You can stretch right up and touch the sky

8/1/2006

A lot of songs have tried to capture summer in a bottle, but none have ever done it better than “In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry.

The eternally infectious anthem for summer is far and away the biggest hit ever penned by Mungo Jerry singer, songwriter and guitarist Ray Dorset.

Back in the summer of 1970, Mungo Jerry was a little-known British “skiffle” jug band, banging out spontaneous rock and pop songs with such home grown instruments as the upright bass, keyboard, washboard, kazoo, and the jug—which takes somewhat of a starring role in “In the Summertime”.

The song spent 20 weeks in the Top 100, seven of those charted at number one. By the end of the year, it had sold six million copies. It was the fastest selling single of its time, holding that record for 20 years, en route to selling 30 million copies.

But, that’s not important. What matters is the song itself, its casually engaging backbeat and easygoing delivery—and its laid-back lyrics.

The song opens with a simple “In the summertime when the weather is high, you can stretch right up and touch the sky.”

I’ve never heard a staff meteorologist mention that the weather will be high today, but you can bet it’s not a bad thing. You will also never hear a meteorologist say there is a 50 per cent chance of rain, because that means it will either rain, or it won’t, and that kind of indecision drives normal people crazy, and gets weathermen fired.

“When the weather's fine, you got women, you got women on your mind. Have a drink, have a drive. Go out and see what you can find.”

Assuming Mungo is drinking lemonade, a drink and a drive is a great way to spend a sun-shiny day. If his drink happens to be something else, you have to remember he has women, he has women, on his mind, and his judgement is already impaired.

“If her daddy's rich, take her out for a meal. If her daddy's poor, just do what you feel.”
This the best advice on dating I ever got as a kid.

Come to think of it, it is the only dating advice I ever got as a kid, unless you count how the Little Rascals were always fighting for the affections of that sexpot teacher of theirs, Miss McGillicutty.

“When the weather's fine, we go fishing or go swimming in the sea. We're always happy. Life's for living. Yeah, that's our philosophy.”

A good friend of mine keeps a copy of “In the Summertime” in his car at all times. He drives a convertible, and the CD goes in every time the top comes down. We once played the song, plenty loud, in a quiet Florida subdivision, cruising up the street in first gear as the idle pulled the car along at a brisk 5 kph, bringing a smile to everyone we met.

Life’s for living. Yeah, that’s our philosophy.