The REAL Meaning Of The R&B Song "Cool Jerk"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of The Capitols' 1966 R&B song "Cool Jerk" and a video of Bootsy Collin's cover of that song. Special consideration in this post is given to what the song "Cool Jerk" really means.

This post also includes two videos of The Larks performing their 1964 hit song "The Jerk".

This content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "COOL JERK"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_Jerk
"Cool Jerk" is a popular song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by The Capitols. Released in 1966, it reached No. 2 on the American R&B chart, No. 7 on the pop chart[1] and No. 9 on the Canadian Singles Chart.[2] The backing track for this song was actually recorded (secretly) by the Motown house band The Funk Brothers.

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. Their version was subsequently named "the Pimp Jerk." The producer was afraid that a song with the word pimp in the title would be banned or not receive much positive attention, and had the title changed to its current form."
-snip-
Note: The Cool Jerk dance isn't the same as the 2000s dance called “jerking”.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: The Capitols - Cool Jerk



bricomaligno. Uploaded on Mar 7, 2010

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Example #2: Cool Jerk by Bootsy Collins



Bootsy Collins Uploaded on Oct 10, 2009

Have'n a lil fun wit Cool Jerk

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COMMENT ABOUT THE LYRICS TO COOL JERK THAT ARE FOUND ONLINE
"Cool Jerk" lyrics can be found on a number of online sites. However, the lyrics to a couple of lines to that song are WRONG. Here's one way you can tell that they are wrong - They don't make any sense. (The wrong lyrics are given in italics)
1. From http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/the_capitols/cool_jerk.html
"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
This cat they're talking about
I wonder who could it be
'Cause I know I'm the heaviest cat
The heaviest cat you ever did see
When you see me walking down the street
And they clapping and they speak
All the business they wish to whisper it
But they know I'm the king of the cool jerks
Cool jerk, cool"
-snip-
Note the the second to the last line given above is also wrong. It should be "Cause they know I'm the king of the cool jerk.

These lyrics (given in italic) from that same website are also wrong:
"Look at them guys looking at me like I'm a fool
Ah but deep down inside they know I'm cool...
When you see me walkin down the street
Then you think twice and then the next beat
On the chance that they don't make it work
Cause they know I'm the king of the cool jerk

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2.[sung by the Go Go's, a women's group]
Well they see me walkin' down the street
The say hey!
All them fellas drop to their knees
I'm the reason that they don't smirk
Cuz they know I'm the queen of the cool jerk

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Here’s the correct transcription of the lines which are sung beginning at .047 of the sound file given here as Example #1:
"When they see me walkin down the street
all the fellas they want to speak
on their faces they wear a silly smirk
‘cause they know I’m the king of the cool jerk"
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Hint: These words (which come later in the song) provide a clue to the song's REAL meaning:
"Look at them guys looking at me like I'm a fool
Ah but deep down inside they know I'm cool...
-snip-
Explanation:
When fellas see a "cat" who is heavy (one who has a big street rep [reputation], they want to greet him because doing so and having that cat return their greeting gives them some street cred (credibility). But now those fellas are questioning whether that cat is really all that heavy. He's lost "cool points" because they heard about him doing the Jerk or they saw him do that dance, and doing the Jerk is no longer cool* or it never was cool ("hip") to do that dance). That's why the fellas wear (what the singer calls) "a silly smirk".

* The Lark's "The Jerk" record was released in 1964, and The Capitol's "Cool Jerk" was released in 1966. Doing a dance that was popular two years ago is looked down upon, unless you announce that you're doing an "old school dance" just for fun.

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Here’s the correct transcription of the lines which are sung beginning at 2:00 of the sound file given here as Example #1:
"When they see me walkin down the street
They think twice and then they speak
On their faces they don’t wear a smirk
‘Cause they know I’m the king of the cool jerk"
-snip-
Rather than being defeated by the smirks he received from others, the singer turns around the criticism directed toward him by saying that his "cool" (smooth, slow, not frenetic) style of doing the Jerk is the epitome of coolness. So although the fellas he sees on the street pause before speaking to him, his ploy works and they speak and they don't wear any smirks. So the formerly "heaviest cat that you ever did see" regained all-or at least most-of his street reputation and even added to it by proclaiming himself (and presumably others proclaiming him to be) the the "king of the cool jerk" [dance].

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ADDENDUM: THE JERK
Here are two videos of the Larks performing "The Jerk":

Example #1: The Larks "The Jerk"



NRRArchives2, Published on Dec 8, 2012
American Bandstand. October 21, 1964

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Example #2: The Larks-The Jerk (1965)



Aintnobigthing Uploaded on Jun 17, 2010
one of my favorites! enjoy!
-snip-
The beginning of this video is defective. Start the video at .019

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Thanks to The Capitols, The Larks, and Bootsy Collin for their musical legacy. Thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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