Search - Mungo Jerry :: The Very Best of Mungo Jerry

Skiffle-cum-jug band famous for In the summertime

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mungo Jerry, comprising Ray Dorset (lead vocals, guitar), Colin Earl (piano, vocals), Paul King (banjo, jug, guitar vocals) and Mike Cole (bass), first made an impact at a pop festival in Staffordshire, England in 1970. Apparently, this hitherto unknown group were more popular than the headline acts (including the Grateful Dead and Traffic) and the ensuing publicity gained them a lot of attention, including a recording contract.



Their first single, In the summertime, has proved to be one of the most popular summer songs of all time, especially in the UK where it was the number one hit for seven weeks. It was also a huge hit in many other countries. After that, Mike Cole left the group, replaced by John \Godfrey. There was a gap of several months before the follow-up single (Baby jump) was released but while this may have cost them momentum in some countries, it did them no harm in Britain as it also made number one, albeit only for two weeks.



Mungo Jerry never hit the top of the charts again but they had a top five hit (Lady Rose), a top three hit (Alright alright alright - an adaptation of a French song) and four other UK hits (You don't have to be in the army to fight in the war, Open up, Wild love, Long legged woman dressed in black). During this run of hits, Paul King and Colin Earl left to form their own group but made no impact. John Pope (piano) and Tim Reeves (drums) replaced them in Mungo Jerry.



Eventually, Ray Dorset became a record producer. His most notable success was to produce Kelly Marie's 1980 number one UK hit, Feels like I'm in love. This disco record is far removed from Mungo Jerry in style, but is actually a cover of a Mungo Jerry B-side - and the original is included on this compilation.



Despite the excellence of some of their other hits, it is rare (even in the UK) to find any of them on various artists compilations apart from In the summertime, which is easy to find on such compilations. If you want to explore their music in greater depth, this is your chance. If you only want In the summertime, you may prefer to go for one of those various artists compilations instead."

Appealing 1970s rock & pop

Pieter | Johannesburg | 07/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 40-track 2-disc set is a comprehensive collection of Mungo Jerry's hits and best album tracks. Mungo first made the charts in 1970 with their addictive bubblegum boogie hit In The Summertime, a song that took the world by storm with its simple hypnotic riffs and catchy tune that made the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic.



The following year they scored big again with Baby Jump, Lady Rose and You Don't Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War, all catchy numbers with the same buoyant pop rhythms, engaging hooks and soulful vocals as In The Summertime. In 1973 they had more hits with Alright Alright Alright and Long Legged Woman Dressed In Black.



Their happy mix of prominent piano, guitars and banjo gave them a unique and appealing sound on those hit singles. I would call it folk-pop, but the vocals had a distinct bluesy rock feel and some of these tracks are pure hard rock, though still with a bluesy, at times acid rock, undertone, like the 9-minute tour de force I Just Wanna Make Love To You.



This collection includes rarities like the band's minor successes Johnny B Bad and Maggie. Besides the aforementioned hits, my other favorites include On A Sunday, My Girl And Me and Summer's Gone. Their music is a beautiful reminder of the colourful variety of rock and pop styles that flourished in the UK in the 1970s and this is by far the best compilation."