Mungo Jerry - MUNGO JERRY***

Baby Let's Play House/Johnny B Badde/San Francisco Bay Blues/Sad Eyed Joe/Maggie/Peace In The Country/See Me/Movin' On/My Friend/Mother Boogie/Tramp/Daddie's Brew

British pop group Mungo Jerry are best remembered for their feel good No. 1 hit In The Summertime. During the early 1970s they followed it up with several more memorable singles. Never much of an albums band, this debut LP appears to be completely forgotten. (UK:13)

"Back in the day, I quite liked Mungo Jerry. Followers of the evolving early-70s music scene probably felt the band were at the 'fun and colourful, but slightly left-field' end of the pop market. Their charismatic front man and songwriter Ray Dorset was memorable for sideburns more bushy that David Bellamy's beard, but he certainly knew how to write a good pop tune."

"The band's place in musical history may have been secured by one overplayed summer anthem and what still must be the shortest ever release at just nine seconds long (Maggie)."

"That such good boogie was produced predominantly with no drummer must rate them as being pretty unique, this being due in part to the superb boogie-woogie piano playing of Colin Earl."

"Is there anyone out there who has not heard and sung along to what is arguably the best summer song of all time, bar none - In The Summertime?"

"This UK band 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."

"Their happy mix of prominent piano, guitars and banjo gave them a unique and appealing sound on their 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."

"Commercially Mungo Jerry had a short life span, but must be considered one of the major contributors to 70s music, adding vibrancy and creating a good feel factor after the ashes of The Beatles and flower power. I would describe their style as combination music, that being a combination of everything: folk, skiffle, rock, blues, etc."