Cool Jerk

Album

Dance The Cool Jerk With The Capitols

Label

Karen Records

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Donald Storball

Entered Chart

Apr 30, 1966

Peak Date

Jul 2, 1966

Released

Unknown

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Karen 1524

B-Side

Hello Stranger"

The Jerk was a big dance craze in 1964 and 1965, with a number of songs dedicated to it, most famously "The Jerk" by The Larks, which reached #7 US. Other "Jerk" songs of the time include: "The Big Jerk - Pt. I" by Clyde & The Blue Jays "Can You Jerk Like Me?" by The Contours "Come On Do The Jerk" by The Miracles "Jerk And Twine" by Jackie Ross "Jerk It" by The Gypsies The dance is pretty basic - it's mostly just jerking your arms up in time to the music. It was big in Detroit, where a lewd variation called the "Pimp Jerk" developed. This inspired Donald Storball, guitarist for The Capitols, to write another song on the theme as the craze was dying down. In "Cool Jerk," lead singer Samuel George struts his stuff, explaining that he's the king of this new dance - a sanitized version of the "Pimp Jerk." The song was a surprise hit, reaching #7 to tie The Larks for the biggest jerk song of the era. Another jerk song didn't appear until 1990, when The Time released "Jerk Out." The Capitols had been around since 1962. When Storball wrote "Cool Jerk," their manager, Ollie McLaughlin, arranged for them to record it at Golden World Studios in Detroit. Musicians on the session included member of Motown's famous Funk Brothers house band - they sometimes moonlighted at other studios for extra cash. Most credible accounts claim bass player Bob Babbitt and keyboard man Johnny Griffith were part of it. When "Cool Jerk" became a hit, Motown bought out Golden World Studios, turning into Motown Studio B. As for The Capitols, they couldn't muster another hit and broke up a few years later. Their one hit endured though, as "Cool Jerk" remained a favorite on oldies radio long after it was released. This song has been covered a number of times, most famously by The Go-Go's on their 1982 album Vacation. Todd Rundgren often included it in a medley at concerts, and in 2002, Bootsy Collins teamed up with members of the Funk Brothers to cover the song for the Funk Brothers documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. This was used in the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in a scene where Uncle Frank is singing it in the shower. Other movies to use the song include: More American Graffiti (1979) Night and the City (1992) Donnie Brasco (1997) Yes Man (2008) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) For the single's B-side, the group covered "Hello Stranger" a 1963 hit from Barbara Lewis, another artist managed by McLaughlin.

Cool jerk, cool jerk
Cool jerk, cool jerk
We know a cat who can really do the cool jerk
We know a cat who can really do the cool jerk

Well, this cat they talkin' about, I wonder who could it be?
'Cause I know I'm the heaviest cat
The heaviest cat you ever did see

When they see me walkin' down the street (hey, hey, hey)
None of the fellas want to speak (hey, hey, hey)
On their faces they wear a silly smirk 'cause they know I'm the king of the cool jerk, whoo

(Cool jerk, cool jerk)
(Cool jerk, uh-huh!) Ha, ha, ha
Look at them guys lookin' at me like I'm a fool (cool jerk, uh-huh)
But, aww, deep down inside they know I'm cool (cool jerk, uh-huh)
I said, now, I said now, the moment of truth has finally come (cool jerk, uh-huh)
When I'ma to show you some, some of that cool jerk (cool jerk, uh-huh)
Now, give me a little bit of drums, by himself, there
Now, give me a little bit of bass, with those 88's

Aww, you're cookin' baby!
Hmm, you're smokin'!
Hmm-hmm-hmm!
Now everybody, I wanna hear you all

Aww, can you do it? (Can you do it, can you do it, can you do it, can you do it?)
(Can you do it, can you do it, can you do it, can you do the cool jerk?)
Come on, people(cool jerk)
Hey, hey

When they see me walkin' down the street (hey, hey, hey)
They think twice and then they speak (hey, hey, hey)
On their faces they don't wear their smirk
'Cause they know I'm a king of the cool jerk

(Cool jerk) come on people
(Cool jerk) can you do it now?
(Cool jerk)
(Come on people) can you do it, can you do it, can you do it, can you do it?)
(Can you do it, can you do it, can you do it, can you do the cool jerk?)
Come on people
(Cool jerk) can you do it now?
(Cool jerk)
Come on people
(Cool jerk) now you're doin' it