൯ MUNGO JERRY, In The Summertime|Baby Jump|Lady Rose|Open Up|Alright Alright Alright|Long Legged Woman|Hello Nadine|It's A Secret|Push Bike Song

Mungo Jerry are an English folk/classic rock group whose 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 the most successful and most instantly recognisable summer 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 Earl had previously been members of The Good Earth. Soon after recruiting King and 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 26 countries around the world and to date has sold around 30 million copies. Mungo Jerry made their first trip to the United States in September 1970. 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.

Mungo Jerry was awarded from Melody Maker the 'best new band' title in 1970and as one of the five best live bands in the world in 1971. Dorset was granted three Ivor Novello Awards as a composer.

Mungo Jerry's hits continued through to 1976 with "Open Up" (Top Twenty in Europe "Alright Alright Alright" (a rewrite of an old French hit for Jacques Dutroncand 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). [wikipedia]

Just fancy that - No chart hit has had more than 13 words in the title so "You Don't Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War" gave Mungo Jerry one more little souvenir of their hit-making days.

PUSH BIKE SONG Lyric

Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh,

Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh,

Ridin’ along on my pushbike, honey

When I nowhere near you

Round down town, in a hurry honey,

Now, I’ve got my sights on you

You look so pretty, she was ridin’ along,

You look so pretty, She was singing this song,….

Ahh,

Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh,

Sh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh,

Puttin’ on speed, as I tried catchin’ up but you

Were pedaling harder, too

Riding along like a hurricane, honey

Speeding afta you,

You look so pretty, she was ridin’ along,

You look so pretty, She was singing this song,….

*Brrr, Sing this song,

Round, round wheels go round and round

Down, up pedals, down, up, down

Well, gotta get across to the other side of town

B’fore the sun goes down,

hey, hey, hey

Shh, shh, ahh, Shh, shh, ahh,

Shh, sh, ahh, Sh, sh, ahh,

Well, we’re ridin’ along

on a bicylce, honey

That’s a bicycle built for two

Lookin’ at my honey

In the rearview mirror

Now I got a better of view

You look so pretty, she was ridin’ along,

You look so pretty, She was singing this song,….

*