MUNGO v THE MIXTURES

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In response to the questions of ‘Mungo v The Mixtures’ and ‘The Mixtures v Mungo Jerry’ (links above). Ray Dorset (aka Mungo Jerry) has asked us to post the following…

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Ray Dorset said…

There were many cover versions of In the Summertime in 1970. The song that I wrote in double  – quick time.

The Mungo Jerry recording raced to the top of the music charts in many parts of the world, and today, even 56 years after its initial release there continues to be more cover versions being recorded as well as it being performed by both professional and amateur  musicians alike.

That was when Mungo Jerry was the band name of the four guys, which included myself, that made the original recording. It remains one of the most recognised songs of its era.

The Mixtures…

Their version of The Pushbike Song was released on record in 1971.

Their recording leaned heavily on the sound of our recording of In the Summertime. No regular drum set, plus mouth percussion, and a happy kind of vibe which to my mind had too much of an old time music hall, and vaudeville vibe, which wasn’t really to my taste.

The Band…

Mungo Jerry, the then band’s musical outfit had a unique line up, just four musicians, no drums.

I played a 1960 electric Fender Stratocaster guitar, (sadly stolen many years ago ) blues harp, kazoo, plus, I sung all of the lead vocals, as well as writing all of the original songs that we performed live.

Colin Earl, played acoustic piano, Mike Cole played acoustic double bass, and Paul King played, banjo, blues harp, kazoo, jug, as well as later on playing acoustic guitar, he also sang backing vocals on the choruses of some of the songs, occasionally, Colin and Mike joined in as well.

Following The Mixtures UK chart success with The Pushbike Song, on some of the less “hippiefied” venues, a small number of audience would request that we play the song.

The music of the then Mungo Jerry band’s set, both covers, as well as originals, was all based on a mixture of American blues of many genres as well as that of jug band music, and skiffle, this was “a million miles away” from the vibe of The Pushbike Song.

Becoming Mungo Jerry…

Not withstanding, after being fired from the band by Colin, and Paul I became Mungo Jerry the recording artist / performer as directed by the record company and management.

Mungo and the Pushbike Song…

Some folks still requested The Pushbike Song, and by the 1980’s & 90’s people would swear that I had recorded it.

Some folks would even argue with me when I told them that I had never done so, therefore, mainly because there were so many budget compilation albums on the market I decided to record the song, and perhaps have it included on one or two of them.

I enlisted the help of my good friend Sev Lewkowicz, who played keyboards in my band, to play on the track.

This was in the early 1990’s. I mixed down all of the parts, and no one else participated in the recording. The song appeared on the compilation album, All The Hits Plus More.

Another of my good friends, Mr Marc Viscel somehow got to hear it, and decided to make a video for the song which he posted on his Mungovision YouTube channel.

So there you are my friends, that’s the story of why I finally made a recording of The Pushbike Song.

Love & God Bless.

Ray.