"Cool Jerk" | ||||
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![]() A-side label of US vinyl release | ||||
Single by The Capitols | ||||
from the album Dance the Cool Jerk | ||||
B-side | "Hello Stranger" | |||
Released | 1966 | |||
Genre | Rhythm and blues[1] | |||
Length | 2:45 | |||
Label | Karen Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Donald Storball | |||
Producer(s) | Ollie McLaughlin | |||
The Capitols singles chronology | ||||
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"Cool Jerk" is a 1966 rhythm and blues song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by the Capitols. It became a hit song in the United States and Canada.
It was later prominently used in the 1992 Christmas-themed comedy film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which attracted attention back to both the band and the single.
Original version
[edit]Released in 1966, it reached No. 2 on the American Rhythm & Blues Singles chart, No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100[2] and No. 9 on the Canadian Singles Chart.[3] The session was arranged by Funk Brother Mike Terry, as the Funk Brothers, Motown's house band, played behind the Capitols on the track.[4]
Per one of the Funk Brothers, the song was originally to be called "Pimp Jerk". This was taken from watching neighborhood pimps, who would dance in the clubs but were too "cool" to do the jerk like regular folks. The producer was afraid that a song with the word pimp in the title would be banned or fail to receive much positive attention, and had the title changed to its current form.[citation needed]
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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The Go-Go's version
[edit]The Go-Go's covered the song for their 1982 album Vacation and later re-recorded it for their 1990 album Greatest. A demo that pre-dates their Vacation recording was released on their 1994 compilation Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's.
"Cool Jerk" | ||||
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Single by The Go-Go's | ||||
from the album Vacation | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | I.R.S. 75021 7439 2 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Donald Storball | |||
Producer(s) | David Z | |||
The Go-Go's singles chronology | ||||
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Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 60 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Milward, John (March 25, 1991). "The Rhythm of the Sweats". New York. Vol. 24, no. 12. p. 27. ISSN 0028-7369.
- ^ a b c "The Capitols – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5705." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ Williams, Richard (December 1, 2008). "Mike Terry". The Guardian. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 25, 1966". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World. July 2, 1966. p. 9. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1966". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – 1966". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1966". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 14, 2014.