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.
You Don't Have to Be in the Army
Mungo Jerry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you meet her folks
And they say that your hair's too long
And you're not their kind of bloke
They grab you by the collar
And they throw you through the door
You don't have to be in the army
Well, you're working very hard to get promotion in your job
But arrive late on morning just because you missed the bus
The foreman says, "You're fired because your punctuality's poor"
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
Then you go into a hotel to get put up for the night
And they say that you can't stay there
Just because your shirt ain't white
You're tired and you hungry and you cannot walk no more
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
Ain't no money, ain't no woman, ain't no roof above your head
So you lay down in the park and you wish that you were dead
The fuzz says you are trespassing and kicks you in the jaw
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
The fuzz says you are trespassing and kicks you in the jaw
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
You don't have to be
This song by Mungo Jerry, titled "You Don't Have to Be in the Army to Fight in the War," is a commentary on social injustices and inequality in society. The lyrics suggest that one can experience a "war" in their everyday life without actually being enlisted in the military. The first verse describes a scenario where a person is judged and rejected by their girlfriend's parents due to their appearance and perceived social status. The second verse tells the story of a worker who loses their job due to a single mistake, which is seen as poor punctuality. The third verse depicts a homeless person who is kicked out of a hotel due to their appearance and inability to meet a dress code. Finally, the fourth verse talks about a person who is homeless and desperate, but is treated unfairly by law enforcement.
The message of the song is that there are different kinds of struggles in life, and that people can fight against social injustices and inequality in various ways, even if they are not in the military. The song encourages people to stand up for themselves and for what's right, even if it means facing opposition and adversity.
Overall, "You Don't Have to Be in the Army to Fight in the War" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that highlights the struggles of everyday life and encourages people to fight for justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
When your girlfriend asks you 'round to her house
If you face discrimination and rejection from someone you care about, it can feel like a battle.
And you meet her folks
You try to fit in and impress her family, but they may not accept you as you are.
And they say that your hair's too long
Your appearance or lifestyle may not conform to someone else's expectations or standards.
And you're not their kind of bloke
They judge you based on superficial qualities and reject you without getting to know you.
They grab you by the collar
You feel attacked and physically overpowered by those who hold power over you.
And they throw you through the door
You are forcibly removed and excluded from a place where you thought you belonged.
You don't have to be in the army
Being brave and fighting back against discrimination or oppression doesn't require military training.
To fight in the war
Life can be a battle, and it's important to stand up for yourself and others in the face of injustice.
Well, you're working very hard to get promotion in your job
You strive to succeed and advance in your career, but face obstacles and setbacks along the way.
But arrive late on morning just because you missed the bus
You make a mistake or face circumstances beyond your control that hinder your progress and reputation.
The foreman says, "You're fired because your punctuality's poor"
Your employer holds you responsible for a problem outside of your control and punishes you unfairly.
Then you go into a hotel to get put up for the night
You seek temporary shelter and rest, but encounter barriers to basic needs like housing and safety.
And they say that you can't stay there
You are denied access to basic services or resources because of who you are or how you appear.
Just because your shirt ain't white
You may be judged or excluded based on superficial qualities like clothing or skin color.
You're tired and you hungry and you cannot walk no more
Without access to basic necessities, you are physically and emotionally drained.
Ain't no money, ain't no woman, ain't no roof above your head
You lack basic resources like shelter, income, and social support that are essential to survival and well-being.
So you lay down in the park and you wish that you were dead
You feel overwhelmed by the challenges and obstacles you face, and consider giving up.
The fuzz says you are trespassing and kicks you in the jaw
You are physically assaulted or abused by those in power, adding to your sense of vulnerability and helplessness.
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
Standing up for yourself and others against discrimination and injustice is a form of resistance and resilience, even without formal military training.
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
No matter who you are or what challenges you face, you have the power to resist and fight back against oppression and inequality.
You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war
The struggle for justice and equality is ongoing, and requires everyday acts of courage and resilience from all individuals.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DORSET, Ray Dorset
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@teresat.246
They were not only years of joy (history teaches that it is not so), but you breathed an air of pacificism, desire to live in solidarity. "Life is for living. That's our philosophy." Those were the days! โฎ๏ธ
@celia6876
Como me hubiera gustado vivir esa epoca.PAZ.๐ฏ๐ด๐บ๐ฆ๐ณ๏ธ
@petersymonds9397
This use to be longest song title to reach the charts.
@djm2459
We need more songs of Mungo Jerry!
@guskatounas2129
I'm 64 years old and have always loved Mungo Jerry
@kevinGB319
My favourite song ever since I was 16 (now60)
@elvirariccardo7208
Fantastico e Bellissima Epoca (1971).Grazie TopPop Auguro una Serena Notte.๐โค๐๐ธ๐ถ
@jadilsonalvesdasilva7192
Muito bom excelente gosto muito ๐๐ parabรฉns pelo vรญdeo ๐๐ notas dez ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
@Hftr_232dhs
Great
@R.Meijer
Mesmerising โค๏ธ