Mungo

There have been so many Mungo Jerry collections available (and every one of them features "In the Summertime") that it's difficult to say where to begin, but The Early Years isn't a bad place to start. Its 17 songs are drawn primarily from the group's first three albums and the "Baby Jump" and "Open Up" maxi-singles (issued at a point when legal difficulties prevented Ray Dorset from releasing LPs). The expected hits are represented, along with the best of their LP and EP cuts right up through 1974, including songs by Paul King as well as Ray Dorset. The real treat among them is a pair of live cuts, "Midnight Special" and "Mighty Man," that give a good account of the group's appeal on stage.

Mungo Jerry Gold, features all 8 of the bands top forty 70s hits across 3CDs. It includes the international hit 'In The Summertime', which topped the charts in over 20 countries around the world, going on to sell over 30 million copies world wide. The track is still regularly used and featured in TV adverts and films. The 45 tracks also include the band's second chart topper "Baby Jump", along with "Lady Rose" (No.5), "You Don't Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War" (No.13), "Open Up" (No.21), "Alright Alright Alright" (No.3), "Wild Love" (No.32) and "Long Legged Woman Dressed In Black" (No.13).

Mungo Jerry are one of rock's great one-hit successes. Outside of England, they're known for exactly one song, but that song, "In the Summertime," is a seasonal anthem known by listeners who weren't even born when it was released. Mungo Jerry was a solid blues outfit as well – in fact, one suspects they were the kind of blues band that purists Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies would have loved, had they ever intersected – and knew how to get the most out of their jug band sound, which helped them survive for decades.

Mungo Jerry is one of rock's great one-hit successes. Outside of England, they're known for exactly one song, but that song, "In the Summertime," is a seasonal anthem known by listeners who weren't even born when it was released. Mungo Jerry was a solid blues outfit as well and knew how to get the most out of their jug band sound, which has helped them survive for three decades.

Mungo Jerry's stay on Polydor Records, from 1975 through 1980, wasn't marked by a lot of chart hits, but they did make some great records, as this CD reminds listeners. Ray Dorset led an ever-changing lineup that included Tim Green and Dick Middleton on guitars, Chris Warnes, Larry Anderson, Eddie Quinn, and Doug Ferguson on bass, and Colin Earl at the piano. Whoever was on any specific record, the songwriting was solid and the execution was superb, whether on laid-back rocking numbers like "Hey Nadine"; roots rock-style pieces like "Never Mind I've Still Got My Rock & Roll"; or screaming, high-wattage blow-outs like "Impala Saga." This 21-song CD distills down the best of the group's work across three LPs, nine singles, and four EPs – the best moments still recalled their early sound, either stylistically or lyrically, or, as in the case of "Don't Let Go," both – it sounds like a very self-conscious reprise of "In the Summer Time."