Anyone who was around in the era of flared trousers, platform shoes and dodgy haircuts will surely remember The Pushbike Song!
Written by song writing brothers Evan and Idris Jones of Adelaide, it was originally released by Australian band The Mixtures in 1970. It was labelled "bubblegum pop" thanks to its simple lyrics and repetitive bouncy beat.
Chased by cyclists!
The narrator sings about how he's riding around on his pushbike and spots an attractive girl, also on a bicycle. He starts following her because she "looks so pretty", but can't catch her. "You were pedalling harder too, riding along like a hurricane!" he complains.
As the video features all of the band members pedalling furiously behind a lone young woman on a bike, it's hardly surprising she speeds up to try and get away! However, the narrator apparently manages to charm the young woman, as in the penultimate verse, he sings, "Now we're riding along on our bicycle, honey - that's a bicycle built for two."
Cover versions
The song topped the Australian and New Zealand charts and reached number two in the UK. It sparked many cover versions over the years, including one by the animated characters Pinky and Perky in 1971! Folk group the Wurzels released their own parody of the song in 1978, called the Tractor Song, otherwise known as I'll Never Get a Scrumpy Here.
One of the most famous versions was Mungo Jerry's Pushbike Song, released in 1990. There had been some confusion in 1970 when the Pushbike Song was said to be very similar to Mungo Jerry's big hit, In the Summertime.
It wasn't until 20 years later that Mungo Jerry's frontman, Ray Dorset, admitted he quite liked the Pushbike Song and released his cover version as a tribute to the original.
Continuing through to the 21st century, cover versions of the song are still being released, including Olivia Newton John's 2011 version, which is on the film soundtrack of the comedy, A Few Best Men.
Who invented the pushbike?
The humble bicycle dates from a time when the pace of travel was much slower and gentler. The inventor of the bicycle is recognised as Baron Karl von Drais, a German civil servant. In 1817, he invented the precursor to the modern cycle.
Known as a velocipede or “Laufmaschine”, it consisted of two wheels joined together by one central bar. The rider had to walk and then run to build up enough speed to cruise along on the cycle with his legs raised in the air. When the momentum faded, he would have to do the same thing again.
It was said that Von Drais wanted to find an alternative mode of transport after a crop failure in 1816 led to the starvation and death of many horses - the main mode of transport of the era.
A number of British cartwrights picked up on the idea and over the years, the design was improved, until the first cycle with rotary cranks and pedals was built in France in 1863.
Where does the name come from?
No-one really knows why it is nicknamed the "pushbike", although one theory is that it dates back to Von Drais' original design, which had to be pushed along to get it going before the rider could jump on. It is also suggested the name comes from having to "push off" with one foot on the floor to get going on a modern bike.
Without the benefit of numerous gears to make riding uphill easier, old bikes often had to be pushed up hills because they were simply too heavy and cumbersome to ride on a steep incline. With the advent of modern bicycles, we forget how lucky we are not to have to ride the "bone-shakers" of days gone by!
You’ll look so pretty, as you are riding along!
Summer is a great time to go out on your pushbike with family and friends, but make sure you wear suitable attire. Grigg’s country store offers an affordable range of branded clothing from the likes of Hunter and Joules.