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1964 was the last year that the original
Contours recorded 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
612:– quit the group...and the label. Keeping Gordon and Davis, Gordy then built a new Contours group around them, with new members including Jerry Green, Council Gay, and Alvin English. Later members included the returning Sylvester Potts, and
588:", 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,
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471:", which featured the original Contours before their departure, was also a hit, reaching #37 on the Cash Box R&B chart. Both songs have appeared on several Contours Motown compilation CD collections:
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441:, reaching #15. A single-only release, it did not appear on any original Contours studio album, as the group only had one album release during their five years on the label, 1962's "
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potential". With the sole exception of
Contours lead vocalist Billy Gordon (who sang lead on the group's biggest hit, the million-selling "
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An instructional dance number, Billy Gordon, as the group's narrator, invites the listener to learn the jerk, with the words:
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A powerful, propulsive up-tempo rocker, tailor-made for Motown's dynamic
Contours, this was one of several songs based on
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An instrumental version of "Can You Jerk Like Me" (the original backing track), was released by Motown's house band
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also recorded a version of The
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Song recordings produced by
William "Mickey" Stevenson
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by Gerri
Hirshey, p. 122–128, Southbank Publishing (2006)
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Backing vocals by Jerry Green, Council Gay, and Alvin
English
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Joel
Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012
786:"That Motown Sound Earl van Dyke and the Soul Brothers"
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as lead continued to record with Motown through 1967.
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Songs written by
William "Mickey" Stevenson
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437:Hot 100, reaching #47, and a Top 20 hit on its
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861:"509. The Contours: "Can You Jerk Like Me""
765:"509. The Contours: "Can You Jerk Like Me""
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
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515:, (who also doubled as the Motown label's
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836:THE T-BONES - CAN YOU JERK LIKE ME (1965)
227:Learn how and when to remove this message
209:Learn how and when to remove this message
147:Learn how and when to remove this message
741:"The Contours - Dance With The Contours"
172:This article includes a list of general
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713:Nowhere To Run: The Story of Soul Music
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904:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004
433:Records subsidiary. It charted on the
1079:Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
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443:Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
7:
460:under license from Motown Records).
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178:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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31:This article has multiple issues.
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906:. Record Research. p. 133.
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542:Move your shoulders up and down
72:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
1182:Songs written by Ivy Jo Hunter
1140:Just a Little Misunderstanding
863:. Motown Junkies. 30 July 2012
767:. Motown Junkies. 30 July 2012
559:Friends, there's nothing to it
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1126:That Day When She Needed Me
948:That Day When She Needed Me
691:Top 50 in R&B Locations
641:Lead vocals by Billy Gordon
469:That Day When She Needed Me
450:The Contours: Can You Dance
270:That Day When She Needed Me
239:1964 single by The Contours
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513:William "Mickey" Stevenson
463:The song's flip side, the
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467:-written-and-produced "
458:Dance With The Contours
193:more precise citations.
366:Stevenson & Hunter
245:"Can You Jerk Like Me"
96:"Can You Jerk Like Me"
1192:Gordy Records singles
636:Credits: The Contours
570:And I just wanna know
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931:Can You Jerk Like Me
811:"Earl Van Dyke Page"
647:Guitar by Huey Davis
575:Can You Jerk Like Me
531:"Can You Do The Jerk
415:Can You Jerk Like Me
390:Can You Jerk Like Me
81:improve this article
554:Anyone can do it...
537:Come on, let's work
490:Instrumental group
1162:The Contours songs
374:singles chronology
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1187:1964 singles
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1112:Shake Sherry
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1052:Billy Gordon
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1016:Al Chisholm
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865:. Retrieved
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707:Bibliography
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624:lead singer
620:(brother of
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582:The Capitols
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487:(Motown 631)
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454:Kent Records
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427:The Contours
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255:The Contours
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79:Please help
74:verification
71:
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33:Please help
30:
1055:Billy Hoggs
626:Levi Stubbs
492:The T-Bones
361:Producer(s)
191:introducing
1172:1964 songs
1156:Categories
1063:Huey Davis
1043:Joe Stubbs
1021:Gary Grier
867:2016-09-27
820:2016-09-27
796:2010-04-17
771:2016-09-27
750:2016-09-27
745:Amazon.com
727:References
503:Background
174:references
107:newspapers
36:improve it
678:Billboard
670:position
586:Cool Jerk
435:Billboard
42:talk page
1142:" (1966)
1135:" (1965)
1128:" (1964)
1121:" (1964)
1114:" (1962)
1107:" (1962)
1100:" (1961)
902:(2004).
884:(2013).
847:Archived
695:Cash Box
509:The Jerk
421:song by
285:Recorded
277:Released
1090:Singles
942:YouTube
842:YouTube
680:Hot 100
517:A&R
419:R&B
403:(1965)
394:(1964)
385:(1964)
187:improve
121:scholar
1082:(1962)
1071:Albums
954:(1964)
937:(1964)
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608:, and
423:Motown
308:Length
263:B-side
251:Single
176:, but
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431:Gordy
334:G7037
330:Gordy
325:Label
297:Genre
128:JSTOR
114:books
962:link
933:-by
717:ISBN
668:Peak
479:and
302:Soul
280:1964
100:news
940:on
700:15
689:US
684:47
675:US
550:...
544:...
445:".
253:by
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