Bingo Bango Bongo and Irving were a musical duo that was active from the early 1960s until the late 1970s. The duo consisted of Bingo Bango Bongo (born Irving Gordon) on vocals and keyboards, and Irving (born Irwin Levine) on guitars and vocals.
They released several albums and singles during their career, most notably their 1967 album, “A Walk in the Sun.”.
The duo was formed in New York City in the early 1960s by Gordon and Levine. The two had been friends since childhood, and began playing music together as a duo shortly after they graduated from high school.
They began gigging around the city, playing covers of popular songs by artists such as The Beatles and The Kinks. It wasn’t long before they began to develop their own sound, incorporating elements of funk, soul, and psychedelia into their music.
In 1967, they released their debut album, “A Walk in the Sun.” The album was well-received by critics, and contained several hit singles including “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter” and “Bingo Bango Bongo.
” The duo continued to release albums throughout the 1970s, including “Walking on Sunshine” (1971), “Irving & Bingo Bango Bongo” (1972), “The Best Times” (1973), “Hurry Sundown” (1974), and “Disco Inferno” (1975). They also enjoyed some success in Europe during this time, releasing albums such as “Soul Odyssey” (1970) and “Gypsy Soul” (1972).
The duo disbanded in the early 1980s due to differences between Gordon and Levine. Gordon later recorded several solo albums, while Levine pursued a solo career as a songwriter.
They both remain active musicians today, with Gordon touring regularly throughout the United States and Levine performing internationally. They have both been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice – once jointly in 1995 and again individually in 2007.
