https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:51:01 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309286 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:32:57 +0000 Easy Songs gratefuldave54 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309286 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309253 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:15:30 +0000
OK, I'm on a mission now - at least one tab a week. I notice there's a real dearth of Status Quo in the ESD, and not many Who songs either - have to see what we can do about that before the weekends out!

:D :D :D

Vic]]> Easy Songs Vic Lewis VL https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309253 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309250 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:38:59 +0000 I like it Vic, I'd forgotten all about this song.

I wonder just how many songs that I liked listening to in the 60's and 70's there are that I need reminding of.]]> Easy Songs Rodders https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309250 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309103 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:40:53 +0000
:D :D :D

Vic]]> Easy Songs Vic Lewis VL https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309103 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309102 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:28:07 +0000 Easy Songs gratefuldave54 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309102 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309098 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:29:24 +0000
This takes me back a good few years!

I've got to think about how this one goes as I don't have access to Youtube at the moment.---------aha! it's coming back to me! love it. Great song, great band. This would make a great open mic song down the pub. I'll have to get Rodders going on it too when I've got it nailed.

I remember my last week of school in the summer of 1970 we went on a school day trip to the falconry centre in Newent gloucestershire. On the way he teacher let us have Radio 1 on in the coach and "In The Summertime" was played quite a bit on the airwaves that day. I went out and bought the single that very weekend.

All the best

Chris]]> Easy Songs dogsbody https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-309098 https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-33414 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:30:52 +0000 here which brought back a few memories. I suppose you'd file Mungo Jerry under "guilty pleasures" these days, but they must have been doing something right - they had a truckload of hits (I'd forgotten how many till I looked them up in Wikipedia!) of which the biggest was the massive #1 "In The Summertime." Good simple rock'n'roll / folk fun - I've heard them decribed as a jug band, and that's pretty accurate.

The song's actually in the key of A, but I've tabbed it out in G to make it even easier - if you want to play along with the original recording, either:

1 - Where you see G written, play A; for Em, play F#m; instead of C, play D; and where D is tabbed, play E, ie just play every chord as written two semitones higher.....

OR

2 - Stick a capo on the second fret, and play the chords as written....G, Em, C and D

OK, here's the song....

Mungo Jerry - You Don't Have To Be In The Army (To Fight In The War)

Intro - G / Em / C / G twice.

(G)Well your girlfriend asks you (Em)round to her house (C)and you meet her (G)folks,
But they say that your hair's (Em)too long and you're (C)not their kind of (G)bloke,
They grab you by the (D)collar and they (C)throw you through the (D)door,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.

G / Em / C / G

Well you're working very (Em)hard to get pro(C)motion at your (G)job,
But arrive late one (Em)morning just be(C)cause you missed the (G)bus,
The foreman says you're (D)fired 'cause your (C)punctuality's (D)poor,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.

G / Em / C / G

Well you go into a (Em)hotel to get (C)put up for the (G)night,
And they say that you can't (Em)stay there just be(C)cause your shirt ain't (G)white,
You're tired and you're (D)hungry and you (C)cannot walk no (D)more,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.

These chords are played during the harmonica solo; keep the same rhythm and tempo as
the verses.

G / Em / C / G
G / Em / C / G
G / D / C/ D
G / Em / C / G

Ain't no money, ain't no (Em)woman, ain't no (C)roof above your (G)head,
So you lay down in the (Em)park and you (C)wish that you were (G)dead,
The fuzz says you are (D)trespassing and (C)kicks you in the (D)jaw,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.

G / Em / C / G
G / Em / C / G

The fuzz says you are (D)trespassing and (C)kicks you in the (D)jaw,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.
The fuzz says you are (D)trespassing and (C)kicks you in the (D)jaw,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.
The fuzz says you are (D)trespassing and (C)kicks you in the (D)jaw,
You don't (G)have to be in the (Em)army (C)to fight in the (G)war.

(Keep repeating last line until you get bored with it!)

Enjoy!

:D :D :D

Vic]]> Easy Songs Vic Lewis VL https://guitarnoise.forum/easy-songs/mungo-jerry-you-dont-have-to-be-in-the-army/#post-33414