My Sharona by The Knack

Album: Get The Knack (1979)

Charted: 6 1

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The Knack lead singer Doug Fieger wrote the lyrics to this song, which is about a girl he fancied. Doug was in a long-term relationship when he walked into the clothing store where a high school student named Sharona Alperin (who had a boyfriend), was working. The age difference (he was about eight years older) and relationship status didn't deter Fieger, who was immediately lovestruck. With his girlfriend looking on, he invited Sharona to a show. Not long after, he broke up with the girlfriend and professed his love for Sharona, creating a weird dynamic where he would come on to her even though she had a boyfriend who often attended Knack concerts with her. It got pretty heavy when Fieger started writing songs about her - they weren't together when he composed "My Sharona."

About a year after they first met, Sharona gave in and they started dating. She joined the band on tour and watched as the song Fieger wrote about her elevated them to stardom. The couple were together for about four years (and engaged at one point) before the rock and roll lifestyle and Fieger's alcoholism became too much for Sharona, and they called it off. In the aftermath, Sharona answered questions about the breakup by saying that she needed to become her own Sharona, not someone else's.

After a cooling off period, Alperin and Fieger became friends. Alperin was with Fieger the last week of his life; he died of cancer on February 14, 2010.
In the US, this was the best-selling single of 1979.
Sharona Alperin became a high-end real estate agent in California, specializing in celebrity clientele. After the passing of Fieger, Alperin wrote on her website: "From the time Doug and I first met, both of our lives changed forever. It’s very rare for two people to have such an impact on each other. The bond we shared is something that I will treasure as long as I live, he will always have a special place in my heart."
Doug Fieger wrote this song with Knack guitarist Berton Averre, who co-wrote many songs for the band with Fieger.
That's Sharona Alperin on the cover of the single holding the Get The Knack album. She posed for the art even though she and Doug Fieger weren't yet dating.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Doug Fieger said: "I was 25 when I wrote the song. But the song was written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy. It's just an honest song about a 14-year-old boy."
The Chicago DJ Steve Dahl (of disco demolition fame) did a parody of this during the Iran hostage crisis, changing Sharona to "Ayatollah." The single was a hit in Chicago, and The Knack sang it with Dahl at the International Amphitheaterin 1980. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Scott - chicago, IL
This song returned to the UK singles chart in 2009, peaking at #59 thanks to its use in a TV advert for Oatibix.
This wasn't the only song on the album that was about Sharona and Fieger's feelings for her. The songs "That's What the Little Girls Do" and "(She's So) Selfish" were also inspired by her.
Sharona is a Hebrew name, which is how Sharona Alperin ended up with it - her parents sent her to Hebrew school. It's also the name of a small area in Israel.

In America, it's very uncommon; in the years leading up to the song only about 10 Sharonas were born each year. In 1980 though, about 70 American Sharonas entered the world, a spike attributed to this song.
The album version runs 4:52, but the single version was edited down to 3:58. The victim of this cut was Knack guitarist Berton Averre, whose much-admired solo was chopped.
Doug Fieger of The Knack was the younger brother of famed attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who defended Dr. Jack Kervorkian.
Weird Al Yankovic did a parody of this called "My Bologna." It was the song that kickstarted his career in song parody, and his first single.

Al (before he was "weird") recorded a few song parodies as a high school student, including a takeoff on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" called "You Don't Take Your Showers." He sent some to the popular syndicated radio host Dr. Demento, who wrote back, informing Al that he had potential.

This potential was realized when Yankovic was a 19-year-old student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was studying architecture. He was a DJ on the school radio station, where "My Sharona" was the most-requested song. Many of Al's parodies had to do with food, so he wrote one called "My Bologna" and recorded it in the bathroom across the hall from the station. He sent it to Dr. Demento, who played it on his show to wide acclaim, making #1 on his "Funny Five" countdown for two weeks.

When The Knack played a show at the college, Al went backstage and introduced himself as the man behind "My Bologna." As Al tells it, Doug Fieger said he loved the song and introduced him to the vice president of The Knack's label, Capitol Records, who was standing nearby. The Capitol exec signed Al to a deal to release the single, which they did, but with minimal effort: instead of re-recording the song they just issued Al's bathroom version (in mono) and gave it little promotion. That was the end of Al's association with Capitol, but he had success on other labels with "I Love Rocky Road" and "Ricky," and hit paydirt with his Michael Jackson parody, "Eat It."

"My Bologna" wasn't the only parody of this Knack song. Others include "Ayatollah" by the radio personality Steve Dahl, and "Babylona" by the parody band ApologetiX.
Quentin Tarantino wanted to use this in Pulp Fiction during the scene where Bruce Willis and Ving Rhames are being set upon by Zed and his brother (and the chained submissive). Fieger ended up nixing the request and the song appeared in the 1994 movie Reality Bites instead. Stacey Sher, a producer who was working on both films, recalled why Fieger chose the gas-station singalong over the basement dungeon with The Gimp. "He loved the notion of this sweet moment commemorating the person that he always loved very much," she said. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Chris - Saint Louis, MO
The song was produced by Mike Chapman and recorded at MCA Whitney Recording Studios in Glendale, California. Chapman, who had produced Blondie and Suzi Quatro, says he told the band it would be a #1 hit the first time they played it for him.
Run-D.M.C. used the guitar riff for their 1986 song "It's Tricky." The Rogue Traders UK #33 hit "Watching You" in 2006 was based around this song's melody.
The song saw notable sales and streaming gains in March 2020 amid growing global concern over the coronavirus outbreak. The reason? Simply that "Sharona" rhymes with "Corona."

On March 3, Weird Al Yankovic made it clear he had no plans for a parody, tweeting, "Yeah, no, sorry. Not gonna do 'My Corona.'"
In the 1990 Full House episode "One Last Kiss," Jesse (John Stamos) performs this at his high school reunion.

Comments: 50

David Wall from Toronto, Ontario CanadaThe Canadian Comedy Duo, McLean and McLean also had a highly politically incorrect parody of my Sharona.
"OH my little pretty one, my pretty one,
When you gonna nibble on my scor-o-tum"
Dave from UsThis was used in the trailer for the 2000 Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle.
Ekristheh from HalathNirvana's brief, raunchy cover of this, recorded in 1994, has circulated online for many years.
Birdman_euston from London, UkHigh point: the guitar solo. Low point: the guitar solo - the high note is flat! Very irritating… To whomever has the master recording: please, please ensure that all future reissues are engineered with the high note *in tune*.
Steve from OttawaA fantastic driving bass line with a great voice mouthing lascivious, star-struck love lyrics to a young love. Along with this is one of the best, most underrated guitar solos of the 1970s. The long version of this song should be amongst the top ten or twenty rock songs ever recorded.
Dave from Wheaton, IlTheir 3rd top 40 hit was, 'Baby talks dirty', which peaked at #38 in Billboard.
Phillybob from Albrightsville, PaDoug Fieger was also in the little known band "The Sunset Bombers"
Anne from Sanilac County, MiThis song gets a lot of airplay on Michigan classic rock radio due to Doug having been raised here.
Steve from Wakefield, United KingdomWhen Michael Jackson wrote 'Beat It' he did it with 'My Sharona' in mind.
Dane from Lima,ohio, FlA cool song,but I only like the long version.Too much of the music was cut out in the single(45) version.These guys were huge,but fizzled out really fast.
Janice from Latonia, Kyi always did like this song it is to catchy i am sadned to hear of doug's death he will be missed and this song will always rock you can't help but sing along to it
Wayne from Crockett, TxDoug Fieger lost his battle with cancer. RIP Doug.
Lisa K West from Sarasota, FlI do not know whether he wrote the song, sang it ,but what I do know is was in the band and his first name is burton. l
Reed from New Ulm, MnGeez...i wonder whatever happened to these guys.
Wilma from Perth, AustraliaIn Australia way back a long haired fellow sang this song and I have been trying to find out his name for ages he sang it on a programme on Saturday mornings. Ive asked my kids but they can only come up with The Knack can you help ?
Eric from Bend, OrI heard Weird Al first recorded his parody (My Bologna) in one of the bathrooms of his university using an accordion as the only instrument. I've heard that version, but I think Weird Al must have re-recorded the song later using more instruments, because I used to have Weird Al's "Food Album" with My Bologna on it, and I remember it sounded more like the Knack version.
Zoe from Brisbane, AustraliaJosie, I came to this site clarify that exact "double meaning". I was trying to tell my Scottish boyfriend and now he just thinks I am perverted. thanks to those who added on...
Robyn from Deerfield, IlYou are BOTH right. Sharona played a RE agent in the movie, and she is a RE agent to the stars in CA. She works for Sootherby's (sp?) and she is most definitely the bravest, most amazing person I've ever met. Yes, she was underage (17) when the song was made, but her parents gave their consent for her to date him. I will always remember Sharona and her incredible husband with love and compassion.
Mark from Grafton, United StatesThe Knack is a VERY underrated band. All their CD's deserve a listen, and they still rock in concert after all these years.
Musicmama from New York, NyThis song is worthwhile for the parodies it spawned, especially Weird Al's "My Bologna."
Laura from Houston, TxI actually met her and took pics when my brother recognized her at a concert. She was sitting in my friend's seat- we had front row tix- but her ticket was for front row BALCONY, so we asked her to move.
Lucifer from Washington, DcRead up on what happened with the Knack's reunion tour in the 1990's. Cut short after only a couple of shows with people throwing garbage at the band with some minor injuries sustained. Nuke the Knack.
Kent from Toronto, CanadaThis hit #1 in Canada in 1979 and stayed on top for three weeks (replaced by The Cars' "Let's Go"); The Knack quickly scored another #1 hit here in the same year: "Good Girls Don't", which also held the pole position for three weeks.
Kent from Toronto, CanadaThis is one of a number of stuttering hits, along with David Bowie's "Changes", Elton John's "Bennie And The Jets", Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" (actually written as a throwaway for Randy Bachman's stuttering brother) and Guns N' Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle".
Sum Sum from New Delhiit hits the brains out man! love it. very different foot tapping rock number.
Brandon from Peoria, IlTo Josie from Austrailia: Yes i have heard that he is refering to his dong as Sharona "running down the length of my thigh." According to a short-lived show on VH1 called "True Spin" this accusation is not true, the show did however say that the song is about an underage groupie named Sharona (whether this groupie grew up and became a famous real-estate agent is anyones guess). Underage is the key as he says in the song "such a dirty mind I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind."
Bob from Rio Vista, CaThis song was also made into a parody on amishdonkey.com known as "Nine Coronas"
Rob from Vancouver, CanadaCovered by Veruka Salt...they slow it right down. Its also sung by cheech in one of the cheech & chong movies. He hums da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da myyy scrotuuummmm.
Stig from Southern Alberta, CanadaThe Knack were really destroyed by the success of this song. In the summer of 1979, in the middle of a sea of disco, this song really stood out. Unfortunately, many of the punks and rock bands that had been struggling resented the Knack for it. There were complaints about the album artwork resembling "Meet the Beatles," and even "Nuke the Knack" t-shirts. Their third album "Round Trip" was really quite good.
Dennis from Anchorage, AkThe Knack was actually not a one-hit wonder. They were a two-hit wonder. Their first album also contained the song "Good Girls Don't (But I Do) which was even naughtier than My Sharona. Their second album tanked after the single "Baby Talks Dirty" flopped; it sounded too much like a watered-down My Sharona.
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaMarina from Seattle, that is so funny! Kristy, the album is "The Food Album." I own it and I love both version. The accordion solo makes me smile. I did not know Jet was around then.
J-raff from Boston, MaThe guitar solo in this song is incredible... it's a shame they usually cut it out for the radio.
Paisano from Atlanta, GaThe Knack appeared in the new TV series called "Hot me baby one more time" and actually had the best live performance but lost out to Vanilla Ice because of the young audience. The Knack also performed a cover version of the Jet's "Are you gonna be my girl" which was even better than the original!!! The show was ill conceived because they had artists from different decades competing against one another which wasn't fair to the older artists. For example, The Knack's peak was from 1979 to early 80s while Vanilla Ice was big in the 90s. The other unfair element to this show was the fact that Ice did not perform his original song "ice ice baby" but instead did a modern hardcore version of it, thus making it new song that the audience liked. In short, the artists from the 80s should have competed against each other, the same for the 70s and the 90s...etc. etc.
Still, the Knack rocked!!!
Rick from San Juan, United StatesThe single "My Sharona" was released on Capitol 60's style swirl label, in retrospect of The Beatles' 1964 "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hype.
Cecilia from Philly, Paanother cover of this was done by a band called the number twelve looks like you. great version for hardcore fans. absolutely love it.
Cecilia from Philly, Paanother cover of this was done by the number twelve looks like you. great version for hardcore fans. absolutely love it.
Maya from San Francisco-ish, CaThis song is -still- a hit. I heard it played twice in twenty minutes at the roller rink. And no, I don't think it was a cover version.

It's pretty catchy, not a bad song at all.
Scott from Chicago, Ilhow sad that this song has one of the greatest
guitar riffs for a number one song, which was
almost completely cut out for the hit version..
I frankly didn't even know that great guitar
middle riff exieted till i heard the album long version many years later..ammost as sad as exorcising the entire mid song organ riff in
the top 40 light my fire version(doors)....takes the song out of context as that mid fill builds
up to a climax very similarly in both songs
Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScSongs pretty cool. Bass line rocks!
Henry from Winnipeg, CanadaCheck out the Flash animated spoof, "My Menorah" at American Comedy Network: http://www.americancomedynetwork.com/FLASH/my_menorah.htm
Kristy from Saco, MeAlso, Wierd Al did not do Nine Coronas, John Mammoser did in 1999. It is on his first album, "John Mammoser's First Comedy CD"
Kristy from Saco, MeWierd Al did spoof this with "My Bologna". It is on his food CD along with Spam (REM"s Stand), Eat it, Lasagna (Labamba) and so on.
Marina from Seattle, WaPresident Bush has this song on his iPod.
Nick from Arlington Heights, Il90s rock band Veruca Salt covered this song and their version rules..very sexy with two women singing it..
Josie from Sunshine Coast, AustraliaI had heard from 'down under' that the lead singer was referring to his..um...er..how shall I say this except bluntly...male genitailia (penis), as Sharona....I always thought it was his girlfriend, but the goss Down Under sways towards this line of thinking...anyone else heard of this ludacrist rumour?
Sam from Sydney, Australiai know weird al did a version called 'nine coronas', but im not sure about my bologna
Jonathan from Natchitoches, LaAppeared in Season 2 Episode 3 of Cold Case on CBS. The name of the episode is "Daniela."
Keith from Slc, UtOne of "Wierd" Al Yancovic's earliest efforts was "My Bologna," spoofing this song.
Gavin from Hampden, MaMany people thought that this song was about a car, being as the shroana was once a very popular car.
Robin from Salisbury, MdSharona played a real estate agent (!) in the movie "Anywhere But Here"

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