The Knack : MY SHARONA: Live + Bonus Vid - Reaction

Have you ever heard The Knack play MY SHARONA live? Its a killer track.
Watch George and Alex react to 2 x Knack tracks
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[@FionaEm]

My Sharona was a huge hit here in Oz. If you're going to be a one-hit wonder, this is a pretty good song to do it with! Sharona was the singer's teenage girlfriend. This live version is really good; hadn't heard it before. The singer's microphone technique is, er, interesting 🤣🤣

[@jennifermason9557]

Do you remember that Molly Meldrum declared that they were going to be as big as the Beatles (or something to that effect). He was right about Abba and Madonna, not the Knack!

[@submandave1125]

Actually, Sharona was the singer's friend's girlfriend, then became his girlfriend after this song. It is her picture on the captivating single sleeve.

[@cherylannb3161]

Sharona Alperin was a teenager in high school when the lead singer of The Knack fell for her

[@sean---the-other-one]

She’s on the cover of the single. Doug was punching well above his weight class.

[@kelly-annmarr2420]

And that's the guitar solo I told you about guys!

[@donnachatterton1639]

I was 18 or 19 when this came out. Takes me right back to my friend’s parent’s garage, for his 21st birthday. Got everyone up dancing, no matter how many times it was played.

[@michaelmayo9048]

Quite a few one hit wonders in the 80s..we got a recent one in Australia called (tones and l ...song.. dance monkey) number 1 in 27 country's last time l heard ..

[@maverick2242]

One of those special live acts that is better than the studio version, just awesome all round.

[@linnightl9277]

Cover bands are playing that song to this day. Cough, yup did that back in the day when it came out and for many years after it left the charts. What a great performance.

[@uncleboo47]

Best rock lead break ever (the extended one herein that is....). IMHO. Pity the single release didn't have the extended solo. Berton Averre is the guitarist. Still remember the day I first heard the extended solo - blown away.....

[@sean---the-other-one]

100%. My favourite guitar solos in this song, both of ‘em. The tone and the playing. Deceptively complex. I’ve seen a number of people try to play it, but it’s never been as good.

[@AussieTVMusic]

I heard the old Members are regrouping to form a new band. They will be called "Knackered"

[@jeffmalloy8200]

😂

[@TheThamesmen]

HA HA

[@JudeAussie]

🤣🤣👍🇦🇺

[@northof4912]

It’s so interesting to hear you guys even talk about musical talent with this band, as a teenager at the time, I never understood that. They flashed big and hard, but honestly were sucked into the musical annihilation of the Bay City Rollers as far as recognition, and took the same downfall. I’m not speculating, I was there, took a bottle of Baby Duck to The Knack concert in grade 8. Even got a shirt which has since been burned into non existence! “Get the Knack”

[@DianeLake-sw3ym]

My Sharona was my hope in a sea of only disco. I was 20/21 and stopped listening to music on the radio. All there was was disco. I hated disco. But, in 79 there were two songs that came out that were harbingers. One was the amazing Blondie with Call Me. It was a disco style song but, with an edge and really did not sound disco. The other was My Sharona. That song blew up the airwaves as people wanted to hear it all the time. It became for many people their light in the disco tunnel. My Sharona was the #1 song of 79 and shortly after real music started to be heard like Devo, ect. and disco quickly faded.

[@DianeLake-sw3ym]

Oh wow. i remember Good Girls. That was one I really forgot. It was an excellent song and I just remember it in the fog of yesteryear. But, the chorus lines I so remember hearing and thought it cool back then.

[@m0nm0n]

I don't remember ever not knowing or loving My Sharona ❤ nor the most appropriate lyrics for a kid to be singing but 🤷‍♀️ Have always loved the guitar solo in this & they didn't really deviate from the studio version either so I'm surprised you didn't really pick up on it. In Australia they would always release Pub Rock compilation albums & this would always be mixed in with cold chisel and also daddy cool which you've reacted to in Aussie week

[@iancremmins4727]

my band would be "I never thought of that"

[@wazza1085]

I just cannot help but sing out Cheech's "My Scrotum" whenever I hear this song

[@jsegal8385]

There is (or should be) a song called "My Corona' by 'Virus and the Vaccines'.

[@digimont]

There is "9 Coronas" by John Mammoser

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

There are very few songs as massive as this. I remember that Summer. You couldn't walk down the street without hearing cars blasting it! It was everywhere.

[@taniaPBear]

God it's such a great track and I'll admit I wasn't expecting it to be so great live, that was a phenomenal performance. I listened to a couple of their albums back in the day, but nothing else came close to My Sharona, everything else had that 'I've heard that before' vibe. Sharona, we learned later, was a girl he fell for in High School, which made me slightly less icky about the "I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind" line (slightly) 😬. Great reaction as always fellas. ❤

[@TheThamesmen]

Agreed!!! Amazing live.... who knew

[@rickfairman5640]

One other performance you both should watch. Down in the Alley from Ronnie Hawkins 60 birthday from massy Hall Ronnie has a great voice the original had Duane Allman on guitar on the record and Jeff Healey doing the guitar fills live must see Also has Jeff accompanying Jerry Lee Lewis on a couple of his classics

[@TheThamesmen]

Ohhhh Jerry.

[@lennartforsberg1519]

This comment is for the Thamesmen. During my 1st visit in London (around 1978) I saw some bands at the Marquee Club and Nashville. I remember watching the Police at the Marquee (Oxford Street), and Squeeze at Nashville (South Kensington), later that week I also saw Wreckless Eric , Steel Pulse, and Television playing in London.

[@TheThamesmen]

Omg. What a series of gigs!!! The Marquee was small eh!

[@northof4912]

I think you will figure out what a Sharona is……. being a Canadian kid in high school at the time, there was no confusion!

[@JudeAussie]

Oh wow! This sure brings back memories. Loved this song back in the day and still love it now. Thanks, guys! 👍😎🇦🇺

[@stuwhiteman3810]

Great version guys! Love that bass and solo 👍

[@larrybremer4930]

I never considered the Knack a one hit wonder. Their entire first album is full of great songs and this band gets a great sound for a simple four piece band. What I remember is their doom coming from two things. 1. comparison to the Beatles (people thought they were trying they were attempting to copy the Beatles) and 2. They came on the heals of a Monster hit that got so much airplay that they saturated the radio, and it was too soon after the Bee Gees had a similar backlash as they dominated pop just prior and suffered the same kind of backlash due to saturation. I think the overabundance of the Bee Gees was a factor in people rebelling against the repeat. While the Knack's lyrics are quite misogynistic by todays standards (and thus have not aged well) the lyrics were still very well written, the music was fantastic, and their production and musicianship is top tier. It has been said that their first album was largely recorded doing very few takes, basically a live performance in the studio. Very few albums this great were created that quickly.

[@johnchrysostomon6284]

On Countdown (Australia's Top of the Pops) Ian "Molly" Meldrum predicted that this band were going to be as big as the Beatles Sometimes he got it wrong (He also called Giorgio Moroder's album "E=MC²" E equals M C two)

[@keithwilson1554]

This has many similarities to the Beatles performing She Loves You Live. Crowd Reaction and Domination of Airwaves. But the Beatles had several one hit bangers at the same time.

[@rainerzufall42]

Colorado? That''s a new one!

[@TheThamesmen]

Yep!!!

[@jayjayjase9796]

RIP Doug Fieger

[@sean---the-other-one]

I can’t say what I’d name my band, but I can tell you that back in the 80s in Melbourne there were awesome band names doing the circuit. A couple of examples: Turbo Love Nuns Machine Gun Fellatio Deck chairs Overboard People With Chairs Up Their Noses Not Drowning, Waving This Is Serious, Mum aka TISM The F*ck F*cks Some reached modest success, too.

[@TheThamesmen]

We should do BEST band names

[@sean---the-other-one]

@@TheThamesmen There’d be some awesome ones out there.

[@uncleboo47]

OH - and yes Alex you did hear that lyric in GGD. The 'clean' album and single lyric is "When She Puts you In Your Place", but obviously they would swap that out for the more - shall we say 'in your face' lyric, live.

[@TheThamesmen]

Yes..... You noticed that!!!

[@mikeschenk4730]

I thought Toad the Wet Sprocket was a reference to something. A Google search told me that it came from Monty Python. My band name would be Ollie North and the Iran Contra Band (look it up). Sharona can be whatever you want it to be. ;) In the case of the song it is a girl, given his age. I had no idea they had that level of musicianship. And I agree they just happened to come around at the wrong time. A lot of the Who in them for sure. I could hear it as a more honest (read: dirty) 1960s tune from the Beatles era. If they had been around in 1968 they would have been a lot bigger.

[@TheThamesmen]

Thanks Mike

[@FrothNinja]

My Sharona was a singalong fave in highschool. Salt was a half decent indie bamd that had an LP called Auscultate in 1995. Think there has been a few other shakers called Salt too. There are many Moist acts out there.

[@carolynquinn8325]

In particular, I remember the rock band "Moist" from Canada. They were popular in the mid nineties.. but I believe they're still touring and putting out music.

[@uncleboo47]

Another track off the album - "Your Number Or Your Name" is WAY better than Good Girls Dont.....

[@digimont]

My "band" for ageing prog-rockers. The CPAP Machine!

[@rickfairman5640]

Got the feel I was watching a English cover band. The were very good musicianship but the seemed caught between musical worlds. Did enjoy the music they just missed on where they fit in.

[@barbararees604]

One of my favourite almost one hit wonder bands, great roller skate dancing song. The 70's was rife with one hit wonders, I loved every minute of it, even some silly disco songs.

[@lawrencekelli]

All I can think is ''Bloody fantastic! I know the song as well but that live version Wow! fing fantastic the guitar solo his mic loving the whole group is on fire!

[@mick1535]

Hi guys at least I can put a face to the song I heard every night I worked in Clubs in the 80s also never knew about the guitar solo Cheers

[@TheThamesmen]

That solo right!!

[@keithwilson1554]

Lucille the Knack was another follow up.

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

Wow that brought back memories lol haven’t heard that since I was a young teen lmao

[@amygoodson-catlady]

Good Girls Don't was pretty popular on US radio...but you're right...The Knack was playing music that didn't really fit big audiences. I always liked their old school kinda, rockabilly style. Similarly, the band, The Plimsouls fell into the same situation... one hit (A Million Miles Away, on the movie Valley Girl soundtrack), but an amazing and talented band! I still listen to them regularly!

[@BrianR.]

Song from my early 20's I believe. Pretty big hit n Canada. Kind of a one hit wonder. As for a band name, MOOSE is a great one, I can't believe it hasn't been used yet, or has it? 😜

[@sean---the-other-one]

Firstly, My Sharona is my definitive pop-rock song, and the two solos combine for me to be my favourite guitar solo of any rock track. I remember Good Girls Don’t, it had plenty of airplay, but the whole of the first album was at the same level, none of it getting the same type of TLC that My Sharona had with lyrics, arrangements, and production. I still remember the song fondly, and I have the first album, but it’s essentially a hit school-boy puerile attitudes and not enough of an ‘it’ factor to carry it to classic status the way that My Sharona did. But you were correct, Alex, the lyrics in Good Girls Don’t went exactly where you suspected they did, and I wonder how they ever got it played on commercial radio considering other songs that got banned for much milder wordings. Still, the main focus is My Sharona. Have a really good listen to the studio version and check out the bass tone. Have a really, really good listen to the guitar solos. The first one after the first chorus has some awesomely chunky bass notes smacked out on the low E-string, and the chord patterns behind the solo and call and response between the two guitars are superb for what most people assume is a fairly standard rock tune. The second solo has some of the best straight/out rock solo licks but with additional twists (listen as he’s bending notes on the G-string but then adding in secondary lead lines on the high E-string. All whilst the rest of the band is sitting in place with a foundation that plays three chords but slowly adds in intensity to the crescendo. It’s like a garage band struck lightning. Little wonder that it’s remained the classic that it is.

[@gavinholt5428]

Loved this song from the start. Had the single, he b side was Let Me Out. That was a cool track too. I was always surprised they didn't have more hits.

[@sean---the-other-one]

Yeah, I’ve still got the single, and the album. Let Me Out was enjoyable pub/garage rock stuff.

[@carolynrose9522]

I know someone who named their daughter Sharona after this song came out.

[@rickfairman5640]

Interesting after your question about presentation and because I had not heard or remembered Joan Armantige sp doing a little research and came to the conclusion that you just sit back and let her genius flow and the moment. Great choice looking forward to her performances

[@TheThamesmen]

Good point!

[@michaelmayo9048]

I would call my band THE SATISFIERS...that should get some ladys to the show.

[@johnforde7735]

Not the chorus, but the start of Good Girls Don't sounded to me like Billy Bragg (not the lyrics).

[@michaelmayo9048]

Guitar reminds me of fergul sharky..thamesmen l wrote a list for yous of some spaniards songs..they only played in Victoria Australia didn't want to tour..l did arrange song orders for some bands ..so song 1 by the spaniards - peeper: /song 2 [you can see the band on tv show] song..2 spaniards -what can l do -live on countdown / song 3 spaniards -one lonely voice.. song 4 spaniards- exile..(sound is not perfect) song 5 on utube the spaniards - angel live ( me doing lighting) song 6 -spaniards- blood on the ice live at Ballarat..all songs on utube..😊ignore those lines threw this writing.

[@northof4912]

Band name: Vindictive Refraction.

[@zwieseler]

Trouble with live performances is if it’s a shocker you’ll write off that artist due to being underwhelmed. I feel this happened when you did Joan Armatrading a while back. My first hit from her was Love and Affection… I stopped my car, turned off the engine, and sat there listening to the whole thing. No random song on the radio ever did that to me before or since. But The Knack knocked it out of the park for this live of Sharona. Always liked the guitar solo and nailed it in this live cut.

[@lakelili]

Fantastic piece of music! I started going to school dances in 1980 and this was played every time and the dance floor was always full. I also remember buying it as a 45. I would go with the 8.5 and then give them a bonus point for us all being idiots and not listening closely before so 8.6 for me....

[@TheThamesmen]

Ha ha :)

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

Ah, 1979, grease was out and Saturday night fever and my Sharona lol

[@TheThamesmen]

Good times!

[@Joshualuv13]

Awww love this one ..so groovy and popular one to hit the dance floor to ! Hey boys for some reason, this is reminding me of the song .Turning Japanese by vapours..same time period ,check that one out ,also a hit,that stands test time and stands out.

[@sirloin6662]

This song ended disco and ushered in the 80s rock wave

[@lennartforsberg1519]

Yeah, it was a good track. I think that I'd only bought their 1st album, and I don't know why. Perhaps too many records was released during that time, and you can't buy all records.

[@anthonyhaylock6655]

The knack didn’t end in 1982 , they were still around touring and recording until Doug Fieger past away in 2010,

[@brianparsa7794]

First vinyl LP I ever bought, back in 1979, was The Knack's debut, "Get The Knack"! I think this is a clear indication that I'm getting old, lol. Two big hit singles, as you guys just played; I'm on board with the scoring, I'd have given "My Sharona" an 8.5 too.

[@michaelmayo9048]

This singer has had richard clapton and jimmy barnes as his back up singer (mick pealing) has done 70s yonra then 80s now still singing in 2023 different again bit country how many bands just stick to their original style. Most .. Guys for your own listening pleasure l guarantee you won't be disappointed well maybe the live sound ain't 100% but the vocals and tightness of the SPANIARD'S will have you listening again ..happy listening from me one off the best live sound engineers from Melbourne. Oh l did lighting for the spaniards. You cand see a bit on the song by THE SPANIARD'S- angel ft Billy miller

[@monikabeki6838]

It was no 1 in the uk at the day I was born and it’s ridiculous but I am proud of it, cause this beat is the one for my life 🤩

[@TheThamesmen]

How excellent. Congratulations

[@davidberesford7009]

Band name "Veldt" it is not going to happen, but yeah! VELDT

[@TheThamesmen]

:)

[@666t]

Sharona is Hebrew for a fertile plain,

[@TheThamesmen]

I know - we found that out i the video

[@karenlittle8041]

Band name Sewing Machine.

[@TheThamesmen]

First Album:Stitched Up

[@michaelmayo9048]

Knacked in Australia means worn out from work or exercise

[@TheThamesmen]

The knack in British means you have the gift

[@michaelmayo9048]

@@TheThamesmen same in oz ...got the knack for it..Good at it.

[@tigerlily62]

This ended up being one of my Dad’s favourite songs…😁

[@lencooke944]

I really liked My Sharona when it came out, and I still think it is an awesome track. I have to give credit where credit is due. However, they fell off my radar as New Wave kicked in with full force. The Knack have fallen further off my radar after I understood what the title of their second album meant on relistening to it around 8 to 10 years ago. An album that was not as good as the first, but it became distasteful once I listened to it with the album title in mind. My score for the song and performance of My Sharona ... in the eights. After re-listening to album two, that would fall, on aggregate, to a three based on the title and the lyrics within the songs of their second album.

[@christhecurator]

I think you might have been misinformed Len. The title of their second album comes from the Howlin' Wolf song "Back Door Man" which is a reference to extra marital affairs. As for the songs on the album, yeah, I'm not defending those, but the title is from a great blues number!

[@lencooke944]

@@christhecurator Could be Chris, but there are differing interpretations of the genesis of the album title. Given that the title of the album is referencing Willie Dixon's/Howlin' Wolf's track 'Back Door Man'; which contains the lyrics: 'I'm a back door man. The men don't know, but the little girls understand.' Title aside, the lyrics in places throughout The Knack's album seem to reference the objectification and harm of women, particularly, younger women. This seems to be laid out in 'Baby Talks Dirty' off the album. I am definitely not an agent of Cancel Culture; and this is why I still like The Knack's first album; however, I am highly suspicious of the second album. I'm not saying your interpretation is wrong, in fact, it's perfectly valid. It's just that there are differing views. As an experiment, take a listen to Baby Talks Dirty (and Back Door Man as well) while replacing the reference point of someone sneaking around with married women, to someone sneaking around to younger girl's bedrooms, or objectifying younger high school girls. I am not saying that my interpretation is correct either. It's just that in many songs, the ambiguity leaves the interpretation open to the listener. As such, I am just offering a different view. Anyway, I'm sure we can agree that The Knack were a very tight band that deserved the commercial success that they achieved.

[@stevemurrell6167]

I remember when they released this track, they were seen as 'retro', deliberately emulating that Beatles/Kinks vibe and therefore, despite the global success of this great song, were treated as a fad band. They were never going to last.....and they didn't. They disbanded after three albums, three years after this song was released.

[@rickfairman5640]

the south rises

[@michaelmayo9048]

George are you from the hairy bikers the English tv show.. 🤣

[@TheThamesmen]

HA HA

[@flor9389]

The bonus should’ve been Frustrated. You’d have liked it much better. A window in time.

[@AussieTVMusic]

Hootie and the Blowfish.

[@TheThamesmen]

bad or good?

[@AussieTVMusic]

@@TheThamesmen Good music bad name

[@ronheaps6499]

More music trivia...the Knack and a NZ band Mother Goose were both in the running to be signed by the record company,the company decided to go with the Knack....the Knack became a one hit wonder.

[@billk9856]

After the money ran out did they live on Baked Beans?

[@ronheaps6499]

@@billk9856 they hated the bloody things.. 😂😂.. I saw their very first gig in our hometown of Dunedin..

[@troymk1]

My band name would be Red Flags 🚩

[@TheThamesmen]

Great name!!!!

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

Oh fiddle sticks. Benny Hill is on at 8. BBC loves to air these two blokes on my telly. Guess I'll take the lift down & ride the tube until Benny Hill's on. Who in the fizz is The Knack?? I used to have *My Sharon.* Don't tell Ozzy.

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

When this band released The Knack. I hated them. Capitol Records did a poor job promoting this band with The Beatles angle. Didn't care too much for the single version of *My Sharona.* But years later I heard the album version (with a longer guitar solo). Wow. Was a good song.

[@sean---the-other-one]

@@kevinthetruckdriver353 Yep. The extended solo is Fire.

[@TheThamesmen]

Absolute fire

[@uncleboo47]

@@sean---the-other-one - Actually Sean - I looped the extended solo (off the Reality Bites soundtrack actually) three times over - just leaving the outtro at the end of the third one - & copied that onto a cassette [ - TBH I don't care all that much for the rest of the track (LOL) - ]so that became my "My Sharona" for many years...

[@sean---the-other-one]

@@uncleboo47 That’d be an epic solo

[@michaelmayo9048]

I thought the knack were English..

[@michaelmayo9048]

Thamesmen ..how about doing mi sex ..l mean a reaction to the band (MI SEX..song..Blue day ) originally from New Zealand but moved to Australia. Good band we our band worked with them l spoke to the lead singer for half an hour l didn't know he was from New Zealand ...white NZ accent is the same as Australia just a few words pronounced differently.

[@TheThamesmen]

Collio Will look into it

[@northof4912]

Very Top Gear, BTW

[@TheThamesmen]

Thanks!

[@pmR32red]

👍

[@rickfairman5640]

Enjoy the music but for me the image presented just give the image of a cover band. Again they are good musicians but seem cot between eras.

[@TheThamesmen]

I agree

[@northof4912]

WTF! You’re both on the wrong side!

[@TheThamesmen]

Sorry!

[@northof4912]

@TheThamesmen Now you sound Canadian!

[@arthurrusson]

not a one hit wonder band

[@sean---the-other-one]

Correct. But My Sharona was such a monster song the rest of the tracks paled by comparison. They were always going to be judged as ‘not as good as My Sharona’.

[@anthonyhaylock6655]

My last band was called “ ONE FRET BACK “, I’m a drummer , 50 yrs experience , loving your videos btw

[@TheThamesmen]

Thank you

[@rainerzufall42]

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharona_Alperin

[@flor9389]

The bonus should’ve been Frustrated. You’d have liked it much better. A window in time.