"The Jerk" by The Larks

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You can find the lyrics to and more information about this recording on my favorite lyrics website at: http://www.mp3lyrics.org/l/larks/jerk/

"The Jerk" rose to #7 on the Billboard "Hot 100" chart in November of 1964 and #9 on the "R&B" singles chart. It was the group's only hit.

There were several groups named The Larks (sometimes called Jon Julian & The Larks, however the group that recorded this 1964 version of "The Jerk" was a trio that songwriter and frontman Don Julian put together after his former group, Don Julian & The Meadowlarks, a quartet, broke up. Other groups with the same name were not at all associated with "The Jerk." (Note: Many of the music websites get the two groups mentioned here confused. The trio, (Don Julian &) The Larks, is the group that recorded this song. Don't believe the source that calls them Don Julian and the Meadowlarks.)

The dance, The Jerk, was a popular the early- to mid-1960s. The
eponymously named song was first recorded for Money Records in 1964 by song writer Don Julian and his Los Angeles soul group The Larks and a dance craze was born. In this dance the arms and hands move as if conducting a band. The wrists cross in front of the chest and then sweep out in time, or at half time with the music, until they are up at face level. On count 1, the outward sweep, the hands are quickly pushed out, and the torso is thrust forward, giving the jerky motion. For a little more style, the fingers are snapped on the outward movements.