•
Rating: 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.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Monday, Monday (03:28)
Monday, Monday
So good to me
Monday morning
It was all I hoped it would be
Oh, Monday morning
Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still
Be here with me
Monday, Monday
Can't trust that day
Monday, Monday
Sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh, Monday morning you gave me no warning
Of what was to be
Oh, Monday, Monday
How could you leave and not take me
Every other day
Every other day
Every other day
Every other day of the week is fine, so fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
You can find me crying all of the time
Monday, Monday
So good to me
Monday morning
It was all I hoped it would be
But, Monday morning
Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still
Be here with me
Every other day
Every other day
Every other day
Every other day of the week is fine, so fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
You can find me crying all of the time
Monday, Monday
Can't trust that day
Monday, Monday
It just turns out that way
Oh, Monday, Monday
Won't go away
Monday, Monday
It's here to stay
Oh, Monday, Monday
02 Straight Shooter (02:58)
Don抰 get me mad; don抰 tell no lie.
Don抰 make me sad; don抰 pass me by.
Baby are you holding, holding anything but me?
�?ause I抦 a real straight shooter, if you know what I mean.
You can bring me love; you can hang around.
You can bring me up; don抰 you bring me down.
Baby are you holding, holding anything but me?
�?ause I抦 a real straight shooter, if you know what I mean.
I抳e been searching all night, just to find what I抦 looking for.
Baby, baby, treat me right, or I won抰 come round your door
No more!
You can bring me love; you can hang around.
You can bring me up; don抰 you bring me down.
Baby are you holding, holding anything but me?
�?ause I抦 a real straight shooter, if you know what I mean.
I抳e been searching all night, just to find what I抦 looking for.
Baby, baby, treat me right, or I won抰 come round your door
No more!
Don抰 get me mad; don抰 tell no lie.
Don抰 get me sad; just get me high.
Baby, what your holding, half of that belongs to me.
�?ause I抦 a real straight shooter
(Baby, don抰 you get me down...)
I抦 a real straight shooter...
(I抳e been searching all night long...)
I抦 a real straight shooter (baby) if you know what I mean---
If you know what I mean.
03 Got a Feelin' (02:53)
Got a feelin’ that I’m wastin’ time on you babe;
Got a feelin’ that you’ve been untrue.
I got a feelin’ that you’re stealin’
All the love I thought I was givin’ to you.
Baby, it’s true.
Got a feeling’ that you’ve playing some game with me babe;
Got a feelin’ that you just can’t see.
If you’re entertainin’ any thought that you’re gainin’
By causing me all of this pain and making me blue
The joke’s on you.
When I get to feelin’ that you’re stealin’ love
And I don’t know why, baby,
It makes me so discouraged
I finally get the courage not to cry, babe,
Or even try, babe.
Got a feelin’ that I’m wastin’ g time on you babe;
Got a feelin’ that you’ve been untrue.
I got a feelin’ that you’re stealin’
All the love I thought I was giving to you.
Baby, it’s true; the joke’s on you.
Baby, it’s true; the joke’s on you.
04 I Call Your Name (02:38)
I call your name but you抮e not there.
Was I to blame for being unfair?
Don抰 you know I can抰 sleep at night
Since you抳e been gone.
I never weep at night; I can抰 go on.
Don抰 you know I can抰 take it;
I don抰 know who can.
I抦 not gonna make it;
I抦 not that kind of man
Don抰 you know I can抰 sleep at night.
But just the same,
I never weep at night; I call your name.
(John...John...)
Don抰 you know I can抰 take it;
I don抰 know who can.
I抦 not gonna make it;
I抦 not that kind of man.
Don抰 you know I can抰 sleep at night.
But just the same,
I never weep at night; I call your name.
I never weep at night; I call your name.
06 Go Where You Wanna Go (02:29)
You gotta go where you wanna go,
Do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
You gotta go where you wanna go,
And do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
You don't understand
That a girl like me can love just one man.
Three thousand miles, that's how far you'll go.
And you said to me "Please don't follow".
Cause you gotta go where you wanna go
And do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
Babe, you gotta go where you wanna go
And do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
You don't understand
That a girl like me can love just one man.
You've been gone a week, and I tried so hard
Not to be the crying kind---
Not to be the girl you left behind.
You gotta go where you wanna go
And do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
You gotta go where you wanna go (Go where you want)
And do what you wanna do (Do what you want)
With whoever you wanna do it with.
You gotta go where you wanna go (Go where you want)
And do what you wanna do (Do what you want)
With whoever you wanna do it with.
07 California Dreamin' (02:42)
All the leaves are brown - All the leaves are brown
And the sky is gray - And the sky is gray
I've been for a walk - I've been for a walk
On a winter's day - On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm - I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A. - If I was in L.A.
California dreaming - California dreaming
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees - Got down on my knees
And I pretend to pray - I pretend to pray
You know the preacher likes the cold - Preacher likes the cold
He knows I'm gonna stay - Knows I'm gonna stay
California dreaming - California dreaming
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown - All the leaves are brown
And the sky is gray - And the sky is gray
I've been for a walk - I've been for a walk
On a winter's day - On a winter's day
If I didn't tell her - If I didn't tell her
I could leave today - I could leave today
California dreaming - California dreaming
On such a winter's day - California dreaming
On such a winter's day - California dreaming
On such a winter's day
08 Spanish Harlem (03:22)
There is a rose in Spanish Harlem,
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem.
It is a special one; it's never seen the sun.
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming.
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreamy.
There is a rose in Spanish Harlem,
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem.
With eyes as black as coal, that look down in my soul
And start a fire there and then I lose control;
I have to beg your pardon.
I'm gonna pick that rose and watch her as she grows
In my garden.
It is a special one; it's never seen the sun.
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming.
I'm gonna pick that rose and watch her as she grows
In my garden.
There is a rose in Spanish Harlem;
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem.
There is a rose in Spanish Harlem;
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem...
09 Somebody Groovy (03:16)
I need somebody groovy,
Someone who抯 able to move me, yeah. (yeah)
They gotta move me like they should.
And when I find somebody, yeah, I抦 gonna treat em? good.
(No) Don抰 need no imitations!
(No) Can抰 use my imagination, no! (Yeah...yeah)
They gotta move me like they should.
And when I find somebody, yeah, I抦 gonna treat em? good.
Oh, please, please believe me;
I need someone to relieve me.
Yeah, (yeah, yeah) they gotta move me like they should.
And when I find somebody, yeah, I抦 gonna treat em? good.
I need somebody groovy,
Someone who really can move me, yeah. (yeah)
Yeah, they gotta move me like they should.
And when I find somebody, yeah, I抦 gonna treat em? good.
And when I find somebody, yeah, I抦 gonna treat em? good.
11 You Baby (02:22)
(P.F. Sloan--Steve Barri)
From the time I fall asleep till the morning comes I dream about you baby
And I feel alright, ‘cause I know tonight I’ll be with you baby
And who makes me feel like smiling when the weary day is through
(Who?) You baby, you. (I’m talking about my baby yeah)
No one but you, you baby---nobody but you
(Who?) You baby, you. (Baby, yeah)
No one but you, you baby--nobody but you
They say candy is sweet, but it just can’t compete with you, baby
You’ve got everything I need and nobody can please like you, you baby
And who believes that my wildest dreams and my craziest schemes will come true
(Who?) You baby, you! (I’m talking about my baby yeah)
No one but you, you baby---nobody but you
(Who?) You baby, you! (Baby, yeah)
No one but you, you baby---nobody but you
A little ray of sunshine, a little bit of soul,
Add just a touch of magic, it’s the greatest thing since rock n’ roll
Yeah, baby
(You) You baby, you! (I’m talking about my baby yeah)
No one but you, you baby---nobody but you
(You) You baby, you
No one but you, you baby---nobody but you
12 The "In" Crowd (03:12)
I'm in with the in crowd
I go where the in crowd goes
I'm in with the in crowd
And I know what the in crowd knows
Any time of the year, don't you hear
Dressin' fine, makin' time
We breeze up and down the street
We get respect from the people we meet
They make way day or night
They know the in crowd is out of sight
I'm in with the in crowd
I know every latest dance
When you've in with the in crowd
It's so easy to find romance
Any time of the year, don't you hear
If it's square, we ain't there
We make every minute count
Our share is always the biggest amount
Other guys imitate us, but the original is still the greatest
In crowd
Any time of the year, don't you hear
Spendin' cash, talkin' trash
I'll show you a real good time
Come on with me and leave your troubles behind
I don't care where you've been
You ain't been no where 'til you been in
With the in crowd
With the in crowd
In crowd
In crowd
Loading comments slowly
