The Mama's And The Papa's
If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears

THE REVIEW

Born from the remnants of two minor circuit folk-rock groups, the Journeymen and the Mugwumps, the quartet formed by the unmistakable "Mama" Cass Elliot, Denny Doherty, the charming Michelle Gilliam, and her husband, the talented songwriter John Phillips, arrived in 1965 in Los Angeles. Here, thanks to producer Lou Adler, the group worked with Barry McGuire, the man behind "Eve Of Destruction," and offered their sublime vocal harmonies to the album "This Precious Time." At this point, the step from anonymity to history was very short.

The four adopted the singular name The Mamas And The Papas and recorded their first multi-million selling hit single: "California Dreamin'," an immortal and universally known anthem to the new homeland of the nomadic and wandering hippies. That song, rich in surprising harmonies, was immediately followed by "Monday, Monday," another great hit single in which joy and melancholy coexist. Both tracks are included in "If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears," their debut album that revealed a folk-rock quartet combining tradition, doo-wop flavors, hippie philosophy, and gorgeous vocal harmonies. The album's tracks are all pleasant, catchy, and full of well-crafted refrains. "Go Where You Wanna Go" reflects the search for individual freedom typical of the period, while "Straight Shooter," "Got A Feelin'," and the joyful "Somebody Groovy" are authentic pop gems of a lost and carefree era. Interesting are the reinterpretations of "Do You Wanna Dance?," which turns from a wild rock track into a sad, almost contemplative ballad, and the personal and amusing revisitation of the Beatles' "I Call Your Name."

Despite the unusual cover, which shows the band in a bathroom and made puritans of the time raise their eyebrows, the album soared to the top of the American charts and also enjoyed considerable success in the English hit parades. Success undoubtedly owed to the great John Phillips, the true and sole creator of the group's sound, principal composer of many memorable songs, and organizer, in June 1967, of the Monterey Festival. An incredible and historic musical gathering that was concluded by none other than The Mamas And The Papas, who offered the lucky attendees their last public performance on that occasion.