The group was composed of John Phillips (1935–2001), Denny Doherty (1940–2007), Cass Elliot (1941–1974), and Michelle Phillips née Gilliam (b. 1944).
Their sound was based on vocal harmonies arranged by John Phillips, the songwriter, musician, and leader of the group who adapted folk to the new beat style of the early sixties.
The group was formed by husband and wife John and Michelle Phillips, formerly of The New Journeymen, and Denny Doherty, formerly of The Mugwumps. Both of these earlier acts were folk groups active from 1964 to 1965.
The last member to join was Cass Elliot, Doherty's bandmate in The Mugwumps, who had to overcome John Phillips' concern that her voice was too low for his arrangements, that her physical appearance would be an obstacle to the band's success, and that her temperament was incompatible with his. The group considered calling itself The Magic Circle before switching to The Mamas and the Papas, apparently inspired by the Hells Angels, whose female associates were called "mamas".
The quartet spent the period from early spring to midsummer 1965 in the Virgin Islands "to rehearse and just put everything together", as John Phillips later recalled. Phillips acknowledged that he was reluctant to abandon folk music
The Papas & The Mamas is a 1968 album by The Mamas & the Papas. It was their fourth and final album together before the group temporarily broke up before a brief 1971 reunion.
Unlike previous studio-recorded albums, The Papas & The Mamas was recorded at the home of John and Michelle Phillips, although with the same production team as on previous albums.
With the exception of the very successful cover version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (which is not representative of the rest of the album), the album's subject matter is often downbeat and world-weary, most notably in the lyrical content of "Safe in My Garden", "Mansions", "Too Late" and "Rooms".
There are few love songs and it is also more experimental - the Hendrix-like guitar textures of "Gemini Childe" being one example.
All the material was new upon release with the exception of "Twelve Thirty", which had been released as a single in August 1967 as "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)".
The track "Meditation Mama" featured the first lead vocal ever on a Mamas and the Papas track by John Phillips. All four members of the band contribute lead as well as backing vocals on this album.
The vocals for "For the Love of Ivy" reportedly took one month to record.
Although it was the first album from the group not to peak in the top ten, it was a commercial success upon its release, becoming the band's fourth and last top 20 album in America and producing two hit singles (one of which, "Dream a Little Dream of Me", would begin Cass Elliot's solo career).
This album is included in its entirety on All the Leaves Are Brown, a retrospective compilation of the band's first four albums and various singles.
Side A
A1. The Right Somebody To Love (0:34)
A2. Save In My Garden (3:10)
A3. Meditation Mama (Transcendental Women Travels) (4:19)
A4. For The Love Of Ivy (3:40)
A5. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (3:14)
A6. Mansions (3:43)
Side B
B1. Gemini Childe (4:05)
B2. Nothing’s Too Good For My Little Girl (3:05)
B3. Too Late (4:07)
B4. Twelve Thirty (3:22)
B5. Rooms (2:45)
B6. Midnight Voyage (3:11)
Personnel
- Denny Doherty - lead and background vocals
- Cass Elliot - lead and background vocals
- John Phillips - guitar (tracks A1-B4, B6), lead vocals (A3), background vocals
- Michelle Phillips - lead and background vocals
- "Doctor" Eric Hord - guitar (tracks A1-B4, B6)
- Hal Blaine - percussion
- Larry Knechtel - keyboards
- Joe Osborn - bass guitar (tracks A1-B4, B6)
- Paul Downing - guitar (track B5)
- John York - bass guitar (track B5)
- Peter Pilafian - engineer
- Lou Adler - producer
- Tad Diltz - album photos
- Gary Burden - art direction, package design
Notes
Release: 1968
Genre: Folk rock
Label: Dunhill Records
Catalog# DS-50031
Prijs: € 10,00
Vinyl: Goed
Hoes: Goed
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