You Don't Have to Be in the Army to Fight in the War is a popular song and hit single by British group Mungo Jerry

Mungo Jerry

Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...

 first released in 1971.

Singles Chart Success

Written by the group's lead vocalist Ray Dorset

Ray Dorset

Ray Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry...

 and produced by Barry Murray, it was the band's fourth single. The song entered the UK charts at #30 in September 1971 and reached #13 in June finally leaving the chart in November 1971.

Like the group's debut single, "In the Summertime," and following singles, it was a maxi-single playing at 33 rpm. Other tracks on the extended play single are The Sun is Shining and We Shall Be Free, a rework of the song recorded by Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie

Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...

 and by Leadbelly

Leadbelly

Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....

, and O'Reilly, both traditional songs adapted by Dorset.