My Sharona
| "My Sharona" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Let Me Out" |
"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboard's Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold (one million units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Inspiration and legacy
Lead singer/guitarist Doug Fieger was 25 when he met Sharona Alperin, who was 17 at the time[1]. She inspired a two-month-long run of songwriting, as well as becoming Fieger's girlfriend for the next four years. "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." Whenever Fieger thought about Alperin, he would think of Berton Averre's guitar riff. The two worked out the structure and melody from there.
Sharona herself appears on the picture sleeve for the single, and became a major booster of the band bringing many girls to their early shows.[2] Sharona Alperin is now a real estate agent in Los Angeles, California.[3] The easily recognizable riff of "My Sharona" was written by the band's guitarist, Berton Averre, long before he ever joined The Knack.
The song's bright, driving bassline, played mainly in G octaves, appears in the playlist of many aspiring bass players, often cited as a superb technical example of its genre.
In 1994, "My Sharona" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart (peaking at #91) when it was released as a single from the Reality Bites soundtrack album.
The original song gained some attention in 2005 when it appeared on the playlist of U.S. President George W. Bush's iPod.[4]
The song was ranked at #75 on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs in 2008.[5]
A cover version song is also featured as downloadable content the music video game series Rock Band. The original version of the song, along with its music video, is feature on Lips: Party Classics on Xbox 360.
Chart performance
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles | 1 |
| Australian Kent Music Report | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
Parodies, samples and covers
With both the notoriety gained from being an international hit, and its distinctive rock guitar riff, "My Sharona" has been the subject of numerous parodies, tributes, and sampling, including:
Parodies
- The song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "My Bologna". It was the song that kickstarted his career in song parody. [6] The Knack approved of the parody and even had Yankovic inked to a one-off deal with their label, Capitol Records. A re-recorded version appeared on his debut album "Weird Al" Yankovic.
- The Chicago radio personality Steve Dahl parodied the song as "Ayatollah" (following the Iranian Revolution of 1979).
- In their sarcastic, anticapitalist song "Pull My Strings", The Dead Kennedys parodied "My Sharona" as "My Payola".
- The song was spoofed in a Taco Bell commercial as "My Chalupa".
- The song was heard in a Toyota commercial as "My Toyota."
- Two versions of "Nine Coronas" was parodied by John Cougar Mammoser.
- A parody titled "Babylona" was performed by the Christian parody band ApologetiX on their Keep the Change album.
- Parodied as "My Mohegan" in a Mohegan Sun commercial.
- Parodied as "Comme des Conards" ("Like Jerks") for the French movie Les 11 Commandements directed by the French comedian Michaël Youn.
- Parodied by Cheech Marin as "My Scrotum" in the Cheech & Chong's Next Movie.
- Parodied by Spoof-Man as "My Toyoda (The Recall Song)"
Audio samples
- Run DMC used an unauthorized audio sample from the song in their 1986 hit "It's Tricky". In 2006, Berton Averre and Doug Fieger filed suit against Apple, Run DMC and others for electronically redistributing the work. The case was settled in 2009. [7]
- Rogue Traders used re-recorded elements of the signature riff in their 2006 hit "Watching You".
- Madonna mixes instrumental elements of the song on her Sticky & Sweet Tour with her own song "Dress You Up".
Cover versions
- The Chipmunks – Chipmunk Punk (1980)
- Alan Tam - My Sharona (In Chinese: 愛到你發狂) (Cantonese edition) (1980)
- Destruction – Cracked Brain (1990)
- Sabrina – Sabrina (1987)
- Veruca Salt – B-side to "Victrola" (1995)
- Eldritch - Reverse (2001)
- Cactus Jack – DisCover (2002)
- Polysics – For Young Electric Pop (2002)
- Los Prisioneros – Los Prisioneros En Las Raras Tocatas Nuevas De La Rock & Pop (2003)
- David Hallyday – Satellite (2004)
- Pink Cream 69 – Thunderdome (2004)
- The Number Twelve Looks Like You – An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time (2005)
- Towa Tei featuring Tycoon Tosh & Buffalo Daughter – Flash (2005)
- Krusty – Hello Krusty (2005)
- The Hormonauts – Hormonized (2006)
- Pearl Jam – Arena di Verona (2006)
- Yo La Tengo - Yo La Tengo Is Murdering The Classics (2006)
- Leningrad Cowboys - Zombies Paradise (2006)
- HammerFall – No Sacrifice, No Victory (2009)
- The Urge – Live at Mingara (2009)
References
- ^ Lieby, Richard "'My Sharona,' Revealing a Knack for Current Affiars?" The Washington Post April 17, 2005: D3
- ^ Liner notes, 2002 "Get the Knack" digitally remastered re-issue.
- ^ Alejandro Lazo, "M-m-m-my career in real estate: Sharona Alperin, who at 17 was the real-life inspiration for the 1979 Knack megahit, now sells high-end homes to celebrities.", Los Angeles Times, February 18, 2010.
- ^ Wilkinson, Peter (2005-04-13). "Bush bares soul with 'iPod One'". CNN. Archived from the original on 2008-12-21. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ^ My Sharona Songfacts
- ^ 'My Sharona' Creators Sue Yahoo, Apple, Amazon and Run DMC for Copyright Infringement, October 04, 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-15.