Mungo Jerry is an English folk/classic rock group from Ashford, Englandwhos… Read Full Bio ↴Mungo Jerry is an English folk/classic rock group from Ashford, Englandwhose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most instantly recognisable song. Their name was inspired by the poem Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. According to Joseph Murrell's "The Book of Golden Discs" (1978), 'Mungomania' was possibly the most startling and unpredicted pop phenomenon to hit Britain since The Beatles.

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.

Sweet Mary Jane
Mungo Jerry Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I think about the people I've known, and of the places I've been
Of all the girls I've ever loved, I still want sweet Mary Jane

I think about the hot summer days, and of the cold mountain stream
Of quiet meadows and green apple trees, and of my sweet Mary Jane

Come with me we'll follow the sun, to a land 'cross the sea
Take my hand and I'll be your friend

Oh, come with me Mary Jane
Take my hand and I'll be your friend
Oh, come with me Mary Jane, ch ch ch

(repeat)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mungo Jerry's "Sweet Mary Jane" showcase the artist's nostalgia for his past experiences, especially those that revolve around love and nature. As a listener, one can appreciate the depth of his reflections on the people he has known and the places he has been. The opening lines reveal the artist's inclination to think about his past and cherish the memories he has made. The mention of the girls he has loved indicates that he has had several romantic relationships, but he still longs for one in particular – Mary Jane.

He then goes on to paint a vivid picture of nature with the mention of hot summer days, cold mountain streams, quiet meadows, and green apple trees. The scenery described is not only a reflection of the beauty of the natural world but also serves to highlight the artist's longing to share those experiences with Mary Jane. "Come with me we'll follow the sun, to a land 'cross the sea," he sings, inviting her to accompany him on an adventure.

Overall, "Sweet Mary Jane" is a song that beautifully captures the essence of nostalgia, love, and nature. It serves as a gentle reminder for listeners to cherish their memories and appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

Line by Line Meaning

I think about the people I've known, and of the places I've been
I reminisce on the individuals I have encountered and the locations I've visited

Of all the girls I've ever loved, I still want sweet Mary Jane
Despite romances past, my desire remains for my beloved Mary Jane

I think about the hot summer days, and of the cold mountain stream
I recollect on warm summer afternoons and freezing mountain waters

Of quiet meadows and green apple trees, and of my sweet Mary Jane
My mind wanders to peaceful meadows and verdant apple orchards, as well as my darling Mary Jane

Come with me we'll follow the sun, to a land 'cross the sea
Join me in chasing the light to a foreign country

Take my hand and I'll be your friend
If you accept my offer, I will be your companion

Oh, come with me Mary Jane
Oh, my dear Mary Jane, accompany me

Take my hand and I'll be your friend
If you take my hand, I will remain by your side as your trusted confidante

Oh, come with me Mary Jane, ch ch ch
Oh, my beloved Mary Jane, let us depart together with excitement and readiness

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAY DORSET

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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