Your Number or Your Name
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| "Your Number or Your Name" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Knack | |
| from the album Get the Knack | |
| Released | June 11, 1979 |
| Recorded | April 1979 |
| Genre | Power pop |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Doug Fieger, Berton Averre |
| Producer(s) | Mike Chapman |
"Your Number or Your Name" is a song by American power pop band the Knack. It was released as the second track off of 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 produced by Mike Chapman.
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, 1998's Proof – The Very Best of the Knack, 1999's The Best of the Knack and 2012's Havin' a Rave-Up! Live in Los Angeles, 1978.
According to co-writer Averre "Your Number or Your Name" was intended to sound like a Hollies song.[1] However, he feels that Bruce Gary's drumming transformed it into the type of song where the band was "jumping and slamming and thrusting."[1] Modern Drummer wrote that "the barrage of gonzo fills" Gary provides on the song confirm Gary's description of the Knack as "a very good, sensible pop band with a very bombastic drummer".[2] Modern Drummer compared Gary's performance on the song to the Who's Keith Moon.[2] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson confirmed that even with Gary's performance on drums the song still evokes the Hollies' sound that was intended.[3] The lyrics describe a woman who the singer often sees but can never contact.[4] Los Angeles Times critic Robert Hilburn has commented about the teenage innocence of the lyrics.[5]