Come on Do the Jerk

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, and was the group's last single release of 1964.^[1]

Co-written by Miracles members Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers, Smokey Robinson, and Ronnie 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".^[2]

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).Video on YouTube^[3] Recording group The T-Bones also recorded an instrumental cover version of The Miracles'"Come On Do The Jerk" on their 1965 LP entitled "Doin The Jerk".^[4]

The Miracles themselves performed Come On Do The Jerk on a telecast of the syndicated Detroit - based teen dance party show Teen Town .^[5] 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.^[6]

Personnel: The Miracles

• Smokey Robinson
• Marv Tarplin
• Claudette Robinson
• Pete Moore
• Bobby Rogers
• Ronnie White

Other credits

• The Funk Brothers

The Miracles
Smokey Robinson Ronnie White Pete Moore Bobby Rogers Claudette Robinson Marv Tarplin Billy Griffin Donald Griffin Carl Cotton Mark Scott Dave Finley Sydney Justin Alphonse Franklin Tee Turner Pre-Miracles: Emerson "Sonny" Rogers James Grice Clarence Dawson
Production	Berry Gordy Smokey Robinson Pete Moore
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) City of Angels (1975)
Live albums	The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LIVE! (1969) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972 (1972)
Other albums	Christmas with The Miracles (1963)
Compilations	Greatest Hits: From the Beginning (1965) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968) Anthology (1974) Anthology '86 (1986) Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995) The Ultimate Collection (1998) Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002) Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009)
Singles (US/UK Top Twenty singles)	"Shop Around" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"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"
Videography	The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006)
Discography	Albums Songs
Related articles	Motown Records List of cover versions of The Miracles songs
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 and 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

References