The Mamas & the Papas Album: “Mamas & the Papas [MCA Collection]”

"This, the second album by the Mamas & the Papas, was recorded and released during the precise high point in their brief career, and, not surprisingly, one of their most tumultuous times. During the recording of the album, Michelle Phillips (temporarily estranged from husband John Phillips) was unceremoniously booted out of the band. Replacement Jill Gibson filled in for a brief period before Michelle was finally brought back into the band. (It's uncertain weather Gibson is on the album however.) The end result - while not quite as striking as a whole as their debut - is still magnificent. Aside from the hits "I Saw Her Again",which was possibly the hardest-rocking track the group ever recorded, and "Words of Love" (featuring Cass Elliot), the rest of the album has numerous highlights. Most notably, "My Heart Stood Still" (written by Rodgers and Hart) and "Once Was a Time I Thought" are perhaps the finest recordings that the group ever cut."

Why John Phillips is not considered in the first rank of songwriters is incomprehensible. This is a typically masterful effort with soaring harmonies, brilliant singing, heartbreaking lyrics (listen to "Even If I Could") that maintains the spell it conjured on first release. No major AM hits here except, I think, "I Saw Her Again" - which others have noted is probably their hardest rocker. But the bittersweet beauty of these songs, the longing, is simply without peer, from the eastern-mystical riffs of "Dancing Bear" to the towering blend of voices on "I Saw Her Again." Incomparable and indispensable.

Although I born the year this album was recorded - 1966 - my mom gave me this album along with their first album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears" and their third album "Deliver" which are still in my collection. This album is a stunning and magnificent follow-up to their debut album, "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears". In fact I think this album is just as good as their first album and here's why:

1. I feel that the group really hit their stride with this album. 10 of the 12 tracks are original songs written by John Phillips with two outstanding covers - "Dancing in the Streets" and "My Heart Stood Still" - the former featuring Mama Cass Elliot giving one of her best vocal performances. The latter, which was featured on their appearance on the "Rodgers and Hart Today" TV special is Michelle Phillip's personal favorite of all of their recordings and it's obvious why - it's less than 2 minutes in length but it builds to an amazing crescendo and their vocals were never better than on this song.

2. Considering all the internal strife and drama that was going on inside the band which led to Michelle being fired for two months during the summer of 1966, the original compositions benefit from all of the drama that was going on at the time within the group. As John Phillips once said, "This is what we call turning tragedy into publishing".

3. The two hit singles from the album, the rocking "I Saw Her Again" and the honky tonk feel of "Words of Love" showcase not only the continued vocal prowess of the group but also a more diverse style.

4. "Dancing Bear" is perhaps Denny Doherty's best vocal performance and is his personal favorite song that he did with the group.

5. "Once Was a Time I Thought" is one of the best acapella performances ever done by a pop group and really displayed their four-part harmonies.

All in all, this album really showed that the group had grown and is a testament to their talent and versatility. It's a shame that the CD is no longer in circulation because it should be in every true Mamas and Papas fan's collection!

This is an essential 60's album, and an important companion to the first Mamas and Papas album. There are more original songs written by John and one each co-written by John with Denny or Michelle. John's writing is at it's peak here, with songs that capture the essence of the group's sound . The interplay of vocals is the group at it's zenith. From the amazing opener NO SALT ON HER TAIL to the closing , acapella ONCE WAS A TIME I THOUGHT, each song is an essential M's & P's song. I value this album highly for all the original songs and only 2 covers, both of which are stellar - DANCING IN THE STREET and MY HEART STOOD STILL .

This album shows growth and the expansion of their sound lyrically and vocally. The hit songs are well-loved such as I SAW HER AGAIN and WORDS OF LOVE, but it's all the album tracks here that have always made this one of my favorite albums of all time. It's The Mamas & The Papas SOUND here on such magnificent original songs as TRIP STUMBLE AND FALL, EVEN IF I COULD, the trippy , unique STRANGE YOUNG GIRLS and the absolutely beautiful DANCING BEAR that features Denny Doherty in one of his very best recordings . The opening song NO SALT ON HER TAIL is a majestic , heavenly song sung by Denny and ethereal background vocals by Cass & Michelle. It would have been another massive hit had it been released as a single. Same with TRIP, STUMBLE AND FALL, which is another of the group's greatest songs that was an album track. A GREAT album which captures their genius for all time.

When the Mamas and the Papas came out with this album, it was a sad follow up to their 1st. The only decent mix is the mono mix and this CD has the lousy stereo. "I saw Her Again" is not the single version but an extended version with filler music in the middle. "Word Of Love" is not the great single version with added orchestral music but a cheap sounding take that sounds incomplete. And other than a couple of covers, the rest of the music is a throw away. Their new Anthology 4 CD set has this album along with all their other albums on it and the songs have been remastered. As I type this, this CD is going for $87.00????? Get real sellers!!!