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.
GET DOWN ON YOUR BABY
Mungo Jerry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If your baby puts you down, every time you joy ride,
If she makes you feel so small, let her know that you're no fool,
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike
If your baby can't sleep at night, supplement your appetite,
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike
Get down on your baby
Show that girl that you can ride, let her know you'll never stop,
Move so fast, ride so hard, take that woman by the hand,
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike,
Get down on your bike,
Repeat first verse
Get down on your bike, Get down on your baby,
Get down on your baby, Get down on your bike,
Get down, get down, get down, get down
On your baby, your baby, your baby, your baby
The lyrics to Mungo Jerry's song "Get Down on Your Baby" seem to describe a situation in which the singer's partner is putting them down and making them feel insignificant. The first verse suggests that the singer has been prohibited from enjoying activities that they love, such as joyriding on their bike. Instead of succumbing to their partner's demands, the lyrics encourage the singer to stand up for themselves and assert their independence. The chorus "Get down on your bike" serves as a call to action, urging the singer to get back on their bike and do things their way.
The second verse touches on a different issue - the singer's partner's insecurities causing them to demand attention and affection at all hours of the night. The lyrics suggest that the singer should cater to their partner's needs and supplement their appetite, but not to forget that they are still the leading man in the relationship. The chorus reiterates the importance of the singer's personal agency and their ability to show their partner that they are their own person.
Overall, the lyrics to "Get Down on Your Baby" seem to be about standing up for oneself and refusing to be controlled by others. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody make it an excellent vehicle for this message.
Line by Line Meaning
If your baby puts you down, every time you joy ride,
If your partner constantly undermines you whenever you do something that brings you happiness,
If she makes you feel so small, let her know that you're no fool,
If she belittles you, stand up for yourself and assert that you won't tolerate being treated that way.
Get down on your bike, Get down on your bike
Engage in something you enjoy doing to regain your self-confidence and sense of self-worth.
If your baby can't sleep at night, supplement your appetite,
If your partner has trouble sleeping, try to satisfy her needs and desires to make her feel more comfortable and relaxed.
If she's orders if she's cries, don't forget that you're the guy
If your partner demands things from you or becomes emotional, remember that you are capable of handling the situation and being a supportive partner.
Show that girl that you can ride, let her know you'll never stop,
Demonstrate to your partner that you are committed to making things work, and that you are willing to put in the effort to keep the relationship going.
Move so fast, ride so hard, take that woman by the hand,
Be bold and passionate in your approach to love, and take the initiative to show your partner how much you care for her.
Repeat first verse
Reiterate the importance of standing up for yourself and pursuing activities that bring you joy and self-confidence.
Get down on your bike, Get down on your baby,
Engage in activities that make you feel good about yourself, and show your partner your love and support.
Get down, get down, get down, get down
Emphasize the importance of taking action and being proactive in your approach to love and relationships.
On your baby, your baby, your baby, your baby
Focus on building a strong and meaningful connection with your partner, and showing her how much she means to you.
Contributed by Ava P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michael O Hanlon
This is probably one of the most musical tracks ever that makes me want to get into a car and go on a long journey! It it brilliant!
Jane E Shields
Love it!
hywel bowen
Saw Mungo Jerry live twice in the Frenchman Hotel Goodwick back in the 70's - Brilliant
Siegfried Neher
Love it too
Paul Martin
I think most of the lyrics of this song were plagiarised from Germaine Greer’s “The female eunuch”. Keep on rockin Ray!
Marcel Thierens
Super mungo
Michael O Hanlon
THIS IS THE BUSINESS!
C'est supreme!
Elgnophs
C'est de la baaaaaaaaaaaaaalle ... !!!