Can You Jerk Like Me
Encyclopedia
Can You Jerk Like Me is a 1964 song by Motown Records R&B group The Contours
, issued on its Gordy Records subsidiary. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #57, and a Top 20 hit on its R&B chart, reaching # 16. A single-only release, it did not appear on any original Contours studio album, as the group only had one album release during their 5 years on the label, 1962's Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
.
(Note: It has been recently revealed that this song was recorded for a planned , but unreleased Contours album for Motown in 1964 entitled The Contours: Can You Dance (Gordy 910).http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-eWy9xG9GY8/S8r3-nrm16I/AAAAAAAAEc0/Yv_FqxBjyOE/s320/contours.jpg&imgrefurl=http://odimusic.net/download/rare-albums-lp-cd-dvd-ep-vcd/print:page,1,156719-the-contours-can-you-dance.html&usg=__QG70HtMmRtIJKXwMDppGJod-GZ0=&h=320&w=318&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=7AqpD7hV5DwYbM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=119&ei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bcontours%2Bcan%2Byou%2Bdance%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D800%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=382&oei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=53&ty=44]This album will be released , in modified form, by the import label, Kent Records
, in 2011 under the name Dance With The Contours under license from Motown Records). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MRU9DA/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
A powerful,propulsive up-tempo rocker, tailor-made for Motown's dynamic Contours, this was one of several songs based on The Jerk
, a popular '60's dance craze. Led by Billy Gordon, one of the group's 2 lead singers, this song was written by Motown staff songwriter/producer William "Mickey" Stevenson, (who also doubled as the Motown label's A&R
director) and songwriter Ivy Jo Hunter
.
An instructional dance number, Billy Gordon, as the group's narrator, invites the listener to learn the jerk, with the words:
The Capitols
' more successful 1966 Top 10 song, Cool Jerk
, borrows heavily from Can You Jerk Like Me in key and tempo,and partially ,even lyrics ( The Contours' "c'mon, child-ren" vs. The Capitols' "C'mon peo-ple") and, not coincidentally, both songs feature music by Motown's hot studio band, The Funk Brothers
, with the Motown musicians moonlighting for the non-Motown group's Karen Records release.
Sadly, 1964 would also prove to be the last year that the original Contours would record for Motown. Despite being among the label's earliest artists, The Contours never received the attention or promotion that the other Motown acts received because Motown head Berry Gordy felt that the group didn't have enough "crossover potential". With the sole exception of Contour Billy Gordon (who sang lead on the group's biggest hit, the million-selling Do You Love Me
),and guitarist Huey Davis, all of the rest of the group quit the label. Keeping Gordon, Gordy then built a new Contours group around him, with new members including Jerry Green, Council Gay,and Alvin English. Later members included the returning Sylvester Potts, and Dennis Edwards
.With the return of Sylvester Potts, Lead singer Gordon then departed the group,to be replaced by Joseph Stubbs (brother of The Four Tops' lead singer Levi Stubbs
, and the reconstituted group would continue to record with Motown through 1967*.
The song's flip side, the Smokey Robinson
written-and-produced That Day When She Needed Me
,which featured the original Contours before their departure,(Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Sylvester Potts, Joe Billingslea,Hubert Johnson,& Huey Davis) was also a hit, reaching #37 on the Cash Box R&B chart. Both songs have appeared on several Contours' Motown compilation CD collections.
An instrumental version of Can You Jerk Like Me (the original backing track), was released by Motown's house band Earl Van Dyke
and The Funk Brothers
(under the pseudonym "Earl Van Dyke and The Soul Brothers" on their 1965 album "That Motown Sound" (Motown 631) http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/dilist.htm http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Earl%20Van%20Dyke.html
The Contours
The Contours were one of the early African-American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records.The group is best known for its Billboard Top 10 hit, "Do You Love Me," a million-selling song that peaked twice in the Top 20....
, issued on its Gordy Records subsidiary. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #57, and a Top 20 hit on its R&B chart, reaching # 16. A single-only release, it did not appear on any original Contours studio album, as the group only had one album release during their 5 years on the label, 1962's Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
Do You Love Me was the only LP issued by The Contours during their career at Motown Records. Issued on Motown's Gordy subsidiary in October 1962 , the album includes the hit title track and the number 21 R&B single "Shake Sherrie"...
.
(Note: It has been recently revealed that this song was recorded for a planned , but unreleased Contours album for Motown in 1964 entitled The Contours: Can You Dance (Gordy 910).http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-eWy9xG9GY8/S8r3-nrm16I/AAAAAAAAEc0/Yv_FqxBjyOE/s320/contours.jpg&imgrefurl=http://odimusic.net/download/rare-albums-lp-cd-dvd-ep-vcd/print:page,1,156719-the-contours-can-you-dance.html&usg=__QG70HtMmRtIJKXwMDppGJod-GZ0=&h=320&w=318&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=7AqpD7hV5DwYbM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=119&ei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bcontours%2Bcan%2Byou%2Bdance%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D800%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=382&oei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=53&ty=44]This album will be released , in modified form, by the import label, Kent Records
![http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-eWy9xG9GY8/S8r3-nrm16I/AAAAAAAAEc0/Yv_FqxBjyOE/s320/contours.jpg&imgrefurl=http://odimusic.net/download/rare-albums-lp-cd-dvd-ep-vcd/print:page,1,156719-the-contours-can-you-dance.html&usg=__QG70HtMmRtIJKXwMDppGJod-GZ0=&h=320&w=318&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=7AqpD7hV5DwYbM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=119&ei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bcontours%2Bcan%2Byou%2Bdance%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D800%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=382&oei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=53&ty=44]](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-eWy9xG9GY8/S8r3-nrm16I/AAAAAAAAEc0/Yv_FqxBjyOE/s320/contours.jpg&imgrefurl=http://odimusic.net/download/rare-albums-lp-cd-dvd-ep-vcd/print:page,1,156719-the-contours-can-you-dance.html&usg=__QG70HtMmRtIJKXwMDppGJod-GZ0=&h=320&w=318&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=7AqpD7hV5DwYbM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=119&ei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bcontours%2Bcan%2Byou%2Bdance%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D800%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=382&oei=lo9pTZDDFI3ksQO4uMDXDw&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=53&ty=44]){kind=link}
Kent Records
Kent Records was a Los Angeles based record label, launched in the 1960s by the Bihari brothers. It was a follow up to the bankrupted Modern Records and reissued Modern's records. It was later bought by Ace Records, England, which used the label name to release Northern Soul records.The label...
, in 2011 under the name Dance With The Contours under license from Motown Records). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MRU9DA/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
A powerful,propulsive up-tempo rocker, tailor-made for Motown's dynamic Contours, this 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 popular '60's dance craze. Led by Billy Gordon, one of the group's 2 lead singers, this song was written by Motown staff songwriter/producer William "Mickey" Stevenson, (who also doubled as the Motown label's A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
director) and songwriter Ivy Jo Hunter
Ivy Jo Hunter
Ivy Jo Hunter, born George Ivy Hunter and sometimes credited as Ivy Hunter, is a former R&B songwriter, record producer and singer, most associated with his work for the Motown label in the 1960s....
.
An instructional dance number, Billy Gordon, as the group's narrator, invites the listener to learn the jerk, with the words:
- "Can You Do The Jerk?
- Come on, let's work
- Move your shoulders up and down...
- your feet don't leave the ground...
- Anyone can do it...
- Friends,there's nothing to it.
- It's for young or old...all it takes is soul...
- And I just wanna know
- Can You Jerk Like Me".
The Capitols
The Capitols
The Capitols were a Detroit, Michigan-based soul trio widely known in the late 1960s for their Billboard hit single "Cool Jerk".-Formation and Disbandment:...
' more successful 1966 Top 10 song, Cool Jerk
Cool Jerk
"Cool Jerk" is a popular song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by The Capitols. Released in 1966, it reached the number two position on the American R&B chart and number seven on the pop chart...
, borrows heavily from Can You Jerk Like Me in key and tempo,and partially ,even lyrics ( The Contours' "c'mon, child-ren" vs. The Capitols' "C'mon peo-ple") and, not coincidentally, both songs feature music by Motown's hot studio band, The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
, with the Motown musicians moonlighting for the non-Motown group's Karen Records release.
Sadly, 1964 would also prove to be the last year that the original Contours would record for Motown. Despite being among the label's earliest artists, The Contours never received the attention or promotion that the other Motown acts received because Motown head Berry Gordy felt that the group didn't have enough "crossover potential". With the sole exception of Contour Billy Gordon (who sang lead on the group's biggest hit, the million-selling Do You Love Me
Do You Love Me
"Do You Love Me" is a 1962 hit single recorded by The Contours for Motown's Gordy Records label. Written and produced by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr., "Do You Love Me?" was the Contours' only Top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Notably, the record achieved this feat...
),and guitarist Huey Davis, all of the rest of the group quit the label. Keeping Gordon, Gordy then built a new Contours group around him, with new members including Jerry Green, Council Gay,and Alvin English. Later members included the returning Sylvester Potts, and Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards is a soul and R&B singer, most noted for being one of Motown act The Temptations' lead singers replacing David Ruffin. He is the father of Issa Pointer, whose mother is Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters.-Career:...
.With the return of Sylvester Potts, Lead singer Gordon then departed the group,to be replaced by Joseph Stubbs (brother of The Four Tops' lead singer Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbles , better known by the stage name Levi Stubbs, was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Motown R&B group Four Tops...
, and the reconstituted group would continue to record with Motown through 1967*.
The song's flip side, the 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...
written-and-produced That Day When She Needed Me
That Day When She Needed Me
"That Day When She Needed Me" is a 1964 R&B song by the Motown Records group The Contours. Issued as the "B" side of their hit "Can You Jerk Like Me", this song broke out as a hit on its own, reaching #37 on the Cash Box R&B listings that year....
,which featured the original Contours before their departure,(Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Sylvester Potts, Joe Billingslea,Hubert Johnson,& Huey Davis) was also a hit, reaching #37 on the Cash Box R&B chart. Both songs have appeared on several Contours' Motown compilation CD collections.
An instrumental version of Can You Jerk Like Me (the original backing track), was released by Motown's house band Earl Van Dyke
Earl Van Dyke
Earl Van Dyke was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Van Dyke was preceded as keyboardist and bandleader of the Funk Brothers by Joe Hunter...
and The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
(under the pseudonym "Earl Van Dyke and The Soul Brothers" on their 1965 album "That Motown Sound" (Motown 631) http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/dilist.htm http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Earl%20Van%20Dyke.html