The story of The Mamas and the Papas
Growing up in a working-class family had its stresses, and Cass Elliot knew them all too well. With a father who took on multiple business ventures and a mother who was a nurse, Elliot’s childhood seemed about as ordinary as any other Baltimore-born teenager who dreamed of one day flourishing in the New York entertainment industry. Her story would take on a different turn when the strong currents of the music industry pulled her in, but her heart, no matter how battered, would always remain intact.
The Mamas and the Papas seemed like writing on the wall for Elliot long before John Phillips tainted it with his toxic stroke of premeditated bias. Elliot had worked hard her whole life, losing roles to Barbra Streisand but winning slots in the big three alongside Tim Rose. Joining the Mugwumps caused her to cross paths with Denny Doherty until the band’s dissolution pushed them into John Phillips’ direction along with his wife, Michelle.
Allowing Elliot to join the group was challenging, and Doherty had to convince John Phillips to let her in after he expressed concerns about her weight. Elliot had struggled with her weight all her life, and the 1960s music scene wasn’t very embracing of all body types, which meant she often got bullied or discriminated against because of her appearance. John was the same, and felt that her looks would put audiences off.
After some persuasion, John allowed Elliot to join on the condition that she would follow them around, an endeavour that included a trip to the Virgin Islands. However, this vacation became memorable for other reasons, one being that Elliot returned with a newfound ability to reach new vocal heights. As she recalled to Rolling Stone: “I had a bad headache for about two weeks, and all of a sudden, I was singing higher. It’s true.” Others claim this story to be a cover-up for the real reason Elliot wasn’t let into the band for so long, although she maintains “honest to God” this was the way it played out.
The group signed to a record label in 1965. Changing their name to The Mamas and the Papas, which was Elliot’s idea, the love affairs began almost immediately. According to Doherty, he started an affair with Michelle Phillips, much to Elliot’s dismay, who was reportedly in love with him. She allegedly once proposed to him, but he was too stoned at the time to respond or register what was actually happening.
Confronting Michelle about her romantic liaison, Elliot said: “I don’t get it. You could have any man you want. Why would you take mine?” At the time, Michelle was said to have been a relatively free spirit when it came to love and romance, and so her marriage to John didn’t stop her from exploring other potential partners. According to Michelle, the sexual tension in the room was rife whenever she and Doherty were around.
It seemed her husband was aware of the situation too, but he channelled his emotions into the co-written song ‘I Saw Her Again’ alongside Doherty. Around the same time, it’s said that Michelle embarked on another affair with Gene Clark of The Byrds, which resulted in her being temporarily kicked out of the band before her eagerness to return and fan support resulted in her coming back.
To make matters worse, there were many vices that made the band members tick, including drugs and alcohol. According to Michelle, they “never went into the studio without a case of Crown Royal and a bag of pot.” Doherty also explained in The New York Times that the first thing he “did in the morning and the last thing I did at night was have a blast of rum.” Therefore, emotions were always running high, and whenever there was a blowout, it was explosive.
In 1967, John and Michelle lent a hand in organising the Monterey International Pop Festival, which showcased various big names like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, along with The Mamas and the Papas, who were set to grace the stage during a time when their unity was dissolving fast. With the benefit of hindsight, there were a number of fractures that indicated their forthcoming breakup, but their volatile and strained dynamics on stage could have also been interpreted as characteristic of the counterculture movement that was in full swing.
In that same year, The Mamas and the Papas also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show to perform their hit ‘California Dreamin”. However, after being informed they would have to lip-sync due to the technical issues, the band retaliated by poking fun at the whole situation and engaging in conversation mid-performance, while Michelle proceeded to eat a banana in front of the camera as she was supposed to be singing. These moments could be viewed through the respectful lens of a culture that valued going against the grain, but additional behind-the-scenes context likely pointed towards a more viable distinction: they just couldn’t be bothered anymore.
“It was endless,” Michelle told Goldmine, reflecting on her time within the band. “Believe me, everybody wanted out,” she continued, “but we owed albums to Dunhill and then Dunhill was sold to ABC and then we owed albums to ABC. It was horrible because all we wanted was to get away from each other.” Although the experience in its entirety was largely marked by internal fights and frustrations, Michelle also recognises the positive impact it had on their music.
Discussing the ways it enhanced their musicianship, she said: “It definitely added an extra spark to our creativity. All the songs like ‘I Saw Her Again’ were about our relationships. That was fuel for the fire. That’s all we could write about was what we were doing.” The Mamas and the Papas only lasted two-and-a-half years, but the impact they had on the music scene and the stories they have to tell seems enough for a band spanning at least double the amount of time.
Being contracted to a new album only served to rub salt into the wound, especially considering the fact that the Mamas and the Papas seemed to want out before they were even in. The cherry on top of the cake was the external factors that started to match the internal frustrations. Rising to fame when they did, The Mamas and the Papas experienced something that most bands wouldn’t have been able to muster the energy to stand up to: Beatlemania.
During their brief tenure, Beatlemania reigned supreme, and The Beatles’ innovative approach to rock ‘n’ roll meant that others struggled to keep up. As the Fab Four soared, many got left behind, unable to reckon with their forward-thinking intuition and the technological experimentation they implemented into their music. As John Phillips put it: “Times had changed. The Beatles showed the way. Music itself was heading toward a technological and compositional complexity that would leave many of us behind. It was tough to keep up.”
While The Mamas and the Papas experienced significant successes, with many of their songs continuing to be played and talked about in today’s landscape, the internal conflict and the fast pace at which the scene was evolving meant that going their separate ways was the only option. The band paid homage to The Beatles with their rendition of ‘I Call Your Name’, but the alliance never benefitted any potential longevity, and The Mamas and the Papas disbanded by the end of 1968.
Despite the immense pressures and the turbulent dynamics, however, a little residual appreciation remained, particularly for Michelle, who often fondly recalls Elliot and everything she taught her about being tough in the business. If the singer could grant one wish, it would be to “sit at [Elliot’s] feet and listen to her making me laugh.” She continued: “She just had this wonderful sense of humour. She could take anything and find the humour in it. She was so much fun and that’s what I miss about her.”
‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’, another one of the band’s enduring hits, came to solidify Elliot’s desire to embark on a solo career. At the time of release, rumours surrounding the band’s split were already bubbling, and Elliot soon embarked on a successful solo career, touring the US and Europe.
The story of The Mamas and the Papas may be rife with fallouts, ill-treatment, and unexpected love affairs, but the music they created was strong enough to cut through The Beatles’ rule and intricate enough to continue to resonate among millions of music lovers. For a band that lasted just over two years, it’s hard to see any other replicate their level of success and timeless appeal.