Mungo Jerry: In The Summertime

It’s TV Thursday, and today’s song has appeared in quite a few commercials and too many to number at that. Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime” topped the charts in 26 countries including their native Britain as well as in Canada. In the US, the song peaked at #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1970. Today’s featured rendition is the stereo LP version.

Music Video in Mono

Mungo Jerry were one hit wonders in the US, but not elsewhere. In the UK, the band had six top 20 hits. This may be related to the skiffle craze that hit the country 15 years earlier. While a few skifflesque recordings were popular in the US, this musical style, akin to Mungo Jerry’s later jug band sound, was an immense hit in the British Isles during the 1950s.

Mr. Mungo Jerry - Ray Dorset (where does the hair end & the sideburns begin?)

So popular was this recording and the band, Melody Maker named Mungo Jerry the “Best New Band” in 1970. Ray Dorset, who wrote and sang “In the Summertime,” has been the band’s only constant member. Dorset was thrice awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting and compositional skills.