My Sharona by The Knack

Album: Get The Knack (1979)

Charted: 6 1

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One of the Sharonas born soon after this song came out is Sharona Eliassaf, an accomplished painter whose work has been displayed around the world. The painting here is called "Stars to dust, dust to stars," oil and spray on canvas, 2016. She was kind enough to tell us what it's like being a Sharona.

"I was born in Israel in 1980, a few months after the song "My Sharona" came out. Sharona is a Hebrew traditional-biblical and poetic name that in the time I was born was pretty popular in Israel. It means "plain landform," and is the name of an area a few miles north of Tel Aviv. My mother called me Sharona because of a children's story from her childhood which she liked about a young girl, Sharona who picked oranges in that part of the country. A few months after I was born we immigrated to New York and that is where I lived most of my life.

I never really appreciated my name as a child because it wasn't a common American name and I felt like an outsider. Even though many people mentioned that it was special, for years I called myself Sharon until my college professor said to me, "Sharona, don't call yourself Sharon. I know a few Sharons but I know only one Sharona," and then he reminded me of the song and how amazing it is.

When I listen to the song "My Sharona" I always feel happy and excited that my name has the coolest song with the coolest rhythm and beat. After reading about the song and why the Knack chose the name Sharona I learned that the song was written by Doug Fieger, the Knack's singer, about Sharona, who was his Israeli girlfriend at the time who lived in the States. I realize that we have a lot in common, Sharona and I.

I must say, it makes me feel good being a Sharona especially after I listen to this wonderful epic song because sometimes I feel like it's written about me and I appreciate a very good song."

See more of Sharona Eliassaf's work at sharona-eliassaf.com.

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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