When "My Sharona" topped the US survey for the week ending August 25, 1979 it displaced Chic's "Good Times" and signified a big change in the music scene. The Knack's New Wave power pop fuelled by the legendary producer Mike Chapman was destined to be a classic. It hearkened back to the sparse garage sound of the 60's, but the compact musical track really turned up the voltage on the dance floor its full stereophonic glory! Alternative music most definitely got there from here and The Cars, but "My Sharona" was truly a welcome surprise to hear this one on the radio. Picked up the LP at a little neighborhood record shop and played the long version at my gigs. Berton Averre came up with a guitar lick that he broght to Doug Fieger, who was hopelessly in love with this girl named Sharona. They started jamming and using her name in the lyrics, the song came together. It took one afternoon to write so they were not prepared for the immense acceptance of their music. It cost $18K to record, over eleven days of recording and the result was certified gold two weeks after its chart debut at #86 June 3rd, 1979, platinum at twenty six days making it the #1 single of 1979. The Knack faded away with out creating another surfire stomper, the band burned bright but it was not to be. The follow up "Good Girls Don't" went to #11 and the #38 peak of "Baby Talks Dirty" showed the concept had worn down. They went their separate ways in 1981 but the Knack reconvened for 1991's "Serious Fun" and the promoted single was "Rocket O'Love" was a return to form and they sporadically laid down more tracks, 1998's "Zoom" was followed by "Normal As The Next Guy" in 2001. One last thing...the song that knocked the Knack off the top of the chart? Macho shithead Robert John's gorgeously sung falsetto lament "Sad Eyes" spent a week at #1. I guess after all that dancing the entire year to that point, it was time for a slow song. Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" was next then Herb Alpert's disco classic "Rise" took the number one spot for two weeks.
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