1. The Larks were … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three groups called The Larks.
1. The Larks were an African American vocal group, active in the early 1950s, not to be confused with the Los Angeles-based Larks (originally The Meadowlarks) featuring Don Julian. Personnel: Eugene 'Gene' Mumford (1925-1977, tenor, lead), Alden 'Allen' Bunn (known later as Tarheel Slim, 1924-1977, baritone, lead, guitar), Thermon (or Thurmon) Ruth (known later as T. Ruth, 1914–2002, baritone, lead), Hadie Rowe Jr. (1928-1998, baritone), David McNeil (1932-2005, bass) and Raymond 'Pee Wee' Barnes (tenor).
The story of the Larks begins in the late 1920s, when singer Thermon Ruth founded the Selah Jubilee Singers in New York, later basing them in Raleigh, North Carolina where they had a radio show. They recorded for Decca Records and other smaller labels in the 1940s, and their membership overlapped with other religious vocal groups in the area, including The Southern Harmonaires. In 1945, Ruth tried to persuade Eugene Mumford of one of these groups, The Four Interns, to join the Selah Jubilee Singers, but before he could do so, Mumford was charged with the attempted rape of a white woman, convicted and imprisoned. He was innocent of the crime and later received a full pardon.
In 1946, Allen Bunn joined The Southern Harmonaires, and soon afterwards joined Thermon Ruth in the Selah Jubilee Singers as the group's guitarist and second lead singer. Three years later, Ruth and Bunn decided to leave to form a new group, The Jubilators. They linked up with Mumford, now released from prison, and with three members of The Southern Harmonaires, David McNeil, Hadie Rowe Jr., and Raymond 'Pee Wee' Barnes.
In 1950, the six-man group drove to New York to record. On one single day, they recorded 17 songs for four different labels, under four different names. Initially, billing themselves as the Selah Jubilee Singers, they recorded four gospel songs for Jubilee Records, before moving on to record as The Jubilators for Regal Records in New Jersey. Then they drove to Newark, recording four secular blues songs, including "Lemon Squeezer", as The 4 Barons for Savoy Records. Finally, they drove back to Apollo Records in Manhattan, where, as "The Southern Harmonaires", they recorded four more gospel tracks. However, Apollo owner Bess Berman realized the subterfuge. She signed them to a contract which allowed the other companies to release the other recordings, but wanted to promote them as a secular R&B rather than a gospel group.
At this point the group became The Larks, named along the lines of other 'bird' groups like The Ravens and The Orioles. Their earliest recordings featured Mumford on lead vocal, on "When I Leave These Prison Walls" and "My Reverie", the latter recorded after Rowe had left the group on being drafted into the Army. However, chart success did not come until later in 1951, when the blues "Eyesight To The Blind", with Bunn on lead vocals and guitar, made # 5 on the R&B charts. This was followed up by another R&B top ten hit, "Little Side Car", a reworking of Smokey Hogg’s "Too Many Drivers”. This period was the height of The Larks’ popularity – they appeared on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey TV shows, toured with Percy Mayfield, and recorded with Mahalia Jackson.
Early in 1952, however, Bunn left for a solo career, first recording blues for Apollo, accompanied by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and then moving to Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label in 1953 (as "Allen Baum"!). Barnes also left The Larks in early 1952 to become a R&B, jazz and rock 'n’ roll session guitarist. Shortly afterwards, McNeil also left to replace Bill Brown in The Dominoes. Thermon Ruth relocated back to North Carolina, and The Larks as a group effectively then ceased to exist for a while.
Gene Mumford joined gospel group The Golden Gate Quartet, but in 1953 he decided to return to secular music. He recruited the quartet’s Orville Brooks and pianist Glenn Burgess, and singers David "Boots" Bowers and Isaiah Bing of the King Odom Four, this group then becoming the new incarnation of The Larks. Bess Berman at Apollo wanted the group to develop as a mainstream pop music group, rather than an R&B group, and they released a number of singles in that vein. They also appeared in the movie Rhythm & Blues Revue. However, commercial success eluded them, and the second Larks disbanded in 1955.
2. The Larks were Don Julian (1935-1998), Ted Walters and Charles Morrison. They had one top 40 hit, 'The Jerk', which rose to #7 in 1964.
3. The Larks were a ska band from the United Kingdom. Their first incarnation formed in 1981 in Kent. Relocating to London in the mid-1980s the line-up settled with Tommy Barlow (vocals, sax), Mark Bannister (guitar), Dave Eastgate (drums), Eric Coker (trumpet), Pete Daws (bass) and Phil Veacock (saxes). Their first appearance on vinyl was with the song 'Maggie Maggie Maggie (Out Out Out' on a Miners benefit LP. Several singles followed. The band had a large following and played many sold-out shows, but split up in 1988.
The Jerk
The Larks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl, girl, what's that you're doin'?
You've got to show me the steps to it
Somehow I'm gonna learn how to do it
Do the jerk, hey
Do the jerk, girl, come on and work, hey
Do the jerk
Girl (come on time)
Work it out, right on time
Everybody's got the beat, hey look at me
Doin' the jerk, yeah, now watch me work
Girl, now do the jerk, hey, do the jerk
Go on and soul, soul, soul, soul
Soul, everybody now, soul, soul, soul
You don't know how to do it?
Come on, gonna teach it to ya'
I'm doin' the jerk, yeah
Watch me work, girl, now
Do the jerk, come on time
Do the jerk, let me see you work
Do the jerk, everybody
Do the jerk, come on now
Do the jerk, with a little bit of soul
Do the jerk, show 'em girl
Do the jerk, work, work, work
Do the jerk, come on girl
Do the jerk, listen everybody
Do the jerk, I like the way you work
Do the jerk, with soul now, girl
Do the jerk, hey hey!
The Larks's song "The Jerk" is a classic 60s dance tune that is all about learning a new dance move called the Jerk. The lyrics are directed towards a girl who is already doing the Jerk and the singer wants to learn the steps to do it too. The song is upbeat and has a catchy melody that makes you want to dance along with it. The singer marvels at the girl's ability to move her hips and encourages everyone to join in and learn how to do the Jerk with a little bit of soul.
The Jerk dance move itself was very popular in the 60s and was characterized by quick, jerky, and somewhat uncoordinated movements of the arms and legs that were in time with the music. The song encourages everyone to join in and learn how to do the Jerk, implying that it wasn't a difficult dance move to pick up. The repetitive use of the phrase "Do the Jerk" is also very indicative of the dance culture of the time, where dances were often named after a particular move that was repeated throughout the song.
Overall, "The Jerk" is a fun and upbeat song that captures the essence of the dance culture of the 60s. It encourages everyone to join in and learn how to do the Jerk with a little bit of soul and shows how dance can bring people together in a fun and joyous way.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl, hey what's that you're doin'?
The singer sees the girl moving in a cool and unique way and is curious about what she is doing.
You've got to show me the steps to it
Somehow I'm gonna learn how to do it
The singer admires the girl's dancing and is asking her to teach him/her the steps so he/she can replicate them.
Do the jerk, hey
Do the jerk, girl, come on and work, hey
Do the jerk
The singer is asking the girl to do the dance that she was doing earlier because it looks really cool.
Girl, how do you move your hips so fine?
Girl (come on time)
Work it out, right on time
The artist is amazed by the girl's dancing skills and is asking her to teach him/her how to move the hips just like her.
Everybody's got the beat, hey look at me
Doin' the jerk, yeah, now watch me work
Girl, now do the jerk, hey, do the jerk
The artist is confident that he/she can do the dance that the girl is doing, and is asking her to watch him/her do it.
Go on and soul, soul, soul, soul
Soul, everybody now, soul, soul, soul
The singer is asking everyone to dance with their soul and let loose while doing the dance.
You don't know how to do it?
Come on, gonna teach it to ya'
I'm doin' the jerk, yeah
Watch me work, girl, now
The singer is offering to teach the dance to anyone who doesn't know how to do it.
Do the jerk, come on time
Do the jerk, let me see you work
Do the jerk, everybody
Do the jerk, come on now
The artist is encouraging everyone to join in and do the dance together.
Do the jerk, with a little bit of soul
Do the jerk, show 'em girl
Do the jerk, work, work, work
Do the jerk, come on girl
The artist is asking the girl to show everyone how to do the dance with soul and passion.
Do the jerk, listen everybody
Do the jerk, I like the way you work
Do the jerk, with soul now, girl
Do the jerk, hey hey!
The artist is complimenting everyone's dancing and is enjoying the energy and soul that everyone is putting into the dance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Don Julian
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carrie Nixon
Love this song. So many great memories. ❤
Robert Barrientos
Such memories listening to this particular song and the jerk was very popular as well.. back in the day. 🎶
BlueParadoxical
One of my favorite all-time soul tracks. A little funny story about it: the first time I played this, I had the TT at 33rpm. I wondered what the heck I was hearing!
John Maria Strong
Tx or the comment , Jack
Michael Christopherson
😄👍
Ralph Moreno
Wonderful soul moving song with rythem,melodie,harmonious music ,firme rolla!!!
JIMI T
This 60’s Classic was recorded using just three instruments, Bass, Drums and Guitar with that great tremolo sound.
Raymond Malcuit
This Song Went To Number 7 On The Billboard Hot 100 Chart In 1965.
John Maria Strong
Wow Ray , Never Knew That . Tx , Jack
G Yost
I love this song. I was given the 45 when I was little and wore it out on my Zenith hifi. The flip side is really good too although it has an "earlier" sound