Posted on 08/26/2025 2:49:40 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The million-selling ‘My Sharona’ became America’s biggest-selling song of 1979, and one of the catchiest rock numbers in memory.
In the closing months of the 1970s, Capitol Records had its fastest-selling debut release in the US since The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” It was a million-seller that went on to be America’s biggest-selling song of 1979, and one of the catchiest rock numbers in memory. On August 25, The Knack went to No.1 in the US with “My Sharona.”
Written by the Los Angeles group’s lead guitarist Berton Averre and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Doug Fieger, the track also benefited from the expert production of Mike Chapman. The Australian’s “Chinnichap” writing and production partnership with Brit Nicky Chinn had been immensely successful throughout the 1970s for such artists as the Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Smokie, Mud, and Racey.
Newly solo, Chapman was red hot as the producer who helped transform Blondie into a multi-platinum sensation with 1978’s Plastic Letters album. Late that year, with labels and producers all vying for an association with The Knack and Capitol winning the bidding war, Chapman entered the fray and let his track record do most of the talking.
An album in 11 days
Chapman read in the L.A. Times about the producers that the band were most keen to work with. He wasn’t on the list, but he won them over and adopted a back-to-basics approach for their debut album Get The Knack, reportedly recorded in 11 days on a miserly budget of $18,000. It was in direct contrast to the months and even years that other big groups of the day were taking to be creative, from Fleetwood Mac to Pink Floyd, and the power-pop immediacy of the sound was an instant success.
“My Sharona” was the obvious lead single from the album, and was based on a real person. “Berton had this lick for a long time and we never worked on it,” Fieger later told Goldmine magazine. “I had met this girl Sharona and fell very deeply in love with her. She was inspirational and moved me on a very basic level. I was just trying to put my feelings about her into the beat that Berton had come up with.”
“At least three times a day someone sings or laughs at my name,” Sharona Alperin told the Mirror. “Sometimes I make table bookings under a different name to avoid the jokes. They usually say ‘Are you really her? The Sharona? I can’t believe it’s really you.’”
Conquering charts worldwide
The urgent staccato of the production and guitar-bass combination was the perfect reflection of a song that oozed sexual tension, and audiences lapped it up. “My Sharona” entered the Hot 100 in June, went gold in 13 days, platinum in less than a month and went on to sell four million, conquering charts worldwide. It took over from Chic’s “Good Times” atop the Hot 100 and helped the album sell five million copies in the US alone.
Listen to the 70s playlist, featuring scores of landmark hits from a starry decade.
To this day, Sharona remains extremely fond of the memories. Her Twitter account summary used to announce proudly: “One of Los Angeles’ premiere real estate professionals, wife, mother, and The Knack wrote a song about me.” She now describes herself as “Your L.A. realtor,” but her website still nods to her past, with its title mysharona.com.
In another interview with the New York Post in 2021, Alperin reflected: “I guess I didn’t look at myself as a celebrity, but people were very excited when they met me. And I remember going on tour, and seeing sometimes people dress up. And I’d say, ‘What are you dressed up as?’ And they would say, ‘Sharonas.’”
Half the time when I hear a song’s intro music, I think of the Weird Al lyrics. Bette Davis Eyes - nope, Lou Ferrigno thighs it is.
On my ninth birthday, my mom took me to the store and let me choose an album. I picked “Get The Knack”.
The album included a song called “She’s So Selfish”. which was rather “adult” for a nine year old. It’s a good thing that my mother never paid attention to the music I listened to, lol. The song slaps, though.
The Knack-She’s So Selfish
https://youtu.be/OBkmtz1tz0I?si=iBjGGPLlD94MBhxP
I forgot about that! You’re right! And so were they.
I always like it when someone does a ‘Songs About Girls’ thread. :)
I didn't know Wall Street guys like Hüsker Dü.
I was 29 then I’d guess
Just pregnant soon to be wife was 24 I think from Rio
We had my 17 year old little bro from Murfreesboro with us
Show was for him but I knew them and loved Jesus Mary chain who no showed
Yep Wall Street guys 20s letting the hair down I guess
I was friendly with the three Jewish boys who owned the China Club so I went there a lot
My world partner from Mississippi I grew up with did a nationwide rally with them
He was Brad Pitt pretty so women flocked to him
He scored a lot of celebrity girls there
Surf club prep girls were more my taste but being his wingman had advantages and a southern accent helps there big time both sexes
We always lied and said Dallas since we knew it well and I had lived there as a lad
Saw great impromptu music at China club
Bowie and Depeche Mode doing Route 66
My buddy said Cher had BO
she was all over him one nite loll
She had Matt Dillon in tow who was pretty friendly honestly
Anyhow
40 years ago lol
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