Come On Do The Jerk
Encyclopedia
Come On Do the Jerk was a 1964 song recorded by R&B group The Miracles
on Motown Records' Tamla label subsidiary. A single-only release, it did not appear on any original Miracles studio album.
Co-written by Miracles members Marv Tarplin
, Bobby Rogers
, Smokey Robinson
, and Ron White
, "Come On Do The Jerk" charted at #50 on the Billboard
Hot 100 and at # 22 on the Cash Box R&B chart.(Billboard had temporarily suspended its R&B chart at this time). An instructional dance number, this song was one of several songs based on The Jerk
, a very popular 1960s "dance craze".
Described by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson
as the intended follow-up song to the group's 1963 million-selling smash, "Mickey's Monkey" the previous year, "Come On Do the Jerk" was actually recorded in a similar tempo. As the song begins,longtime Miracles drummer Donald "Spike" Whited and Miracles member, guitarist Marv Tarplin
begin the song, while Smokey, as the song's narrator, offers the invitation:
The other Miracles, Ronnie White, Claudette Robinson, Pete Moore
, and Bobby Rogers
, echo Smokey's lead, with chants of the song's title , in classic call and response
style.
Then, midway through the song, Smokey's role changes... from narrator to dance instructor, as he instructs the listener on the Jerk's simple dance steps:
The Righteous Brothers
, Bill Medley
and Bobby Hatfield
, performed a cover of this song on a 1964 telecast of the ABC TV
series, Shindig!
.(available on YouTube).
The Miracles themselves performed Come On Do The Jerk on a telecast of the syndicated Detroit - based teen dance party show Teen Town
.The song appears on several Miracles "Greatest Hits" collections, having first appeared on their album, Greatest Hits Vol.2
The song's flip side, "Baby ,Don't You Go", was also a popular regional hit.
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
on Motown Records' Tamla label subsidiary. A single-only release, it did not appear on any original Miracles studio album.
Co-written by Miracles members Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin
Marvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
, Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, and Ron White
Ronald White
Ronald "Ronnie" White was an African American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a founding member of The Miracles, and the only member to survive all of that group's line-up changes...
, "Come On Do The Jerk" charted at #50 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 and at # 22 on the Cash Box R&B chart.(Billboard had temporarily suspended its R&B chart at this time). An instructional dance number, this song was one of several songs based on The Jerk
The Jerk (dance)
The Jerk was a popular dance in the 1960s. The song You're a Jerk written by Nathan Diaz inspired the jerk to become popular.-Description:...
, a very popular 1960s "dance craze".
Described by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
as the intended follow-up song to the group's 1963 million-selling smash, "Mickey's Monkey" the previous year, "Come On Do the Jerk" was actually recorded in a similar tempo. As the song begins,longtime Miracles drummer Donald "Spike" Whited and Miracles member, guitarist Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin
Marvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
begin the song, while Smokey, as the song's narrator, offers the invitation:
- Come on everybody,gather'round
- get hip to the new sensation
- There's a brand new dance coming to your town
- and it's sweepin' across the nation
- Come On Do The Jerk
The other Miracles, Ronnie White, Claudette Robinson, Pete Moore
Pete Moore
Pete Moore is an African American soul singer, record producer, and songwriter, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members...
, and Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
, echo Smokey's lead, with chants of the song's title , in classic call and response
Call and response
Call and response is a form of "spontaneous verbal and non-verbal interaction between speaker and listener in which all of the statements are punctuated by expressions from the listener."...
style.
Then, midway through the song, Smokey's role changes... from narrator to dance instructor, as he instructs the listener on the Jerk's simple dance steps:
- Now,snap your back...
- like a bullwhip crack...
- now jerk your hip....
- let your backbone slip...
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...
, Bill Medley
Bill Medley
William Thomas Medley is an American singer and songwriter, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers....
and Bobby Hatfield
Bobby Hatfield
Robert Lee "Bobby" Hatfield was an American singer, best known as one half of the Righteous Brothers.-Early life:...
, performed a cover of this song on a 1964 telecast of the ABC TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series, Shindig!
Shindig!
Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
.(available on YouTube).
The Miracles themselves performed Come On Do The Jerk on a telecast of the syndicated Detroit - based teen dance party show Teen Town
Teen Town (TV series)
Teen Town was a Detroit based music variety show that ran in syndication in the mid-1960s. It was hosted by Robin Seymour. In its brief run, the show featured well-known acts like the Temptations, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Supremes, Stevie Wonder and the Parliaments and clips from the...
.The song appears on several Miracles "Greatest Hits" collections, having first appeared on their album, Greatest Hits Vol.2
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (Miracles album)
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 is the second greatest hits album for The Miracles , released in 1968 on Motown Records' Tamla label. It contained the most popular singles from the successful Going to a Go-Go, Away We A Go-Go and Make It Happen albums of the 1965-67 period...
The song's flip side, "Baby ,Don't You Go", was also a popular regional hit.
Personnel: The Miracles
- Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
- Marv TarplinMarv TarplinMarvin "Marv" Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted "The Tracks...
- Claudette Robinson
- Pete MoorePete MoorePete Moore is an African American soul singer, record producer, and songwriter, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members...
- Bobby RogersBobby RogersBobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
- Ronnie White