- Come On Do The Jerk
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"Come On Do The Jerk" Single by The Miracles from the album Greatest Hits Vol.2 B-side "Baby ,Don't You Go" Released November 20, 1964 Format 7" single Recorded Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 1964 Genre Soul Length 2:53 Label Tamla
T 54109Writer(s) Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin, Robert Rogers, Ronald White Producer Smokey Robinson
Robert RogersThe Miracles singles chronology "That's What Love Is Made Of"
(1964)"Come On Do The Jerk"
(1964)"Ooo Baby Baby"
(1965)Come On Do the Jerk (Tamla 54109), 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:
- 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, 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:
- Now,snap your back...
- like a bullwhip crack...
- now jerk your hip....
- let your backbone slip...
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.
Personnel: The Miracles
- Smokey Robinson
- Marv Tarplin
- Claudette Robinson
- Pete Moore
- Bobby Rogers
- Ronnie White
Other credits
The Miracles Group members
(past and present)Bobby Rogers · Mark Scott · Claudette Robinson · Dave Finley · Tee Turner
Smokey Robinson · Ronnie White · Pete Moore · Marv Tarplin · Billy Griffin · Donald Griffin · Carl Cotton · Sidney Justin · Alphonse Franklin
Pre-Miracles: Emerson "Sonny" Rogers · James Grice · Clarence DawsonProduction Studio albums Hi... We're The Miracles (1961) · Cookin' with The Miracles (1961) · I'll Try Something New (1962) · The Fabulous Miracles (1963) · The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963) · I Like It Like That (1964) · Going To A Go-Go (1965) · Away We A Go-Go (1966) · Make It Happen/The Tears Of A Clown (1967) · Special Occasion (1968) · Time Out For Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1969) · Four in Blue (1969) · What Love Has Joined Together (1970) · A Pocket Full Of Miracles (1970) · One Dozen Roses (1971) · Flying High Together (1972) · Renaissance (1973) · Do It Baby (1974) · Don't Cha Love It (1975) · City of Angels (1975) · The Power of Music (1976) · Love Crazy (1977) · The Miracles (1978)Live albums The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963) · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LIVE! (1969) · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972 (1972)Other albums Compilations Greatest Hits from the Beginning (1965) · Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968) · Anthology (1974) · Greatest Hits (1977) · Anthology '86 (1986) · The Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Collection (1994) · Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995) · The Ultimate Collection (1998) · Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002) · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Gold (2006) · Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009)Singles
(US/UK Top Twenty singles)"Shop Around" · "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"(Have a) Happy Landing" · "Mickey's Monkey" · "Ooo Baby Baby" · "The Tracks of My Tears" · "My Girl Has Gone" · "Going to a Go-Go" · "(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need" · "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" · "I Second That Emotion" · "If You Can Want" · "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" · "The Tears of a Clown" · "I Don't Blame You At All" · "Do It Baby" · "Love Machine - Pt. I"Videography Discography Albums · SongsRelated topics See also Book:The Miracles
The Miracles singles discography 1950s "Got a Job" (1958) · "Your Love (Is All I Need)" (1958) · "I Cry" (1958) · "I Need a Change" (1959) · "It" (1959) · " Bad Girl" (1959) · "The Feeling Is So Fine" (1959) / " (You Can) Depend on Me" (1959)1960s "Way Over There" (1960) · "Shop Around" (1960) / Who's Lovin' You" (1960) · "Ain't It Baby" (1961) · "Mighty Good Lovin'" (1961) / Broken Hearted" (1961) · "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961) · "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) / " I've Been Good To You" (1961) · "I'll Try Something New" (1962) · "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) / "Happy Landing" (1962) · "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) / "I Can Take a Hint" (1963) · " Mickey's Monkey" (1963) · " I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" (1963) · "The Christmas Song" (1963) · "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" (1964) · "I Like It Like That" (1964) · "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964) · "Come On Do The Jerk" (1964) · "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) · "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) / "A Fork in the Road" (1965) · "My Girl Has Gone" (1965) · "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) / "Choosey Beggar" (1965) · "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)" (1966) · "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" (1966) · "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967) · "More Love" (1967) · " I Second That Emotion" (1967) · If You Can Want" (1968) · "Yester Love" (1968) · "Special Occasion" (1968) · "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969) · "Here I Go Again" (1969) / "Doggone Right" (1969) · "Abraham, Martin & John" (1969) · "Point It Out" (1969) / "Darling Dear" (1969)1970s "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" (1970) · "The Tears of a Clown" (1970) · "I Don't Blame You At All" (1970) · "Crazy About the La La" (1971) · "Satisfaction" (1971) · "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) · "I Can't Stand to See You Cry" (1972) · "Don't Let It End ('Til You Let It Begin)" (1973) · "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) · "Do It Baby" (1974) · "Don't Cha Love It" (1974) · "Gemini" (1975) · "Love Machine" (1975) · "Night Life" (1976) · "Spy for Brotherhood" (1977) · "I Can Touch the Sky" (1977) · "Mean Machine" (1978)Book:The Miracles
Categories:- The Miracles songs
- Motown singles
- 1964 songs
- Instructional dance songs
- Novelty and fad dances
- Songs written by Marv Tarplin
- Songs written by Smokey Robinson
- Songs written by Ronald White
- Songs written by Bobby Rogers
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