Bongo's Jungle Party formed post college for Hurray brothers Paul and Mick. David McLean and Paul "Bongo" Hurray had wrapped up The Boss Guitars a year earlier in Athens. Mick made a local name for himself in The Nelsons, Akron's surf-punk band and was once party to the temporary theft of Klaus Noami's magic wand. McLean started Rick Ronco and the K-Tels, based in Athens from 1979-1980, a band that included Tom Hamilton (see The Generics) on bass.

BJP played mostly powerpop with rusty edge, but also experimented with bagpipes and theatrical performances from time to time.

Their signature song, My Friend Doug, was written for Doug Enkler (see Prisonshake, The Offbeats and The Dumbshits).