Good-time band, Mungo Jerry struck it big in the early 1970s with one of the classic summer hits, In The Summertime. Noted for their rhythmic approach shaped by old jug bands and skiffle music, they were formed by Ray Dorset and Colin Earl - both previously members of another group, The Good Earth - who recruited Paul King and Mike Cole and in 1970 formed Mungo Jerry, taking their name from T.S Eliot's poem Mungojerrie And Rumpelteazer. The irresistible In The Summertime was their first single, topping the charts in 26 countries and going on to sell 30 million copies. Mike Cole was soon replaced by John Godfrey on bass as they followed it with two more big summery hits, Baby Jump and Lady Rose. Instantly recognisable with his fuzzy hair and raspy voice, Ray Dorset was the unquestioned star of the band and, feeling restricted by their simplistic good-time format, he released a far more serious solo album Cold Blue Excursion in 1972. With dissension in the ranks, King and Earl left - going on to form King Earl Boogie Band - while Dorset and Godfrey continued to score Mungo Jerry hits with new members. In 1983 Dorset formed a blues group Katmandu with Peter Green and Vincent Crane, but intermittently revived Mungo Jerry, whose profile rose again when reggae singer Shaggy had a hit with a revival of In The Summertime. They continued to remain popular at European blues and jazz festivals and in 2012 released a new album, Cool Jesus.
