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Mungo Jerry didn't do The Pushbike Song

10/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"... Mungo Jerry didn't do "The Pushbike Song." That was an original composition by The Mixtures, an Austrailian band that did a cover of "In the Summertime." It sounded like Mungo Jerry, but it wasn't them....
In mid-1970, The Mixtures signed to the Fable label and issued a cover of Mungo Jerry's `In the Summertime'/`Where You Are' as a single. Coinciding as it did with the 1970 radio ban on certain major labels and overseas records, The Mixtures' version of the song hit the #1 spot during August unchallenged by the original. The band followed up with an original composition in the same jaunty vein, `The Pushbike Song'/`Who Loves You'. `The Pushbike Song' was a prime summer ditty and caught the tempo of the time by also leaping to the coveted #1 spot. As the single peaked in Australia, Polydor issued it in the UK and Sire in the USA. The British showed their appreciation by sending the single to #2 at the start of 1971, while the Americans placed it at #44 on the Billboard chart."

BUBBLEGUM BOOGIE

Pieter | Johannesburg | 03/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mungo Jerry appeared on the scene in 1970 with their irresistible bubblegum boogie hit In The Summertime, a song that took the world by storm with its simple hypnotic riffs and its catchy tune. It went top ten in both the UK and the USA. The next year they scored big again with Baby Jump, Lady Rose and You Don't Have To Be In The Army, all catchy numbers with the same buoyant folkie rhythms, engaging melodies and soulful vocals as Summertime. In 1973 they had more hits with Alright Alright Alright and Longlegged Woman. Their happy mix of prominent piano, guitars and banjo gave them a unique and appealing sound. I would call it folk-pop, but the vocals had a distinct bluesy rock feel. This is a good, but not comprehensive collection, as it omits the band's minor successes like Johnny B Bad and Maggie. Besides the aforementioned hits, my other favorites on this album are Wild Love and San Francisco Bay Blues. This music is a beautiful reminder of the colourful variety of styles that flourished in the early 1970s."