If you’re putting together a playlist of classic songs that reference the hottest season, you’re doing it wrong if you don’t include “In The Summertime” by Mungo Jerry. Something about the odd, jug-band accompaniment and that stop-and-go groove just seems to fit with the warmer weather.
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Although they only scored one US hit (they had several more in the UK), Mungo Jerry managed to make a sizable impact with that unforgettable name and that massive hit. “In The Summertime”, a song seemingly beamed in from another time when released in 1970, has become a timeless hit.
Mungo Madness
First things first: There was no Jerry in Mungo Jerry. They took the band name from a poem by T.S. Eliot. But it’s fair to say that lead singer and chief songwriter Ray Dorset has become synonymous with the non-existent character, a la Ian Anderson in Jethro Tull.
After all, it’s been Dorset at the helm of the band for around five decades. In fact, when other band members tried to have him fired as Mungo Jerry’s lead singer in the early 70s, they were canned by management instead. But we’re a bit ahead of ourselves here.
Mungo Jerry formed out of the ashes of another group in which Dorset played called Good Earth. Originally a four-piece, they distinguished themselves by having no drummer on their self-titled 1970 debut album. Their standalone debut single “In The Summertime” took an antiquated approach as well. It featured saloon-style piano from Colin Earl, string bass from Mike Cole, jug and banjo from Paul King, and some homemade percussion, guitar, and all manner of vocal exhortations by Dorset.
“Summertime” News
Dorset wrote his most famous song in a matter of ten minutes or so. Because there wasn’t a lot to it in terms of length, the band decided to stretch it out by essentially doubling what they had. To separate these two nearly identical halves of the song, they recorded a sports car zooming by because, well, why not?
“In The Summertime” also stood out at the time because of its release strategy. As mentioned, it wasn’t on the band’s debut album, although that wasn’t entirely unusual. But Mungo Jerry released it as what is now known as a maxi single. Another song joined it on the first side, meaning that listeners got a little more bang for their buck.
“In The Summertime” soared to No. 1 in Great Britain. It just missed the top in the US, going all the way to no. 3. And since summer insists on showing up every year, Dorset enjoys a nice windfall from licensing of the song, a staple on commercials as well as in TV and film.
Behind the Lyrics of “In The Summertime”
“In the summertime, when the weather is high / You can stretch right up and touch the sky,” Dorset sings to begin the song. He then begins to describe all the things that you can do to elevate in that fashion. Romancing someone special is high on that list. “If her Daddy’s rich, take her out for a meal,” Dorset sings. “If her Daddy’s poor, just do what you feel.”
He defends his generation’s activities to the staid, old world. “We’re not grey people, we’re not dirty, we’re not mean / We love everybody, but we do as we please,” he explains. “We’re always happy, life’s for living / Yeah, that’s our philosophy.” Even when the seasons change and the cold weather arrives, the hedonistic state of mind persists for the narrator and his friends. “It’ll soon be summertime,” he promises.
In many ways, it’s always summertime in the world of Mungo Jerry. Their most famous song refuses to be pushed to the cultural dustbin. “In The Summertime” teems with hot-weather vibes, warming up the environment within earshot whenever it’s played.
Featured Image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
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