(She's So) Selfish

July 2020 (She's So) Selfish The Knack Get the Knack June 11, 1979 April 1979 New wave, hard rock, power pop 4:30 Capitol Doug Fieger, Berton Averre Mike Chapman "(She's So) Selfish" is a song by American power pop band The Knack, from their debut studio album, Get the Knack, released on the 11th of June, 1979. The song was written by Doug Fieger and Berton Averre, and was inspired by the same woman who inspired the band's #1 single "My Sharona. It was intended for release as a single, but the singles release was prevented by its "scatological" lyrics. It was praised by critics for its hooks and style, but criticized for its nastiness and sexism. The song has also appeared on a number of live and compilation albums, including 1980's The Knack Live at Carnegie Hall, 1992's Retrospective – The Best of the Knack and My Sharona, 2002's Live from the Rock n Roll Funhouse, 2007's On Stage at World Cafe Live, and 2012's Havin' a Rave-Up! Live in Los Angeles, 1978. Lyrics and music The music of "(She's So) Selfish" is based on a Bo Diddley-like riff.High Fidelity Be Hip, Get the Knack Cioe, C. https://books.google.com/books?id=qow9AQAAIAAJ&q=%22she's+so+selfish%22+knack 29 2 1979 According to Averre, Fieger wrote most of "(She's So) Selfish" and Averre wrote the "release" section with its "dirty words": Getting the Knack M. McLaughlin, K. Sharp Passport Productions 2004 When she takes you by the short hairs It's the only thing she'll leave you down there No fuck-a me fuck-a me today No fuck-a me fuck-a me today The song was inspired by Fieger's as-yet-unrequited passion for Sharona Alperin, girlfriend of Doug Fieger, who also inspired other Knack songs such as "My Sharona," and Averre has called it a "teasing, playful look" at her. Alperin concurs that she was the inspiration.The Original "My Sharona" Remembers Doug Fieger Us Weekly http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/the-original-my-sharona-remembers-doug-fieger-2010182 February 18, 2010 November 2, 2013Rock Muse Wakim, M. http://www.lamag.com/citythink/laarchetype/2013/01/08/rock-muse January 8, 2013 November 2, 2013 Los Angeles According to Ed Stephens, Jr. of Saipan Tribune, the song is about a "manipulative tease."Good Girls Don't Stephens, E. http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=97346&cat=3 November 2, 2013 February 19, 2010 Saipan Tribune https://web.archive.org/web/20131104162840/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=97346&cat=3 November 4, 2013 dead Taking a line from the song, Ira Robbins and Michael Sandlin of Trouser Press describe the girl in the song as "rich bitch."The Knack http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=knack Trouser Press Robbins, I. Sandlin, M. amp November 2, 2013 Ultimate Classic Rock writer Dave Swanson included it as one of the Knack's "top shelf, hook-laden rockers" but acknowledged that it is "full of words that wouldn't fly past radio censors."The History of "My Sharona": How One Song Doomed the Knack Swanson, Dave http://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-knack-get-the-knack/ November 4, 2017 June 11, 2015 Ultimate Classic Rock Critic Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times describes that the Knack uses crude, locker room language to portray a teenager's view of frustration.The Knack Brings Back Teenage Rock Hilburn, R. Robert Hilburn The Spokesman-Review August 3, 1979 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7fdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vu4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4827,1501198&dq=shes+so+selfish+knack&hl=en November 2, 2013 Robert Wilonsky of the Dallas Observer described it as a "teen-beat [anthem] about doin' it to your girlfriend while Mom and Dad were out of the house"Frustrated Dallas Observer Wilonsky, R. http://www.dallasobserver.com/1998-09-10/music/frustrated/ September 10, 1998 November 2, 2013 Reception The Associated Press, TV Guide and others identified "(She's So) Selfish" as one of the Knack's radio hits.Doug Feiger, leader of the Knack, dies in Woodland Hills Associated Press Los Angeles Daily News http://www.dailynews.com/20100214/doug-feiger-leader-of-the-knack-dies-in-woodland-hills February 13, 2010 November 2, 2013Doug Fieger, Lead Singer of The Knack, Dies at 57 February 15, 2010 November 2, 2013 TV Guide https://www.tvguide.com/news/doug-fieger-dies-1015023/ Eng, J.The Real 'Sharona' Issues Statement on the Death of The Knack's Doug Fieger Barnes, E. http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/News/en-us/the-knack-0218.aspx Gibson February 18, 2010 November 2, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20130131192617/http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/News/en-us/the-knack-0218.aspx January 31, 2013 deadA Knack for Survival: Everything Old is New Again for Veteran New-Wave Act The Morning Call Moser, J.J. June 11, 2005 D5 https://www.mcall.com/2005/06/11/a-knack-for-survival-everything-old-is-new-again-for-veteran-new-wave-act/ November 4, 2013 November 5, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131105132144/http://articles.mcall.com/2005-06-11/features/3601632_1_sharona-knack-rock-n-roll live Classic Rock History critic Skip Anderson rated it as the Knack's 7th best song and noted the "Bo Diddley hambone style beat."Top 10 songs from the Knack Classic Rock History Anderson, Skip 2023-01-24 https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-songs-from-the-knack/ Terry Atkinson of the Los Angeles Times calls it "one of the Knack's better songs."Taking Chances Doesn't... Atkinson, T. G3 Los Angeles Times November 22, 1982 https://www.proquest.com/docview/153302806 November 2, 2013 March 5, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011638/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/153302806.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE%3AAI&type=historic&date=Nov%2022%2C%201982&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=TAKING%20CHANCES%20DOESN%27T live Mike Daily of The Age claims that it deserves equal credit with "My Sharona" for the success of Get the Knack.More Laid-back Than Ever, It's J. J. Cale at His Best Daly, M. The Age 36 August 23, 1979 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aftUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1JIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4655,3564312&dq=shes+so+selfish+knack&hl=en November 2, 2013 Audio magazine called it a "basher" with "plenty of style".Get the Knack: The Knack Audio 104 1979 Tina Maples of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel praised its "hooky effervescence".Resurrected by Film, the Knack Can't Move beyond 'My Sharona' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Maples, T. June 2, 1994 http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MWSB&p_theme=mwsb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB8286236654796&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM November 2, 2013 Charla Wasel of The Evening Independent described it as a song "with which we can all relate."Concert Connection The Evening Independent Wasel, C. 10–D September 29, 1979 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DGJQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7VgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4677,3861182&dq=shes+so+selfish+knack&hl=en November 2, 2013 Billboard says that it is "delivered in a smart, sophisticated post-punk style that oozes Southern Californian snootiness."Closeup: Get The Knack Nusser, D. Billboard July 28, 1979 52, 66 https://books.google.com/books?id=nCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT107 July 14, 2011 It also uses the song as an example of the Knack being "mad about the way things are" with lyrics that "are as innocent as the chief of police in a Latin American dictatorship," citing such lines as "she got a smile in her ass" and "she says she'll make your motor run but she won't give you none" as setting the tone. Author John Borack described "(She's So) Selfish" as a "mean pop tune" in which Fieger comes off "like a leering, sexist twit with hormones a-raging."Shake some action: the ultimate power pop guide Borack, J. 60 2007 Not Lame Recordings 978-0-9797714-0-8 J. J. Syrja of The Seguin Gazette said that with this song the Knack "[struck] pure teenage delirium."Plenty of Power Sometimes... Syrja, J.J. The Seguin Gazette April 3, 2017 August 23, 1979 43 https://www.newspapers.com/image/9590748/?terms=%22she%27s%2Bso%2Bselfish%22%2Bknack Newspapers.com Paul Wagner of Santa Cruz Sentinel claimed that "it had the same sparkle" as "My Sharona."The State of the Knack Wagner, Paul 58 Santa Cruz Sentinel February 22, 1987 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10029062/santa_cruz_sentinel/ Newspapers.com April 3, 2017 Cue New York criticized the "sexist get-a-girl lyrics."Cue New York 48 19–24 1979 https://books.google.com/books?id=P0kQAQAAMAAJ&q=%22she's+so+selfish%22+knack Cue New York November 2, 2013 Jim Sullivan of The Boston Globe calls it "a tiresome, sexist rant."A Band That Never Had the Knack Sullivan, J. The Boston Globe 70 May 25, 1994 https://www.proquest.com/docview/294851786 November 2, 2013 November 4, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131104084727/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/doc/294851786.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May%2025,%201994&author=Jim%20Sullivan,%20Globe%20Staff&pub=Boston%20Globe%20(pre-1997%20Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=&desc=A%20band%20that%20never%20had%20the%20Knack live The 3rd edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide, music critic Robert Christgau and other critics commented on the song's nastiness, with authors Michael Uslan and Bruce Solomon calling it "by far the nastiest and most up-front cut on the album."The Rolling Stone Album Guide 405 DeCurtis, A. Henke, J. George-Warren, H. 1992 Random House 3rd 9780679737292The Knack http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=knack Robert Christgau Robert Christgau robertchristgau.com November 2, 2013 Eric Siegel of The Sun claims that lines such as "It's just me me me me/She's so (dramatic pause) selfish" make apparent the group's "lack of lyrical ability," comparing the lyrics unfavorably to Carly Simon's similarly themed "You're So Vain."Pop Beat The Sun Siegel, E. D8 September 16, 1979 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23568650/baltimore_sun_16_sep_79_p51/ September 8, 2018 newspapers.com Producer Mike Chapman considers "(She's So) Selfish" his favorite song from Get the Knack besides "My Sharona". Actor/musician Robbie Rist considers it part of the "lethal opening salvo" that opens Get the Knack, which Rist feels few if any albums can match. Censored version Capitol Records wanted to release "(She's So) Selfish" as a follow-up single from Get the Knack to "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't" in time for Christmas 1979.Dick Clark's The First 25 Years of Rock & Roll Uslan, M. Solomon, B. amp 444–445 1983 Greenwich House 0517415976 https://archive.org/details/dickclarksfirst20000usla/page/444 However, they could not do so unless some of the more "scatological" references were edited out. The band, having already edited out some lyrics for the single release of "Good Girls Don't," refused to do it again, preventing the single release. According to Knack bassist Prescott Niles, Fieger felt that altering the lyrics to "(She's So) Selfish" would be "selling out." Averre didn't see anything problematic about including the profane lyrics, since that is how teenagers spoke and they heard such language all the time. Despite the band's concerns, an edited version of the song was released in Canada, removing lines such as "fuck-a me today" and "she don't give a shit about anybody else but herself."Doug Feiger Remembers Part 2: When fame got the Knack Phoenix Music Examiner Dominic, S. February 15, 2010The Knack – Get The Knack (Pop, 1979), Vinyl Re-Visions Anderson, M. http://geardiary.com/2012/03/05/the-knack-get-the-knack-pop-1979/ Gear Diary March 5, 2012 2013-11-02The Knack: Live from the Rock 'n' Roll Funhouse http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=3474 Ulmer, J. 2013-11-04 Digitally Obsessed November 10, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131110032301/http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=3474 dead This version was accidentally included on the initial CD release of Get the Knack in the USA, despite the fact that according to Fieger the tape with the altered lyrics was in a box with big red letters stating "NOT MASTER! NOT TO BE USED! ONLY CANADIAN RADIO!." Other releases "(She's So) Selfish" was a staple of the Knack's live shows and was included in several of the band's live albums, generally towards the end of the set right before "My Sharona." It was included on the live album Havin' a Rave-Up! Live in Los Angeles, 1978 (released on the 22nd of May, 2012), which was based on two concerts the band performed in Los Angeles, California in 1978, before signing their record deal that would lead to Get the Knack. Havin' a Rave-Up! Live In Los Angeles, 1978 http://www.allmusic.com/album/havin-a-rave-up%21-live-in-los-angeles-1978-mw0002355243 Deming, M. Allmusic Rovi Corporation November 2, 2013 The Knack performed it at the 1979 concert at Carnegie Hall which was used for the 1980 video disc The Knack Live at Carnegie Hall.The Knack Live at Carnegie Hall http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-carnegie-hall-mw0001078348 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013 It was later included on the CD of Live From the Rock 'N' Roll Funhouse (released on the 23rd of April, 2002) and on the DVD On Stage at World Cafe Live (released on the 8th of May, 2008).Live From the Rock 'N' Roll Funhouse Doerschuk, R.L. http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-from-the-rock-n-roll-funhouse-mw0000658618 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013On Stage at World Cafe Live http://www.allmusic.com/album/on-stage-at-world-cafe-live-mw0001087018 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013 "(She's So) Selfish" appeared on the Knack's 1992 compilation albums The Retrospective: The Best of the Knack and My Sharona (the former releasing on the 16th of November of that year).The Retrospective: The Best of the Knack Erlewine, S.T. Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-retrospective-the-best-of-the-knack-mw0000090777 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013My Sharona Erlewine, S.T. Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-sharona-mw0000232847 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013 Ben Folds covered the song on his 2007 album Get Nack.Get Nack http://www.allmusic.com/album/get-nack-mw0001634011 Rovi Corporation Allmusic November 2, 2013 References 2 Category:The Knack songs Category:1979 songs Category:Songs written by Doug Fieger Category:Songs written by Berton Averre Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Chapman