The Mamas & the Papas (credited as The Mama's and the Papa's on the debut album cover) were a vocal group of the 1960s. The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and ten hit singles. They have sold nearly 40 million records worldwide.
After the split-up of their two previous folk groups—The Mugwumps and The New Journeymen—bandmates Denny Doherty and John Phillips formed a new group, which included John's wife Michelle. The last member to join was Cass Elliot. The band shortly relocated to the Virgin Islands, and after running out of money, Michelle Phillips gambled back enough money for them to return to New York. After a short period of going under the name The Magic Circle, the group renamed themselves The Mamas and the Papas before signing a five-album contract with Dunhill Records.
The band's first single, "Go Where You Wanna Go", was released 1965 and failed to chart. However, the second single, California Dreamin' was released late 1965 and quickly peaked at number four in the US, while in the UK, it was less successful, peaking at number 23. The band's debut album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, was released in early 1966 and became the band's first and only number one album on the Billboard 200. In the UK, the album peaked at number three and remains the group's highest charting album there. The third and final single from their debut was Monday, Monday, which became the band's only number one hit in the US. The song brought the band international success when it peaked at number three in the UK.
After it was discovered that Michelle Phillips and Doherty were having an affair, tension in the band erupted. Consulting their attorney, Abe Somer, as well as their label Dunhill Records, the band drafted a formal statement kicking Michelle out of the group in June 1966, with only half of their second album recorded. At this point they hired a new singer to replace Michelle, Jill Gibson, girlfriend of their producer Lou Adler. Gibson was already a singer/songwriter who had performed on several Jan and Dean albums. Although Gibson was not known as a strong singer, she learned to sing Michelle's parts within three weeks while the band was in London, England. After a majority of the album was completed, Michelle was asked to rejoin the group and Gibson was let go and received an undisclosed lump sum for her part. Michelle recorded vocals on two songs, and the album was later released with Gibson's vocals on the rest of the album. The first single from the album, "I Saw Her Again" was about the affair. It peaked at number five in the US and number eleven in the UK. There is a false start at the final chorus of the song, which John Sebastian later mimicked on the Lovin' Spoonful song, Darlin' Be Home Soon. Paul McCartney, however, was impressed by the way the group came in too soon on the recording. "That has to be a mistake: nobody's that clever," he told the group.
When the album was released afterwards, it peaked at number four in the US, continuing the band's success, but peaked at number 24 in the UK. Words of Love was released as the second single in the US and peaked at number five in the US. In the UK, it was released as a double a-side with Dancing in the Street and peaked at number 47. Dancing in the Street was released as the third and final single in the US and peaked at number 75.
After the final breakup, Cass Elliot had a successful solo career until 1970, touring the U.S. and Europe, becoming popular with hits such as "Make Your Own Kind of Music" and "It's Getting Better". Their last three albums (released 1972 and 1973 for RCA) didn´t enter the charts and didn't contain any single to hit the charts. She had many successful appearances on American variety shows, including the highly popular Carol Burnett Show.
While on tour with her solo act, Elliot died of a heart attack in July 29, 1974. She had just performed to two sold-out audiences at the London Palladium in the UK. The night before she died, she had called Michelle in L.A. to tell her how thrilled she was about getting standing ovations. Michelle Phillips says that Cass Elliot "died a very happy woman." Her former band mates and Lou Adler all attended her funeral in Los Angeles.
John Phillips continued to write songs for solo efforts and other acts. Perhaps his best-known effort was as co-author of the Beach Boys' hit "Kokomo".
In the 1980s he formed The New Mamas and The Papas, with his daughter Mackenzie Phillips, Spanky McFarlane (of the group Spanky and Our Gang), and Denny Doherty. After some initial success, Denny dropped out when John slipped back into drugs and Mackenzie ran away. John did eventually get the group back together, without Denny but with his old friend Scott McKenzie. He eventually dropped the "New" from their name and appeared as simply The Mamas and The Papas. Throughout the rest of his life, Phillips toured with various versions of the group playing smaller venues, reunion shows, and TV specials.
John's version of The Mamas and The Papas story is told in the American PBS (Public Broadcasting System) TV special, Straight Shooter: The True Story of John Phillips and The Mamas and the Papas.
After surviving a liver transplant in the 1980s, he died of heart failure on March 18, 2001.
His final album, Phillips 66, was released posthumously in August 2001.
Denny Doherty had a solo hit on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1974 with a rendition of the standard "You'll Never Know", and went on to host a popular variety show in Canada.
In response to Straight Shooter: The True Story of John Phillips and The Mamas and the Papas Denny produced his own stage musical Dream a Little Dream (the nearly true story of The Mamas and The Papas). It featured music from the group and focused on his relationship with Mama Cass. It was, he said, to "set the record straight."
In the 1990s, Denny was the producer and host of a popular children's TV show in Canada, Theodore Tugboat — a kind of Thomas the Tank Engine for vessels in the Halifax Harbour.
Denny Doherty died on January 19, 2007, at his home in Mississauga, Ontario, from kidney failure following surgery on an abdominal aneurysm.
After the unsuccessful release of an album in 1977, Victim of Romance, Michelle Phillips went on to a successful acting career, appearing in the 1973 movie Dillinger, 1979's Bloodline, the 1980 Sam Spade tribute/spoof, The Man with Bogart's Face, American Anthem in 1986 and Let It Ride in 1989.
She also had a successful run in television drama, including Knots Landing and Beverly Hills, 90210.
As the last surviving original member of The Mamas and The Papas, and the copyright owner for the song "California Dreamin", Michelle was a major contributor to the 2005 PBS Television Special California Dreamin': The Songs of The Mamas and the Papas.
Their first successful single, "California Dreamin'", was rereleased in the UK and peaked at number nine in 1997.
John's eldest daughter from his first marriage, Mackenzie Phillips, had a successful career as an actress in the mid-1970s, having first appeared in George Lucas's hit film American Graffiti (1973) and then in the successful TV series One Day at a Time, but found her success so overshadowed by her problems with drug addiction—habits that she had shared personally with her father—that by 1979 her career had effectively ended due to her inability to work.
John and Michelle's daughter, Chynna, would go on to form the band Wilson Phillips along with Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson (the daughters of Beach Boy Brian Wilson), with whom she's been friends since infancy.
John's youngest daughter, Bijou Phillips, is a successful actress and model.
The Mamas and the Papas were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. Much press was given to their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, as the members of the group, especially John Phillips, publicly stated their dislike for each other. At the 1998 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony the 3 surviving members accepted the award, with Cass Elliot's daughter accepting for her. Michelle Phillips created a memorable moment after all had accepted their awards returning to the podium saying, " I know that Cass is sitting on that big full moon tonight, looking down on these proceedings, wearing a size six Thierry Mugler dress, and thanking you all very, very much." The audience then burst into applause. The group then performed "California Dreamin'".
California Dreamin'
Monday, Monday
Dancing In The Street
Dancing Bear
I Saw Her Again (Last Night)
Straight Shooter
