression of his feelings; Averre ultimately relented.[10] Fieger claimed that "My Sharona" was written in 15 minutes;[11] moreover, it was purportedly mixed in an additional 15 minutes after the recording of the song was made in a single take (not including background vocals).[12]
Fieger and Alperin were engaged at one point but never married.[9] In a 2005 interview, Fieger said that they remained "great friends";[9] additionally, she would visit him frequently as Fieger was dying of cancer. Alperin went on to have a successful career as a realtor in Los Angeles.[13][14]
The music of the song echoes many elements of songs from the 1960s. According to aTrouser Press reviewer, the song's main melodic hook is "an inversion of the signature riff" from "Gimme Some Lovin'", a 1966 song bythe Spencer Davis Group.[15] Fieger acknowledged that the song'stom-tom drum rhythm is "just a rewrite" of "Going to a Go-Go", a song fromSmokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965.[15] DrummerBruce Gary has stated that although he did not particularly like the song when Fieger introduced it to the band, he came up with the stuttering beat for the song similar to asurf stomp, with just tom-tom andsnare.[16] He also decided to incorporate aflam, in which two drum strokes are staggered, creating a fuller sound, which Gary considered to be crucial to the song's success.[16]
In an interview withThe Washington Post, Fieger claimed that the song was written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy.[9]
The song's stuttering vocal effect of the repeated "muh muh muh my Sharona" phrase is reminiscent ofRoger Daltrey's vocals in the 1965 song "My Generation" bythe Who.[15]
The music video features the band performing the song in a white room.[17] Another music video features clips from the filmReality Bites, concert footage andAnother Lousy Day in Paradise music video.
In addition to being the inspiration for the song, Sharona Alperin posed for the single's picture sleeve holding a copy of the Knack's debut studio albumGet the Knack.[13]
Produced byMike Chapman, the song's clean sound was reminiscent of the sound of the 1960sBritish Invasion.[15]Billboard Magazine described "My Sharona" as "an energetic rocker with a subtle melody line."[18] Dick Nusser ofBillboard remarked on the song's "catchy, deliberately awkward, stop-go drum and guitar breaks", its "quirky lyrics" and "suggestive tone", and that the song will "make you ready, willing and able to hum the refrain at the right moment."[19]Cash Box said it begins with "slamming drums and rock steady, building guitar work."[20] In thePazz & Jop 1979 Critic's Poll, "My Sharona" andFleetwood Mac's"Tusk" were tied for sixth place in the list of top singles of the year.[21]
Chris Woodstra ofAllMusic has subsequently referred to the song as an "unforgettable hit."[22]The New Rolling Stone Album Guide claimed that the song "was a hit for a good reason. The beat is urgent, the chorus calls out for drunken shouting along and the guitar solo is a firecracker flash."[23]
"My Sharona" has retrospectively been viewed as a symbol for the fall of the 1970s'disco and the rise of the 1980s' new wave.[24]The New York Times called the song "an emblem of the new wave era in rock and a prime example of the brevity of pop fame."[11]
During the making ofMichael Jackson's 1982Thriller album, producerQuincy Jones aspired to include arock-and-roll-inspired song in the vein of "My Sharona". Jackson subsequently wrote "Beat It".[25]
In 2008, "My Sharona" was ranked in twoBillboard 50th anniversary charts. It ranked 75 on theBillboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs[26] and 16 on the TopBillboard Hot 100 Rock Songs.[27][28]
In 1994, "My Sharona" re-entered theBillboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 91,[29] when it was released as part of theReality Bites soundtrack album.[30][31] In the film itself, the characters dance to the song at a convenience store.[32] This version was remixed by Dave Jerden and features, among other changes, a much more prominent drum sound.[33] DirectorQuentin Tarantino wanted to use this song in the 1994 filmPulp Fiction during the film’s rape scene, but the idea was ultimately discounted due to its use inReality Bites, which had been released that same year.[34]
In 2005, the song gained some attention when it appeared on the playlist of U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush'siPod.[35]
"Girl U Want" byDevo, from the albumFreedom of Choice, was allegedly inspired by "My Sharona", although Devo'sGerald Casale has denied this.[36]
In 2023, Berton Averre stated that the song continues to generate royalties of between $100,000 and $300,000 for him annually.[37]
The song featured in an episode of the 90s TV showEerie, Indiana; the lyrics were repeated over and over by a (seemingly) crazy homeless person and was a major part of the plot.
Taken from the Get The Knack liner notes,[38] andSound on Sound.[39]
The Knack
Additional performer
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
All-time charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[61] | Platinum | 150,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI)[62] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[63] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[64] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Let Me Out" | |
|---|---|
| Song bythe Knack | |
| from the albumGet the Knack | |
| B-side | "My Sharona"[broken anchor]" |
| Released | June 11, 1979[1] |
| Recorded | April 1979 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:20 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | Mike Chapman |
The B-side of the "My Sharona" single was "Let Me Out". It was written by Fieger and Averre to fill the band's need for a strong opening track for concerts and later for theirGet the Knack album.[78] Averre has stated that the song is "absurdly fast."[78] Drummer Bruce Gary felt that the words of "Let Me Out" helped make the song a perfect opener since the band wanted to "let out", and bassist Prescott Niles noted that, with the song, the band was all of a sudden "out of the box."[78] Gary has also claimed that the song was "me trying to beBuddy Rich in a rock 'n' roll band. It was just full on."[78]
Billboard described "Let Me Out" as "a teen anthem delivered at full throttle" and praised the song's "delightful" harmonies, "slapping" guitars and "perfectly tuned" drumming.[19]Superchunk andThe Mountain Goats drummerJon Wurster commented on the "full force" of Gary's drumming on "Let Me Out."[79] Ira Robbins and Michael Sandlin ofTrouser Press described the song as "tight guitar pop."[80] Author John Borack described the song as "a damn fine pop tune."[81]Audio magazine called it a "basher" with "plenty of style."[82]AllMusic critic Mark Deming stated that the live version of "Let Me Out" has "a joyous force nearly any act would envy."[83] Dave Swanson ofUltimate Classic Rock called it "one of the most powerful album openers ever."[84]Classic Rock History critic Skip Anderson called it a "smoking track" and rated it as the Knack's 10th best song.[85]
A 1979 live performance of "Let Me Out" fromCarnegie Hall was included on thelaser disc ofLive at Carnegie Hall.[86] The song was included on their compilation album,Premium Gold Collection.[87] A 2012vinylEP forRecord Store Day includes 1978 live performances of "Let Me Out" and "My Sharona" from Los Angeles and two other songs. The two performances are also included on the live CD of the entire 1978 Los Angeles concertHavin' a Rave-Up.[83][88]
Wexler's goal seemed to be replicating the Knack's "My Sharona," the cleanly recorded power-pop classic
...and "My Sharona" is retro-minded garage rock, British Invasion pastiche.
In 1994 the Knack began touring again after "My Sharona" found a new audience through its inclusion in the Reality Bites soundtrack.
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