Members:
John Phillips (b. 1935), Michelle Phillips (b. 1944),
Dennis Doherty a.k.a Denny (b. 1941), and Ellen Naomi Cohen
a.k.a Cass Elliot (b. 1941-d. 1974)
The Mamas and the Papas burst onto the American pop charts
in early 1966 with a 'Flower Power' anthem, "California
Dreamin". But by 1968, after a number one album and single
and countless top ten hits, it was all over. Here's a brief
biography on them.
It all started in 1961 when John Phillips, who was in a
folk band called The Journeymen, met Michelle Gilliam, an
aspiring model. They soon fell in love. While the
Journeymen were on tour, John met a rich tenor named Denny
Doherty. Later, Doherty would leave his group "The Halifax
Three", and hook up with Cass Elliot. The two of them
became life-long fr More...
Review about The Mamas & the Papas Mansions -- (From "The Papas & The Mamas - 1968) | Reviewer: Brian
------ About the song Mansions performed by The Mamas & the Papas
This is one of the standout tracks from the album (the other being "Dream a Little Dream of Me" which ultimately starts out Cass Elliot's solo career). The album is unlike any other album The Mamas & The Papas made. It deals with darker more personal lyrics. It also shows John Phillip's true writing potential. An example of the personal lyrics is in the song "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)". Its about when John and Michelle were living in New York and they faced a chapel with a clock that was stuck on 12:30. The song "Mansions" has some catchy lyrics: "Limousines and laughter, parties ever after". All in all its one of my favorite songs from "The Papas & The Mamas" album. This is also the last studio album The Mamas & The Papas make until their reunion album in 1971 called "People Like Us" which in my opinion wasn't the strongest album (due to the fact that Cass isn't vocally present on the album, outside of the track "Pearl" in which she duets with love intrest Denny Doherty. But its still one of my favorite albums).
Just got a sycamore tree! | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song Dream a Little Dream of Me performed by The Mamas & the Papas
Sycamores may not be hardy above the 45th parallel; we'll find out. When I bought this potted eight foot tree a few days ago for my son I thought of what I knew about it: otherwise known as plane tree, mentioned in the 1968 Mama Cass song I heard while in Monterey, Ca.(sweet voice and song!), mentioned in the Bible?, related taxonomically to maples?
Why the adoration of this song? | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song California Dreamin' performed by The Mamas & the Papas
Or for that matter, over 50% of the music and bands of this era that are still foisted upon us daily. This song has a secure place among my list of top ten all-time-most-annoying. Stupid lyrics, stupid, facile melody and chorus...it could have been written by a five year old. Why the blind, knee-jerk veneration of everything related to the 60's?
It looks like yesterday.... | Reviewer: rosely
------ About artist/band The Mamas & the Papas
And it looks like enduring forever. I was just 13 when I first heard them sing, and have not stopped eversince. Sometimes I don´t believe their career together lasted only 2,5 years.
No matter what I just love them !
California Livin' California Dreamin' | Reviewer: PAUL BUNYAN
------ About the song California Dreamin' performed by The Mamas & the Papas
Just saw this song being played on one of those " best of " 60's music cd sales and when I hear it , it always makes me think , tho I've always been native to california , I still dream of this place , and this song sounds of ones dreams yep yep blah blah blah this song's dope
Song's About Winter. | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song California Dreamin' performed by The Mamas & the Papas
Without being 'too' specific about winter weather, in California, 'this' song appears to have the knack of expressing many feeling's about average, non-descript winter days, as they may often be in California; and (adding to the worldwide success of the song) successfully waxing lyrical with descriptions of average winters which 'could' depict winter in many more places around the USA., and very many other countries, as well!.
you promised meh you will be here and now i know things is not so easy but you promised meh you will be here and know i know things are not so easy now but now things complicated and know i just do what i gotta do so now i just think about it and
I used to live in NYC also and at first i thought this song was all about living there. But i couldn't figure out the "canyon" part...thought it might be a metaphor for the "concrete canyons" of Manhattan. Somebody pointed out that it refers to Laurel Canyon in CA, which helps. That enables this song to make more "sense" to me. The "cloudy waters" verse sounds like it's referring to Manhattan, again, so maybe the song shifts back and forth with its references, sort of comparing the coldness and unfriendliness and ugliness of NYC with the nicer qualities of CA.
Anyway, on another level, whether i totally "get" the references or not, this is an incredible song. The music is awesome. The piano fill-ins that accompany the song are awesome, they have a kind of Prokofiev piano concerto-like dissonance which is genius, its a perfect accompaniment to the sentiments expressed in the song. I would agree with anybody who says this is possibly the best song the M&Ps ever wrote, maybe not the "prettiest" but possibly the best.
This is a song of my live.
I hear it allways deep in my mind when Im happy.
I sing it everytime when Im happy or "émue".
I sing it everytime when Im sad and blue.
I sing it to my children because I want that they keep it in their hearts and stay allways gentle like this song.
Thank you Mama.
California Dreamin look over corrections | Reviewer: alexa
------ About the song California Dreamin' performed by The Mamas & the Papas
I have noticed about this song that on the 3rd paragraph it says "I pre to pary." It really should be I pretend to pray. Great Job on doing so well with this though!
My Song! | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song Make Your Own Kind Of Music performed by The Mamas & the Papas
my mom said she used to listen to this song and never knew why it felt special
then 20 years later she had me and knew this song was MY song and that was why it was always special
Makes me happy | Reviewer: Cat
------ About the song Dream a Little Dream of Me performed by The Mamas & the Papas
Mama Cass signs this song sooo perfectly that when ever i sing it or listen to it makes me think of the notebook (the summer love etc). The emotion in this song is beautiful
just waiting alone in my warm bed just wanna read a book instead but mum said no because its bed time you can read tomoro if you wake up in time dont want to miss school but please bring me a book i really really want to read so please
just waiting alone in my worm bed just wanna read a book instead but mum said no because its bed time you can read tomoro if you wake up in time dont want to miss school but please bring me a book i really really really really want toooo read
shooting star | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song Shooting Star performed by The Mamas & the Papas
I agree completely with Lou's sentiments. Still gives me goosebumps to hear this song. I love the over the top "Wall of Sound" Phil Spectorish production by Lou Adler. I always thought this would be a great song to play over the credits of some great unmade film.
surly monday monday was there bigest hit i never heard "calafornia dreaming" untill it was done by jose faliciorno on the flip side of "light my fire" which i thought was great and when i heard the mamas and papas do it it seemed a bit wishy washy
Its about To friends. The one friends is trying to tell the other one how much the other friend means to her !
Singin' a little dream | Reviewer: Tess
------ About the song Dream a Little Dream of Me performed by The Mamas & the Papas
I had to perform this song for a choir class and I was really nervous to go up on stage and sing this song because of the emotions I'd need to convey to the audience (roughly 200 people) and Mama Cass has a much better set of vocals than I do so by comparison it was butcher.
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