In the Summertime

Dorset has said that the song only took 10 minutes to write, which he did using a second-hand Fender Stratocaster, while he was taking time off from his regular job, working in a lab for Timex.{{cite news|first= Peter |last= Robertson |title= Whatever happened to In the Summertime singer Mungo Jerry |newspaper= Daily Express |date= 26 April 2014 |access-date= 9 July 2014 |url= http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/472160/Mungo-Jerry-sang-In-The-Summertime}}

The song was recorded in Pye Studio 1 with Barry Murray producing.{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/10/how-we-made-mungo-jerry-in-the-summertime|work=The Guardian|title=In the Summertime: how Mungo Jerry made a sweltering classic|author=Jack Watkins|date=10 Aug 2020}} Initially it was only two minutes long; to make it longer, Murray played the recording twice, slightly remixing the second half, and put the sound of a motorcycle in the middle. In an interview with Gary James, Dorset explained that they couldn't find a recording of a motorcycle, but that "Howard Barrow, the engineer had an old, well, it wasn't old then, a Triumph sports car, which he drove past the studio while Barry Marrit [sic] was holding the microphone. So, he got the stereo effects from left to right or right to left, whatever. And that was it."{{cite interview |last= Ray Dorset |interviewer= Gary James |title= Gary James' Interview with Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry |website= Classicbands.com |access-date= 9 July 2014 |url= http://www.classicbands.com/MungoJerryInterview.html}}

Dorset has suggested that it was first No 1 song to employ "beatbox" percussion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um-xl9EVqvs&ab_channel=MungoJerry|title=In The Summertime Tutorial by Mungo - Official|date=22 July 2017|via=YouTube}} [Dorset comments at about 3:25 in the interview]

The initial UK release was on Dawn Records, a new label launched by Pye. It was unusual in that it was a maxi single, playing at 33{{fraction|1|3}} rpm, whereas singles generally played at 45 rpm. It included an additional song also written and composed by Dorset, "Mighty Man," on the A-side, and a much longer track, the Woody Guthrie song "Dust Pneumonia Blues," on the B-side. As the record was sold in a picture sleeve, also not standard at the time, and sold at only a few pence more than the normal 45 rpm two-track single, it was considered value for money. A small quantity of 45 rpm discs on the Pye record label, with "Mighty Man" on the B-side, and without a picture sleeve, were pressed for use in jukeboxes. These are now rare collector's items.

In 2012, Dorset sued his former management company Associated Music International, run by his former friend and business manager Eliot Cohen, claiming over £2 million in royalties from the song that he believed had been withheld from him.{{cite web|title= Mungo Jerry Star Suing Over Alleged Unpaid Royalties |website= Contactmusic.com |date= 22 January 2012 |access-date= 25 May 2014 |url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news/mungo-jerry-star-suing-over-alleged-unpaid-royalties_1285706}}

Credits adapted from the single liner notes for "In the Summertime".{{cite AV media notes|title= In the Summertime |others= Mungo Jerry |year= 1970 |type= liner notes |publisher= Dawn |access-date= 31 July 2017 |url= https://www.discogs.com/release/1468468-In-The-Summertime/images}}

• Ray Dorset – vocals, electric guitar, 6-string acoustic, cabasa, stomp
• Paul King – banjo, jug
• Colin Earl – piano
• Mike Cole – string bass

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "In the Summertime"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Australia|award=Gold|certyear=1970|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesamount=50,000|salesref=|certref={{cite magazine|title= International Music Section > Australia |magazine= Cash Box |date= 9 January 1971 |volume= XXXII |issue= 29 |page= 30 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-01-09.pdf}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Denmark|nocert=true|salesamount=55,000|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesref={{cite magazine|first= Espen |last= Eriksen |title= From the Music Capitals of the World > Oslo |magazine= Billboard |page= 61 |date= 7 November 1970 |accessdate= 18 January 2022 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=pSkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA61}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|nocert=yes|region=France|salesamount=1,110,000|salesref={{cite magazine|title= Vogue Turnover Up 100 Percent |magazine= Billboard |date= 1 May 1971 |volume= 83 |issue= 18 |page= F-26 |issn= 0006-2510 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/BB-1971-05-01.pdf}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Germany|award=Gold|certyear=1970|certref={{cite book|first= Günter |last= Ehnert |year= 1987 |title= Hit Bilanz. Deutsche Chart Singles 1956–1980 |publisher= Taurus Press – Verlag Populärer Musik-Literatur |location= Norderstedt |isbn= 3-922542-06-9 |language= de}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Norway|nocert=true|salesamount=20,000|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesref=|accessdate= 18 January 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Sweden|nocert=true|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesamount=100,000|salesref={{cite magazine|title= Mungo Jerry Disk 100,000 in Sweden |magazine= Cash Box |date= 19 June 1971 |volume= XXXII |issue= 52 |page= 41 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-06-19.pdf}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=United Kingdom|nocert=true|certyear=1970|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesamount=800,000|note=Original release|salesref={{cite book|first= Joseph |last= Murrells |year= 1984 |title= Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s : An illustrated Directory |publisher= Arco Publishing Inc. |page= 312 |isbn= 0-668-06461-7 |url= https://archive.org/details/millionsellingre00murr/page/312/mode/2up |quote= British sales were around 800,000}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=2005|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certyear=2024|id=15944-2163-1|note=2005 release|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|access-date=August 2, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=United States|award=Gold|certyear=1970|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|access-date=28 March 2021}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Scandinavia|nocert=true|salesamount=175,000|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesref=|accessdate=18 January 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|relyear=1970|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=30,000,000|artist=Mungo Jerry|title=In The Summertime|salesref=|accessdate=24 February 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes|streaming=yes}}

{{Infobox song

| name = In the Summertime

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = the Mixtures

| album = In the Summertime

| B-side = Where You Are

| released = 1970

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 2:37

| label = Fable

| writer = Ray Dorset

| producer = June Productions Of Australia Pty. Ltd.

| prev_title = Here Comes Love Again

| prev_year = 1969

| next_title = The Pushbike Song

| next_year = 1970

| misc =

}}

In 1970, Australian rock band the Mixtures covered and released the song. The song replaced Mungo Jerry's version at number one on the Australian chart, where it remained at number one for six weeks. It was the biggest-selling single by an Australian artist in Australia in 1970 and number three overall.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Infobox song

| name = In the Summertime

| cover = In the Summertime single.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Shaggy featuring Rayvon

| album = Boombastic {{no italic|and}} Flipper Soundtrack

| A-side = "Boombastic" (US only)

| B-side =

• "It No Matter"
• "Gal You a Pepper"

| released = {{start date|1995|6|26|df=y}} (UK)

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Reggae{{cite magazine|first= Fred |last= Bronson |title= All-Time Hottest Songs of Summer |magazine= Billboard |date= 30 July 2005 |volume= 117 |issue= 31 |page= 34 |issn= 0006-2510 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=oRQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34}}

| length = 3:46

| label = Virgin

| writer = Ray Dorset

| producer =

• Shaggy
• Rayvon

| chronology = Shaggy

| prev_title = Lately

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = Boombastic

| next_year = 1995

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|nW_MJRscgHE|"In the Summertime"}}}}

{{Extra album cover

| header = "In the Summertime" ('96 Version)

| type = single

| cover = In the Summertime 96 Version Shaggy.png

| border =

| alt =

| caption = Single cover for the re-recorded version

}}

}}

In 1995, Jamaican-American reggae musician Shaggy covered the song, and released it in June that year by Virgin Records as the lead single from his third studio album, Boombastic (1995).{{cite magazine|first= Havelock |last= Nelson |title= An Early 'Summertime' from Shaggy |magazine= Billboard |date= 29 April 1995 |volume= 107 |issue= 17 |page= 16 |issn= 0006-2510 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5AsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16 |author-link= Havelock Nelson (writer)}} Aside from the addition of rap lyrics, Shaggy's version also substitutes other lyrics for the song's original line "have a drink, have a drive." He also performed the song on an episode of Baywatch.{{cite magazine|first= Carrie |last= Witmer |title= All the stars you had no idea were once on 'Baywatch' |magazine= Business Insider |date= 26 May 2017 |access-date= 18 June 2017 |url= http://www.businessinsider.com/people-who-were-on-baywatch-2017-5}} A year after its release, the song was re-recorded and released specifically for the film Flipper under the title "In the Summertime" ('96 version).

Pan-European magazine Music & Media complimented Shaggy's cover version as a "tasty remake".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-10-21.pdf|title=New Releases: Albums|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=42|date=21 October 1995|page=10|access-date=18 March 2025}} Roger Morton from NME felt the musician had covered 'In the Summertime' "in fine jagga-jug band/who gives a shit style."{{cite magazine|first=Roger|last=Morton|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53493548021/|title=Singles|magazine=NME|date=1 July 1995|page=46|access-date=28 January 2024}} Al Weisel from Rolling Stone described it as "a bouncy, infectious remake of the 1970 Mungo Jerry hit, [that] alternates a soulful chorus with a rapid-fire rap a la Chaka Demus and Pliers' 'Murder She Wrote'."Weisel, Al (7 September 1995). "Recordings". Rolling Stone.

• CD single

1. "In the Summertime" (single edit) – 3:46
2. "It No Matter" – 3:56
3. "Gal You a Pepper" – 3:37
4. "In the Summertime" (Sting vs. Shaggy remix) – 4:40

• 7-inch vinyl and cassette

1. "In the Summertime" (single edit) – 3:46
2. "It No Matter" – 3:56

• 12-inch vinyl

1. "In the Summertime" (Sting vs. Shaggy remix) – 4:40
2. "In the Summertime" (LP version) – 3:55
3. "In the Summertime" (Drum Dancehall mix) – 3:54

• 1996 "Flipper" CD single{{cite web|title= In the Summertime |publisher= Amazon |access-date= 4 August 2013 |url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summertime-Shaggy/dp/B00006ZSQX/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327836409&sr=1-1}}

1. "In the Summertime '96" (original version) – 3:52
2. "In the Summertime '96" (instrumental) – 3:52
3. "Flipper Main Theme" – 3:58

• CD single

1. "In the Summertime" (single edit) – 3:48
2. "In the Summertime" (LP version) – 3:55
3. "In the Summertime" (Drum Dancehall mix) – 3:54
4. "In the Summertime" (Funk Dance mix) – 3:58
5. "Boombastic" (LP version) – 4:05
6. "Boombastic" (Sting remix) – 4:18

• 12-inch vinyl

1. "In the Summertime" (LP version) – 3:55
2. "In the Summertime" (Drum Dancehall mix) – 3:54
3. "In the Summertime" (Funk Dance mix) – 3:58
4. "Boombastic" (Sting remix) – 4:18

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Shaggy|title=In the Summertime|award=Gold|relyear=1995|id=1995-08-11|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1995}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Shaggy ft Rayvon|title=In the Summertime|award=Silver|relyear=1995|certyear=2019|id=15944-5076-1|access-date=11 October 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

The song's lyric "have a drink, have a drive, go out and see what you can find" led to its use in a UK advert for the campaign Drinking and Driving Wrecks Lives. It featured the first verse against people enjoying drinks in a pub during summer, then stopped to show a fatal car accident caused by drink driving.{{cite news|title= Summer drink-drive campaign launched |newspaper= The Independent |date= 22 June 1994 |access-date= 2 May 2012 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/summer-drinkdrive-campaign-launched-1424254.html}}{{YouTube|f5ma_Xv7rGM|"Don't Drink & Drive - In The Summertime - UK Advert - 1992"}} "In the Summertime" has been featured in many feature-length films including 29th Street, Twin Town, The Substitute, Drowning Mona, Mr. Deeds, Stolen Summer, Anita and Me, Wedding Crashers, Wild About Harry, Despicable Me 2, and Dog Days, and X.

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of best-selling singles
• List of Billboard number-one rap singles of the 1980s and 1990s
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1970
• List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
• List of number-one singles of 1970 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles of 1970 (France)
• List of number-one hits of 1970 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles of 1970 (Ireland)
• List of number-one hits of 1970 (Italy)
• List of number-one hits of 1970 (Mexico)
• List of number-one singles in 1970 (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of 1970 (Spain)
• List of number-one singles from 1968 to 1979 (Switzerland)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1995 (U.S.)
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1970s
• VG-lista 1964 to 1994

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{YouTube|wvUQcnfwUUM|Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime ORIGINAL 1970}}

{{Mungo Jerry}}

{{Shaggy singles}}

{{UK best-selling singles (by year)}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1970 songs

Category:1970 debut singles

Category:1995 singles

Category:Dawn Records singles

Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles

Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles

Category:Mungo Jerry songs

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Number-one singles in Austria

Category:Number-one singles in France

Category:Number-one singles in Germany

Category:Number-one singles in Italy

Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand

Category:Number-one singles in Norway

Category:Number-one singles in South Africa

Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland

Category:Pye Records singles

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Shaggy (musician) songs

Category:Skiffle songs

Category:Songs written by Ray Dorset

Category:Song recordings produced by Barry Murray

Category:UK singles chart number-one singles

Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles

Category:Virgin Records singles