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.
Heartbreak Avenue
Mungo Jerry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run)
When you're looking for someone, I will come to you,
When you're needing somebody, I will run to you,
When you're needing somebody to be by your side,
When you are in trouble I will be there to dry your eyes
And I will come to you, I will be there,
I will run to you, I will be there,
Yes I will, yes I will, yes I will, yes I will,
I will run to you.
When you're needing somebody on the darkest night,
When you're needing somebody to make things alright,
When you feel like a stranger in a stranger's land,
When you are in danger I'll be there just to lend a hand.
Repeat Chorus:
I see a dog who could not bark, I feel a danger after dark,
And it's late in the afternoon on Heartbreak Avenue.
Repeat Chorus:
In the song Heartbreak Avenue, Mungo Jerry presents himself as a loyal and dependable partner or friend who will come to the rescue of someone in need. The lyrics convey the message that the singer is always ready to comfort or protect the subject of the song whenever they are going through difficult times. The repetition of the phrase "I will run to you" emphasizes the urgency and sincerity of the singer's intention to be there for the person they are addressing. The chorus serves as a declaration of commitment, and the use of repetition and rhyme reinforces the emotional impact of the promise.
The verse "I see a dog who could not bark, I feel a danger after dark, And it's late in the afternoon on Heartbreak Avenue" adds some mystery to the song and suggests that the singer is currently in a risky or uncertain situation. The use of the metaphor of Heartbreak Avenue as a place of danger and sorrow adds depth to the song and could be interpreted as a warning or reminder that tough times can happen to anyone, and we all need a helping hand from time to time.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're looking for someone, I will come to you,
I promise to always be there for you when you need me the most.
When you're needing somebody, I will run to you,
I'll come running to your rescue whenever you call my name.
When you're needing somebody to be by your side,
I'll be there to support you and stand by you through thick and thin.
When you are in trouble I will be there to dry your eyes
I'll console and comfort you when you're feeling low or facing tough times.
When you're needing somebody on the darkest night,
I'll light up your path and guide you through the darkness.
When you're needing somebody to make things alright,
I promise to do everything in my power to make things right for you.
When you feel like a stranger in a stranger's land,
I'll make you feel safe and welcome, even in unfamiliar surroundings.
When you are in danger I'll be there just to lend a hand.
I'll protect and defend you whenever you're in harm's way.
I see a dog who could not bark, I feel a danger after dark,
I sense trouble brewing and feel the need to be vigilant and alert in case of danger.
And it's late in the afternoon on Heartbreak Avenue.
Despite the potential dangers and heartbreaks of life, I'll always be there for you.
Contributed by Landon O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Béla Kiss
Hey Guys! You should not forget the good old Mungo Jerry band! Listen to what good music they play!