Mungo Jerry
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.
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.
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Mungo Jerry Lyrics
03 Hello Nadine I remember when the days were young Summertime had only just…
3-Hello Nadine I remember when the days were young Summertime had only jus…
46 & On Back in '46 the year I was born, They learned a…
46 And On Back in '46 the year I was born, They learned a…
ALL THAT A WOMAN SHOULD BE She is so hot She is so cold She is so young She…
Alright Oh, I've been thinking about my life, What's been wrong and…
Alright Alright Alright Oh, I've been thinking about my life, What's been wrong and…
Alright, Alright, Alright Dododo... Oh, I've been thinking about my life What's been …
Baby Jump She wears those micromini dresses Hair hanging down her back…
Baby Let's Play House Written by Gunter Well You may go to college, You …
Baby Let’s Play House Written by Gunter Well You may go to college, You may…
Bottle Of Beer Written by: Ray Dorset I went down to the corner, …
Brand New Car Well everybody's talkin' 'bout my brand new car, They say t…
Cold Blue Excursion At night I walk alone, through valleys filled with snow, Da…
Coming Back to You When the Time Comes Just got a letter from her, sat down and read…
Daddie's Brew Earl Back home in the hills where the streams are good … He…
Demon There's been a whole lot of trouble in the place…
Dust Pneumonia Blues I've got that dust pneumonia, pneumonia in my lung, I've go…
Dusty Road Blowing down that old dusty road, yes, I'm blowing down tha…
Ella Speed Come and take heed, be sworn by the death of…
GET DOWN ON YOUR BABY Written by: Ray Dorset If your baby puts you down,…
Give Me Love You gotta give, give a little, Beg, beg a little, You gotta…
Going Down Slow Well he got up Sunday put on his jeans Packed his…
Have a Whiff on Me Boitha maro boitha maro re. . Boitha maro boitha maro re.…
Heartbreak Avenue (Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, Run, run, run, run,…
Hello Nadine I remember when the days were young Summertime had only just…
Hello Nadine - I remember when the days were young Summertime had only jus…
Hit Me Written by: Ray Dorset Well hit me baby, hit me re…
I Don't Wanna Go Back to School Cuando me encierro en mi cuarto creo que mundo esta en…
I Had a Bird I want to buy you presents, I want to buy…
I Just Wanna Make Love to You I don't want you, cook my bread, I don't want you,…
Impala Saga Written by: Ray Dorset I used to have a little bro…
In the Summer Time In the summertime when the weather's high, You can stretch r…
In the Summertime Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-ch…
JESSE JAMES Now Jesse James was a man who killed many men, He…
Johnny B Badde Johnny plays the guitar sittin' on the wall, yeah! All the…
Keep Your Hands Off Her Keep your hands off - hands off, keep your hands off…
Knocking On Heaven's Door Mama take this badge from me I can't use it anymore It's…
Lady Rose On the dark nights By the fire light I see her face Before…
Lana I've seen you in the station bar drinking strong black…
Long Legged Woman Dressed She's a long-legged woman dressed in black, dressed in black…
Looking For My Girl I felt rather homesick lookin' for my girl, Searchin' for so…
Maggie She got long hair, she got big eyes, She wears skirts…
Memoirs of a Stockbroker I remember when I was very young, Had lot of toys…
Mighty Man Well I'm driving down the highway Brand new shiny car I got…
Movin' On King Got up this morning, I got an aching head Been slee…
Mungos Blues I've got that dustpneumony Pneumony in my lung. I've got tha…
My Friend I saw that woman with the beautiful legs, I gave her…
My Girl and Me Wait, till the sun goes down, then we'll go walkin',…
Northcote Arms Well we used to go down there every Saturday night, The…
On a Sunday On a Monday, on a Tuesday, on a Wednesday, on…
On the Summertime Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-ch…
One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer One bourbon, one scotc…
Open Up When you're feeling down, Does the rain fall heavy all aroun…
Pushbike Song Ridin' along on my pushbike, honey When I nowhere near you …
QUIET MAN Written by: Ray Dorset When the party is over, the…
Remember Me Let's have one more for the road, just one more…
Right On Right on, right on, right on, right on, Right on, right…
San Francisco Bay Blues Written by Fuller I got the blues from my baby dow…
See Me Dorset You don’t see me, see me hangin’ ‘round your door …
See You Again I was comin' to see you, down by the waterside, Hopin'…
She Rowed Well she said goodbye, to her man, she missed the…
She's Gone The rain fell on my window, the wind was at…
Snakebite I saw a little biker girl with long, long legs, She…
Somebody Stole My Wife [Chorus] Somebody stole my wife, yeah, Somebody stole my wif…
Sugar In The Bowl Sugar in the bowl, sugar in the bowl, all dressed…
Sugar Mama Sugar Mama, look at me, won't you give your love…
Sweet Mary Jane I think about the people I've known, and of the…
Take Me Back Oh, take me back, take me back, won't do nothing…
The Demon There's been a whole lot of trouble in the place…
The Pushbike Song Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh, …
The Summertime Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh, chh chh-ch…
Time Is Now Wake up your friends, shout out the news, Let all the…
Wild Love Well, she knows how to rock it, knows how to…
You Better Leave That Whisky Alone Well I don't know what to do about my Mummy 'Cos…
You Don't Have to Be in the Army When your girlfriend asks you 'round to her house And you…
You Don't Have to Be in the Army to Fight the War Dorset When your girlfriend asks you 'round to her house …
You Don't Have To Be The army To Fight In The War When your girlfriend asks you 'round to her house And you…