Sure Know Something
Encyclopedia
"Sure Know Something" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss
, released on their 1979 album Dynasty. The B-side
is "Dirty Livin'", another album track featured on the Dynasty album which was written and sung by drummer Peter Criss
.
Written by vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley
and producer Vini Poncia
, "Sure Know Something" reached number 47 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
singles chart in 1979, and in the Top Ten in some countries around the world. It would become another top ten hit(#5) for the band in Australia.
A promotional video, directed by John Goodhue, was filmed for the single and featured the band on a mock-up of what was their Dynasty-era stage show.
"Sure Know Something" was performed by the band acoustically during their MTV Unplugged
performance in 1995 and with the Melbourne Symphony Ensemble on their live album Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
.Some Kiss fans have dismissed Dynasty for making too many concessions to the pop market but a close look at the album reveals that it has some of the group’s sharpest songwriting. One of its highlights in this respect is "Sure Know Something," a surprisingly adult power ballad that balances pop hooks with plenty of genuine emotion. The introspective lyrics are unusually sensitive for a Kiss song as they present a man reminiscing about the first woman who broke his heart: "I was seventeen, you were just a dream/I was mesmerized, I felt scared inside/You broke my heart and I still can feel the pain." However, by chorus time he’s decided he still wants her: "No one can make me feel the way that you do/And I sure know something, uh huh." The music uses shifts in its dynamics to mirror the churning emotions of its narrator by pairing moody verse melodies that gently drift high and low with a pounding rock-style chorus built on the sharp descending hook that underlines the repetition of the title. Kiss’ recording of "Sure Know Something" deploys its rock firepower in a disciplined way, pacing itself with a slow-burning bassline and chiming guitar riffs during the verse but unleashing some fiery guitar lines over a stomping beat on the emotional chorus. Paul Stanley tops it off with a skillful vocal that builds from a soft falsetto on the verses into a full-throated yet soulful rock feel on the chorus (Kiss fans will also want to note that he also plays lead guitar on this song instead of Ace Frehley). This skillful blend of rock and ballad elements made "Sure Know Something" one of the best songs on Dynasty. It fell just shy of the top-40 as a single but remains a cult favorite with Kiss fans.
s of "Sure Know Something". A partial listing:
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, released on their 1979 album Dynasty. The B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
is "Dirty Livin'", another album track featured on the Dynasty album which was written and sung by drummer Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
.
Written by vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
and producer Vini Poncia
Vini Poncia
Vini Poncia is an American musician, songwriter and record producer.In the 1960s, Poncia formed a songwriting team with Peter Anders. An album of songs co-written by these childhood friends The Anders & Poncia Album, was produced by Richard Perry and released in 1969...
, "Sure Know Something" reached number 47 on the U.S. 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...
singles chart in 1979, and in the Top Ten in some countries around the world. It would become another top ten hit(#5) for the band in Australia.
A promotional video, directed by John Goodhue, was filmed for the single and featured the band on a mock-up of what was their Dynasty-era stage show.
"Sure Know Something" was performed by the band acoustically during their MTV Unplugged
KISS Unplugged
Kiss Unplugged is a Kiss album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged.On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons contacted former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley...
performance in 1995 and with the Melbourne Symphony Ensemble on their live album Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
KISS Symphony: Alive IV
Kiss Symphony: Alive IV is a 2003 live album from Kiss performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra . The arrangements were made by David Campbell, who also conducted the MSO. It is the group's fourth album in the Alive series and first release under Kiss Records and Sanctuary Records...
.Some Kiss fans have dismissed Dynasty for making too many concessions to the pop market but a close look at the album reveals that it has some of the group’s sharpest songwriting. One of its highlights in this respect is "Sure Know Something," a surprisingly adult power ballad that balances pop hooks with plenty of genuine emotion. The introspective lyrics are unusually sensitive for a Kiss song as they present a man reminiscing about the first woman who broke his heart: "I was seventeen, you were just a dream/I was mesmerized, I felt scared inside/You broke my heart and I still can feel the pain." However, by chorus time he’s decided he still wants her: "No one can make me feel the way that you do/And I sure know something, uh huh." The music uses shifts in its dynamics to mirror the churning emotions of its narrator by pairing moody verse melodies that gently drift high and low with a pounding rock-style chorus built on the sharp descending hook that underlines the repetition of the title. Kiss’ recording of "Sure Know Something" deploys its rock firepower in a disciplined way, pacing itself with a slow-burning bassline and chiming guitar riffs during the verse but unleashing some fiery guitar lines over a stomping beat on the emotional chorus. Paul Stanley tops it off with a skillful vocal that builds from a soft falsetto on the verses into a full-throated yet soulful rock feel on the chorus (Kiss fans will also want to note that he also plays lead guitar on this song instead of Ace Frehley). This skillful blend of rock and ballad elements made "Sure Know Something" one of the best songs on Dynasty. It fell just shy of the top-40 as a single but remains a cult favorite with Kiss fans.
Chart performance
| Country (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 5 |
| Canada | 48 |
| Germany | 28 |
| The Netherlands | 3 |
| New Zealand | 11 |
| United States | 44 |
Cover versions
A number of artists have released cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of "Sure Know Something". A partial listing:
- In 1995, Bobby Bandiera released a cover of the song on the tribute album Dressed to Kill - An Independent Tribute to Kiss.
- In 2001, German hard-rock band Demon Drive covered the song on their album, Rock 'N' Roll Star.
- In 2009, guitarist/vocalist, Tim McPhate released a cover of the song on the album Succession - A 30th Anniversary Tribute to Dynasty.
- In 2009, Argentinian Roots Reggae band, Los Cafres released a cover of the song on the album Classic Lover Covers.