Can't Put a Price on Love
Encyclopedia
"Can't Put a Price on Love" is a 1980 song written by Doug Fieger
and originally released by The Knack
on the group's second album, ...But the Little Girls Understand
. It was the second song released from that album that was released as a single, reaching #62 on the Billboard Hot 100
, falling short of the performance by its preceding single, "Baby Talks Dirty
", which reached #38. Overall, it was the 4th single released by The Knack, and the first not to reach the Top 40.
In his scathing review of ...But the Little Girls Understand, Rolling Stone Magazine critic Dave Marsh
wrote "All of Fieger's lyrics finally boil down to one sentiment: f - - - me, honey. (When he's feeling ambitious, he writes something like 'Can't Put a Price on Love,' which translates: f - - - me for free, babe.)" Other critics have commented on the similarity between "Can't Put a Price on Love" and the 1978 Rolling Stones' song "Beast of Burden
". However, in an interview, Fieger denied that the song is a homage
to "Beast of Burden," stating "The reality to that is that it was a homage to any number of Steve Cropper
songs which 'Beast of Burden' was a homage to." Fieger has acknowledged that, like many songs on The Knack's first two albums, "Can't Put a Price on Love" was written about the same Sharona Alperin who inspired "My Sharona".
Subsequent to its appearance on ...But the Little Girls Understand, "Can't Put a Price on Love" was released on a number of Knack compilation albums, including The Retrospective: The Best of the Knack (1992), Very Best of The Knack (1998) and Best of The Knack (1999). The version released on Very Best of The Knack was the single edit rather than the original album version.
Doug Fieger
Douglas Lars "Doug" Fieger was an American singer-songwriter-musician. He was the lead singer of the power pop band The Knack, and co-wrote "My Sharona", the biggest hit song of 1979 in the USA, with lead guitarist, Berton Averre.-Life and career:Fieger's father was Jewish, and his mother of...
and originally released by The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
on the group's second album, ...But the Little Girls Understand
...But the Little Girls Understand
...But the Little Girls Understand is an album by power pop/new wave group The Knack released by Capitol Records in February 1980. The album reached the number 15 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart in 1980. The singles "Baby Talks Dirty" and "Can't Put a Price on Love" both charted on the...
. It was the second song released from that album that was released as a single, reaching #62 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, falling short of the performance by its preceding single, "Baby Talks Dirty
Baby Talks Dirty
"Baby Talks Dirty" is a 1980 Top 40 single written by Doug Fieger and Berton Averre from The Knack's second album, ...But the Little Girls Understand. Like the album it was taken from, "Baby Talks Dirty" fell short of the success of its predecessors...
", which reached #38. Overall, it was the 4th single released by The Knack, and the first not to reach the Top 40.
In his scathing review of ...But the Little Girls Understand, Rolling Stone Magazine critic Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh is an American music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on...
wrote "All of Fieger's lyrics finally boil down to one sentiment: f - - - me, honey. (When he's feeling ambitious, he writes something like 'Can't Put a Price on Love,' which translates: f - - - me for free, babe.)" Other critics have commented on the similarity between "Can't Put a Price on Love" and the 1978 Rolling Stones' song "Beast of Burden
Beast of Burden (song)
"Beast of Burden" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, featured on the 1978 album Some Girls. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #435 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and #433 on the 500 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of all time.-Inspiration and...
". However, in an interview, Fieger denied that the song is a homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to "Beast of Burden," stating "The reality to that is that it was a homage to any number of Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
songs which 'Beast of Burden' was a homage to." Fieger has acknowledged that, like many songs on The Knack's first two albums, "Can't Put a Price on Love" was written about the same Sharona Alperin who inspired "My Sharona".
Subsequent to its appearance on ...But the Little Girls Understand, "Can't Put a Price on Love" was released on a number of Knack compilation albums, including The Retrospective: The Best of the Knack (1992), Very Best of The Knack (1998) and Best of The Knack (1999). The version released on Very Best of The Knack was the single edit rather than the original album version.