Mungo Jerry: "In The Summertime" (1970)

Mungo Jerry is an English 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 their most successful and most instantly recognisable 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.


- Lyrics:


In the summertime
when the weather is high
you can stretch right up
an' touch the sky
when the weather's fine
you got women
you got women on your mind.
Have a drink
have a drive
go out an' see what you can find.
If her daddie's rich
take her out for a meal
if her daddie's poor
just do as you feel
speed along the lane
do a ton
or a ton an'twenty five
when the sun goes down
you can make it
make it good in a lay-by.
We're not grey people
we're not dirty
we're not mean
we love everybody but we
do as we please
when the weather's fine
we go fishing
or go swimming in the sea.
we're always happy
life's for living
yeah ! That's our philosophy.
Whenthe winter's here
yeah
it's party time
bring a bottle
wear your bright clothes
it'll soon be summertime
and we'll sing again
we'll go driving
or maybe we'll settle down
if she's rich
if she's nice
bring your friends
an' we'll all go into town.