YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY TO FIGHT IN THE WAR (1971)
You Don’t Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War, the title track from Mungo Jerry’s forthcoming album, the similarly titled You Don’t Have To Be In The Army, and the fourth maxi-single to chart at number thirteen in the UK singles chart.
Tracks: You Don’t Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War, The Sun Is Shining/O’Reilly, We Shall Be Free.
Ray Dorset said: “Most of the critics failed to understand the point that I was getting at with the lyric.
“I think that they were thinking that I was referring to terrorist activities when in fact I was referring to general prejudice, and things that can happen to the everyday person such as losing your job for being late for work”.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY TO FIGHT IN THE WAR – (Dawn)…
From out of the blue comes this new Mungo maxi-single. I say out of the blue because I had no advance knowledge of its release – it just turned up on my desk!
The odd title is really a dig at present-day society and its attitude to the long-hairs, the drop-outs and the downtrodden. But it’s treated in very carefree roundelay style, with Ray Dorset joined by the other lads in the rousing chorus.
Maybe not quite so catchy as one or two of Mungo’s earlier discs but with four tracks totalling just 14 1/2 minutes, it’s bound to prove yet another massive seller for the boys.
Music Press, 1971.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY TO FIGHT IN THE WAR
(Reviewer isn’t informed of the artist before listening)…
That’s Mungo Jerry. They are very heavily influenced by Memphis Jug Bands. I like it. I heard In The Summertime and thought it was a knockout.
Did they do I Hear You Knocking? No, they didn’t. I have always liked good-time music. It’s the happy end of the blues”.
Music Press, 1971.
MUNGO AND SOME MORE HOME-MADE MAGIC… And another super bargain offer from Ray Dorset and friends. Ray seems to be more and more the Mungo brain, playing upwards of seven instruments on the four tracks here, as well as writing two and adapting two.
The ‘War’ is the main track and another certain hit. Sort of a mild protest about hair and strange dress it bubbles along splendidly with harmonica well featured. The appeal is rather like an infection – it’s such an instant happy homemade sound that you really can’t resist it.
Other tracks are, The Sun Is Shining, a slow bluesy thing; O’Reilly, a dialogue blues in the Leadbelly tradition and We Shall Be Free which is like Dylan’s Talking World War Blues.
Total of 14 minutes 31 seconds for 50p.
Music press, 1971.
THE WATERBOYS – YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY TO FIGHT IN THE WAR
There are two brand new DVD’s – 24 Days, the Mungo Jerry documentary filmed during a tour of mainly Germany in 2016 and a live performance from the Bansko Jazz Festival.
Both are available from the official Mungo Jerry shop.
Click HERE for more info.
Check out the Official Mungo Jerry website
