Mungo Jerry is one of rock s great one-hit successes. Outside of England， they re known for exactly one song， but that song， "In the Summertime，" is a seasonal anthem known by listeners who weren t even born when it was released. Mungo Jerry was a solid blues outfit as well — in fact， one suspects they were the kind of blues band that purists Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies would have loved， had they ever intersected — and knew how to get the most out of their jug band sound， which has helped them survive for three decades. Mungo Jerry was formed in 1970 by singer/guitarist Ray Dorset (born March 21， 1946)， who had a fascination with early rock & roll sounds， as well as skiffle and blues. The other original members were Mike Cole on upright bass; Paul King on guitar， kazoo， and jug; Joe Rush playing washboard; and Colin Earl at the keyboards. Dorset and Earl had first hooked up in the Good Earth， a group with a mixed rock & roll and blues sound， which cut some tracks for the mid-priced label Saga， none of which sold. Cole， King， and Rush came aboard and the lineup was complete. The name Mungo Jerry — from a T.S. Eliot poem — came next， with a contract from Pye Records.