Dorset and Colin Earl had previously been members of The Good Earth. Soon after recruiting Paul King and Mike Cole, they made their national debut at the Hollywood Festival at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire in May 1970, the week their first single, "In the Summertime" was released. They stole the show and the record topped the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks, made number one in almost every other country around the world, and to date has sold around 23 million copies. After John Godfrey replaced Cole, their second single "Baby Jump" also topped the UK chart in March 1971. A third hit, "Lady Rose" (also in 1971), gave the group the image as a band for producing summertime based hits.
In time Dorset found the group's good-time blues and jug band repertoire a little restricting, and in 1972 he released a solo album Cold Blue Excursion, with his songs backed by strings and brass and, in one instance, a jazz band. His intention to broaden the group's appeal by recruiting a drummer led to King and Earl trying to sack him, but the management, regarding Dorset as inseparable in the public eye from Mungo Jerry, fired them both instead. Dorset and Godfrey, the bassist, recruited new members and presented a new sound, heard on the fourth album Boot Power. King and Earl went on to form the King Earl Boogie Band.
Mungo Jerry's hits continued through to 1976 with "Open Up" (Top Twenty in Europe and number one in Brazil); "Alright Alright Alright" (a rewrite of an old French hit for Jacques Dutronc, and again a major hit worldwide reaching the Top 3 in the UK); "Wild Love"; "Long Legged Woman Dressed In Black"; "Hello Nadine" (European hit and Top Five in Canada); and "It's a Secret" (European hit).
In 1975 Earl, who had played piano with Foghat in between, returned to play keyboards, and percussion player Joe Rush, part-time member of the band in earlier days, also came back for a while.
The group's line-up has changed constantly over the years. Among those who have played with them are bassist Bob Daisley, drummers Dave Bidwell, Paul Hancox and Boris Williams, guitarist Dick Middleton and keyboard/accordion player Steve Jones. They have remained particularly popular throughout Europe. Mungo Jerry was the first western band who had live TV gigs, in all countries behind the Iron Curtain. Their famous "Golden Orpheus" gig in Bulgaria, also gave them a lot of new fans.
In 1980 another Dorset song, "Feels Like I'm in Love", originally written for Elvis Presley, and recorded by the band as a B side of a single, became a British number one hit for Kelly Marie. They remained successful with overseas hits like "On A Night Like This", "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" and "Sunshine Reggae" (British version by Mungo Jerry & Horizon). But Dorset had to wait until 1995 for a real comeback, when "In the Summertime" was recorded by reggae vocalist Shaggy, who topped the charts worldwide. The last UK chart entry for Mungo Jerry was "Toon Army", a song for Newcastle United F.C. in 1999.
In 1983 "Mungo Jerry" Ray Dorset was part of the blues supergroup Katmandu, which recorded A Case For The Blues, with guitarist Peter Green, formerly of Fleetwood Mac, and keyboard player Vincent Crane, formerly of Atomic Rooster and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
In 2003, with German musicians, Dorset recorded Adults Only album under the name Mungo Jerry Blues Band, widely acclaimed as one of the best of his career. 2005 saw him performing with three Mungo Jerry line-ups: The British Mungo Jerry Band (pop/rock), the German Mungo Jerry Blues Band (blues/rock) and Mungo Jerry & the Goodtime Gamblers (jug/blues/skiffle).
Also in June 2005, Ray Dorset had a gig again as a duo with Mike Cole - the original double bass player from the early Mungo days - as a highlight of the "35 Years Of Mungo Jerry" event in both Newcastle and Stoke.
In March 2006 Mungo Jerry released their new single "Mr Midnight" from Phantom of the Opera on Ice (http://www.plazarecords.co.uk); produced by Roberto Danova - who had mixed in the past the old continental Mungo Jerry hits "Lana" and "It's a Secret" - and is well-known for his work with rock and pop music, in combination with big orchestras.
Brand New Car
Mungo Jerry Lyrics
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They say they want to ride and they want to go far,
[Chorus:]
Oh, baby ride in my brand new car,
Won't you come on baby, won't you ride in my brand new car.
It's got a bright red bonnet, it matches your dress,
[Chorus]
Turn the radio on, put a tape in the slot,
You can light a cigarette, look at the clock,
[Chorus]
It's got a dog in the back, that nods his head,
The back seat springs, yeah, just like a bed,
[Chorus]
Disc brakes all round, power steering too,
Twin carburetors, an ice box in the boot,
[Chorus]
The song "Brand New Car" by Mungo Jerry talks about the love and pride that the singer has for his new car. He sings about how everyone is talking about it and wants to ride it, but only someone special can ride with him. He describes the car's features - a bright red bonnet that matches his girl's dress, reclining seats with black headrests, a dog in the back that nods its head, disc brakes all round, power steering, twin carburetors, and an ice box in the boot. The singer also mentions turning on the radio and putting a tape in the slot, lighting a cigarette and checking the clock. The song's chorus invites his girl to ride with him and enjoy the car's features.
The song can be interpreted as a symbol of freedom, romance and adventure. The car represents the singer's escape from the monotony and confinement of everyday life. It is also a symbol of his love and affection for his girl. He invites her to share the experience with him, to go far and explore the world, and to make memories that will last a lifetime. The lyrics are playful and upbeat, and the melody is catchy and fun. The song is a celebration of life and the joy of being alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Well everybody's talkin' 'bout my brand new car,
People are talking about my new car.
They say they want to ride and they want to go far,
They desire to go on a long joyride.
Oh, baby ride in my brand new car,
Baby, come and ride in my car.
Won't you come on baby, won't you ride in my brand new car.
Please come ride with me in my brand new car.
It's got a bright red bonnet, it matches your dress,
The car has a bright red hood that matches your dress.
Reclining seats and black headrest
The car has comfortable seats that recline with black headrests.
Turn the radio on, put a tape in the slot,
Turn on the radio and insert a tape into the slot.
You can light a cigarette, look at the clock,
You have the option to light a cigarette and check the clock.
It's got a dog in the back, that nods his head,
There's a dog in the back of the car that nods its head.
The back seat springs, yeah, just like a bed,
The back seat's springs are just as comfortable as a bed.
Disc brakes all round, power steering too,
The car has disc brakes all around and power steering.
Twin carburetors, an ice box in the boot,
The car has twin carburetors and an ice box in the trunk.
Oh, baby ride in my brand new car,
Baby, come and ride in my car.
Won't you come on baby, won't you ride in my brand new car.
Please come ride with me in my brand new car.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAY DORSET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind