After signing with the Karen record label, owned by McLaughlin, the group went on to record and release their first single in 1963, "Dog and Cat/The Kick." The record displayed the upbeat energy of their later work, however the juvenile nature and lyrics of the song couldn't find a substantial audience. In light of the disappointing performance of their debut single, the group dissolved and pursued other ventures.
The mid-60s saw many dance crazes; one of the most popular ones was a dance called "the jerk." It consisted of holding the arms out in different positions and making thrusting motions with the hips. Though controversial for lewdness at the time, a particularly sexual version of the dance had become popular in Detroit clubs, called the "pimp jerk."
Seeking to capitalize on the popularity of the dance, and dance songs in general, Storball wrote a song about the pimp jerk, renaming it to "cool jerk" in order to prevent possible banning by radio stations. Realizing that the song was a hit, the group re-formed and contacted McLaughlin in order to secure studio time to record the song.
The song was recorded at Golden World Studios in Detroit on March 14, 1966 with the legendary Motown house band The Funk Brothers. Though the song was meant to include a horn accompaniment, the contracted musicians failed to arrive to the recording, and the horns were omitted from the track. It was released on July 2, 1966 and was a smash hit, reaching as high as #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Billboard R&B charts.
Attempting to exploit the success of their hit single, the Capitols released two albums in 1966, "Dance the Cool Jerk" and "We Got a Thing," both featuring mostly covers of popular Motown and soul songs. Both albums were somewhat of a commercial and critical failure, though "Dance the Cool Jerk" did spend one week in the Billboard Top 200 Albums at #95 in July 1966. The group released eight additional singles after "Cool Jerk", none of which made any of the Billboard charts, relegating the group to a One-Hit Wonder. In late 1969, the group broke up for the final time.
"We Got a Thing That's in the Groove" was the basis of the French yé-yé song "Les filles s'est fait pour faire l'amour," which was recorded by Charlotte Leslie and Mareva Galanter.
Storball went on to have a career in the Detroit Police Department, and still lives in Detroit to this day. Richard McDougall died on February 19, 1984 of unknown causes. Samuel George died March 17, 1982 of stabbing wounds.
Hello Stranger
The Capitols Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop)
Hello, stranger
(ooh) It seems so good to see you back again
How long has it been?
(ooh, seems like a mighty long time)
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, m
I'm so glad
You stopped by to say "hello" to me
Remember that's the way it used to be
Ooh, it seems like a mighty long time
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
Oh-uh-oh
I'm so glad you're here again
Oh-uh-oh
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Oh-ahh-uh-oh
If you're not gonna stay
(ooh) Please don't treat me like you did before
Because I still love you so a-a-although
It seems like a mighty long time
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh
It seems like a mighty long time
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, my
I'm so happy that you're here again
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The Capitols' hit song "Hello Stranger" speaks about being happy to see an old flame return, with the singer wondering how long it's been since they've seen each other. The song opens with the singer expressing excitement upon seeing the stranger again. They ask how long it has been and notes that it seems like it's been a long time. The repetition of the "shoo-bop" refrain emphasizes the singer's eagerness to reconnect with this person.
As the song progresses, the singer declares how happy they are that the stranger has stopped by to say hello. This is followed by a nostalgic reflection on the way things used to be between them. The singer acknowledges that it has been a long time since they last saw each other, highlighting the theme of time that runs throughout the song.
The song ends with a plea from the singer, asking the stranger not to treat them the way they did before if they're not going to stick around because they still love them. The repetition of "shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby" at the end seems to suggest a mix of joy at seeing the stranger again and sadness at the uncertain future of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The singer is singing a playful nonsense phrase.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop)
The singer repeats the playful phrase again for emphasis.
Hello, stranger
The singer greets someone who they haven't seen in a while.
(ooh) It seems so good to see you back again
The artist expresses their pleasure at seeing the other person again.
How long has it been?
The artist wonders how much time has passed since they last saw the other person.
(ooh, seems like a mighty long time)
The singer thinks that it has been a very long time since they last saw the other person.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
The playful nonsense phrase is repeated again along with an expression of pleasure.
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, m
The singer makes a sound of pleasure and emphasizes how glad they are to see the other person.
I'm so glad
The artist emphasizes their happiness at seeing the other person.
You stopped by to say "hello" to me
The artist expresses gratitude that the other person made the effort to visit.
Remember that's the way it used to be
The singer recalls how things were between them in the past.
Ooh, it seems like a mighty long time
The artist reiterates that a lot of time has passed since they last saw each other.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
The playful phrase is repeated once again.
Oh-uh-oh
The singer continues to express their delight at seeing the other person again.
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
The playful phrase is repeated again for emphasis.
Oh-ahh-uh-oh
The singer makes another sound of pleasure.
If you're not gonna stay
The artist expresses concern that the other person may not be sticking around for long.
(ooh) Please don't treat me like you did before
The singer asks the other person to avoid mistreating them like they may have in the past.
Because I still love you so a-a-although
The singer admits that they still have feelings for the other person despite any prior issues between them.
It seems like a mighty long time
The artist reiterates how much time has passed since they last saw the other person.
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh
The playful phrase is repeated yet again.
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, my
The artist continues to express their pleasure at seeing the other person again.
I'm so happy that you're here again
The singer emphasizes their happiness again.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The playful phrase is repeated one final time to close out the song.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARBARA ANN LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind