1971

1971, a very busy year for Mungo Jerry with three UK hit singles – Baby Jump, Lady Rose and You Don’t Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War.

There two albums – Electronically Tested and You Don’t Have To Be In The Army released.

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BUMPERS, LONDON : 3rd March, 1971.

Mungo’s music is so simple you have to smile, stamp your feet and join in.

Scores of bands could play their numbers but are too conscious of the simplicity to try it. But Mungo forge ahead with no worries.

Intellectual audiences may put them down. But Mr Average in search of a good time need look no further.

Last Wednesday London’s Bumpers Club was barely half full to receive them.

There’s something strange about that place. The Kinks the previous week had failed to pack’em in. Even Elton John wasn’t a sell-out.

Mungo plodded through some Mississippi blues with Ray Dorset stamping his foot to hide the absence of drums. Colin Earl making weird noises.

Simple 12-bars, In The Summertime and the odd joke kept all amused.

At times, Dorset’s shrieking made me cringe. More than once things seemed to come unstuck midway through a number.

But, dammit, who cares when folk are enjoying themselves”?

Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 1971.

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MONTPELIER ROOMS : BRIGHTON : 1st July, 1971.

“The gig was held at a big house called the Montpelier Rooms. The band were actually playing in a large room.

“The house was packed with people standing in the doorways, and on the stairs. The atmosphere was VERY electric!

“As you can imagine, it was very hot in there. They were selling small glasses of Coke for 20p a time. A lot of money in 1971.

“The band sang a lot of songs from their album, Electronically Tested plus Lady Rose and Have a Whiff On Me.

“Banned by the B.B.C because of the cocaine references. Ray told us that the song was written about the cowboys who used to snort cocaine up their noses.

“By the time they reached their late twenties, early thirties, their guts would have fallen through their arses.

“It was a memorable concert. One I shall remember for the rest of my life”!

Graham Knight, Portslade.

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WEELEY FESTIVAL : 28th August, 1971.

New Musical Express said, “MUNGO JERRY is a typical festival band.

It’s happy-go-lucky brand of music featuring the famous stomp always goes down best in the open air.

The group made its name at the Hollywood Festival last year (1970) and has been livening up get togethers all over the world ever since.

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SET LIST:

Midnight Special/O’Reilly/Have A Whiff On Me/I’m The Urban Spaceman/Lady Rose/Statesbro’ Blues/In The Summertime/Bottle Up & Go/We Shall Be Free/I Just Wanna Make Love To You/Going Down Slow/Baby Jump/Mighty Man..

PRESS REVIEW

The six-man Mungo Jerry went on in the early afternoon and grabbed one of the best spots of the entire shebang.

The audience was in the right mood, the sun was out and the open-air feel of Mungo Jerry’s music took over.

After a couple of numbers like, Midnight Special and Have a Whiff On Me, the crowd was clapping and yelling and banging cans and things.

Joe Rush was drafted in from Country Jug to play bass drum, cymbal, skiffle board and assorted wooden blocks. Roadie ‘Bizz’ sang and banged a tambourine on odd numbers.

Colin Earl played barefoot and Ray Dorset occasionally got up and jogged about the stage.

During the act, an alsatian came and laid along the front of the stage panting and shooting the odd glance at the band.

He seemed to enjoy, Urban Spaceman, In The Summertime, Lady Rose, Bottle Up & Go, Mighty Man, We Shall Be Free, I Just Wanna Make Love To You and all the others as much as everyone else.

Once Mungo Jerry get a rhythm going, it’s hard to break it, and the stomping, ‘have a good time’ treatment they give.

NME Review.

Ray Dorset on Weeley…“I had a good time at the festival hanging around on the red bus with Rod Stewart.

“He gave me a copy of his latest album. It included the great hit, Maggie May. We filmed the promo to You Don’t Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War .

“The gig was OK.”

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