Mungo Jerry

• Mungo Jerry [Janus, 1970] B
• Mungo Jerry [Pye, 1975] B

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Mungo Jerry [Janus, 1970]
One accidental if inevitable hit reveals this English jug band as the best novelty group since the Coasters, though the Royal Guardsmen and the Chipmunks aren't what I'd call heavy competition. Great hostling noises, an echo-chamber parody that could make Stan Freberg turn to commercials, and a fair share of dirty talk. But just as Alvin's falsetto used to wear thin after a while, so does Mungo's drawl--and kazoo. B

Mungo Jerry [Pye, 1975]
Long after vanishing in the States they were making like the next Creedence over there, releasing six French singles in 1971 alone and cracking top ten in England three more times. Their mood quickly shifted from old- to good-timey, always vaguely entertaining and sometimes on target, as in the affectionate but critical getting-old song "You Better Leave That Whiskey Alone." But leader Ray Dorset never showed the kind of acuity as a singer or writer that turns bands into Creedences over here. B