In the late 1970s, the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart was the domain of Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, and Chic. Then The Knack's "My Sharona" came along and became the top song of 1979. It conquered disco and rescued rock 'n' roll. Doug Fieger, the man who co-wrote and sang "My Sharona," died earlier this week. Read my piece @ the American Spectator on the rise, fall, and curious contemporary relevance of The Knack's "My Sharona."

One of my earliest memories was seeing Airplane! in a movie theater with my folks. When the plane hits the radio tower of the Chicago station "where disco lives forever", the house just came down. I think that was at the height of the disco sucks movement, but I remember thinking at the age of about 6 or 7 that Disco must really be a horrible thing for everyone to be so happy about its demise.

Disco was fading already when "My Sharona" came out. That songs huge chart run may have helped speed the demise of the disco movement a bit but Van Halen's rise to dominance as well as The New Wave of British Heavy Metal served a much greater role in burying Disco than "My Sharona" ever did. I think using the radio charts as a sole indicator of the public's musical tastes is both short-sighted and misleading because it leaves out a significant portion of the population that, due to its emphasis on trends and overall stupidity, doesn't listen to the radio much but still are consumers of recorded music. Today that niche is serviced in large by the independent labels (god bless 'em) and small divisions of the big labels. I agree that “My Sharona” was huge then and still relelevent today but to say that one song killed disco and saved rock and roll is over reaching because rock and rock never went away, it simply went underground (especially heavy rock) and came back stronger than it ever was.

Allow me to sum up, if I may (ahem): Rock 'n Roll, will never die.

Yea, i dont think my Sharona did anything to bring down disco. but it is a good song. i always liked the knack and i think the solo in my sharona is one of the best ever. and by the way, the drummer died yr. or two ago. weird.

Amen, homer!

You're right tagm, that is a good solo. The band was allowed to stretch their legs a little on that song, strange for the singles market than and now.

omg, in this year died too many nice and talented people..it's such a pity or that.

I love rock'n'roll.

But, disco didn't suck either.

I agree. As a rock and roll afficianado, I too like a lot of disco. Plus, there was always more chick action going on at disco than ever happened at a R+R show.

*As a rock and roll afficianado, I too like a lot of disco. Plus, there was always more chick action going on at disco than ever happened at a R+R show.*

...and that's the point of it all, isn't it? Boys meeting girls, girls meeting boys (boys even, meeting boys, girls meeting girls...)

The song is godawful. I am not sure I have ever heard it before.