Episode 79: If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears feat. Patrick

I’m joined in this episode by first time guest Patrick! We get into the weeds on one of my favorite musical acts of all time: the Mamas & the Papas. This was a group that was very important to me in my teenager years so it was really fun to revisit them as an adult. They were the biggest thing in rock—until they weren’t.

There are a lot of names thrown around in this episode and I’ll try to give my own quick Creeque Alley rundown for complete newcomers to the genre:

• John Phillips was in the folk group the Journeymen with Scott Mackenzie, who would go on to sing Phillips’ “San Francisco”, the theme of the Summer of Love and the Monterey Pop Festival.

• When the Journeymen fell apart, John started the New Journeymen with his new teen bride Michelle Phillips and a buddy from the Hootenany circuit, Denny Doherty.

• Denny was also BFF with Cass Elliot. They had been in a folk rock band called the Mugwumps with John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky. John Sebastian and Zal would go on to form The Lovin’ Spoonful to great success… until Zal got busted for weed and became a narc to avoid getting deported.

• John, Michelle, Denny, and Cass were friendly with David Crosby and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds from their days in the New York City folk scene. Cass famously introduced David to her English friend, Graham Nash of the Hollies, at her home in Laurel Canyon.

• Peter Tork of the Monkees also lived in Laurel Canyon. He was friends with Stephen Stills of the Buffalo Springfield.

• John Phillips had five kids with three wives. The three we mention are: Mackenzie Phillips is the daughter of his first wife; Chynna Phillips is the daughter of Michelle; and Bijou Phillips is the daughter of his third wife Genevieve Waite.

• Jill Gibson (the “replacement Mama”) was dating the Mamas & Papas producer Lou Adler at the time. She had previously worked with surf music kings Jan and Dean. After the Mamas & Papas debacle, Jill became a respected photographer.

Some of the things mentioned in this episode are:

• All the Leaves are Brown: How the Mamas & the Papas Came Together and Broke Apart by Scott G. Shea (2023)

• My Mama, Cass: A Memoir by Owen Elliot-Kugell (2024)

• High on Arrival: A Memoir by Mackenzie Phillips (2009)

• The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (Criterion Collection)

• The trailer for Pufnstuf (1970), starring Cass Elliot.

• The trailer for Beautiful Thing (1996) featuring the music of Cass Elliot.

• Come to the Sunshine radio show for all your Sunshine Pop needs.

• Chynna Phillips is now a YouTuber. Her channel (California Preachin’) is mainly focused on her life and her deep faith in Jesus Christ—although you may see Mama Michelle pop in from time to time.

• The Straight Shooter documentary available in full on YouTube.

• “Straight Shooter” used in the trailer for Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. The sheet music for the song was found on the piano at Sharon Tate’s house the night she was murdered by followers of infamous cult leader Charles Manson. One of those followers was Bobby Beausoleil, who had indeed been part of the Los Angeles band the Grass Roots, which became Love so as not to be confused with the other Grass Roots.

• I refer to this period in pop as the Era of the Golden Tenors—Denny Doherty (the Mamas & the Papas), Jim Yester (the Association), and Howard Kaylan (the Turtles).

• The speech from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the Mamas & the Papas.

• The trailer for The Wrecking Crew documentary.

• Hal Blaine played on 40 number one hits, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As of earlier this year, Max Martin has only produced 24 number one hits.

• Footage of the Mamas & Papas (and the Wrecking Crew) in the studio for “Boys & Girls.” You can see how the mics were set up for all four members to record at once.

• Michelle Phillips became an actress and you can catch her in Knots Landing among other things!

• Denny Doherty ended up as the harbormaster of Theodore Tugboat! He passed away in 2007.

• John Phillips’ last contribution to American music was as co-writer of the Beach Boys hit “Kokomo.” Check out his original demo version! He passed away in 2001.

• Cass Elliot became a staple on chat shows and variety shows, as well as a recording artist and star in her own right. She sadly passed away far too young in 1974.

• Please enjoy Michelle Phillips eating a banana while “singing” on the Ed Sullivan Show. Michelle does not get enough credit for being funny!

• Bonus content—Mackenzie Phillips played goth rocker "Lisa Swan and Shock” on an episode of The Incredible Hulk which you can watch here!

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The songs played are:

1. “Different Drum” by the Stone Poneys (written by Michael Nesmith of the Monkees)

2. “Sugar Sugar” by the Archies

3. “Creeque Alley” by the Mamas & the Papas (“Live” on the Ed Sullivan Show)

4. “Little White Lies” by the Hi-Lo’s

5. “Never Did No Wanderin’” by the Folksmen (A Mighty Wind is well worth watching if you haven’t seen it!)

6. “Chase the Rising Sun” by the Journeymen

7. “The Great Silky” by the Halifax Three

8. [Cass Elliot on the Russell Harty Show, October 28, 1972]

9. “Go Where You Wanna Go” by the Mamas & the Papas

10. “Glad To Be Unhappy” by the Mamas & the Papas

11. “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds (“Live” on the Ed Sullivan Show)

12. “Younger Girl” by the Lovin’ Spoonful (John Sebastian performing the song solo in 1970.)

13. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” by John Denver and Cass Elliot (Live on The Midnight Special, August 19, 1972)

14. “You Baby” by the Mamas & the Papas

15. “Straight Shooter” by the Mamas & the Papas

16. “California Dreaming” by the Mamas & the Papas (Early “live” television performance)

17. “I Call Your Name” by the Mamas & the Papas (Live with Barry McGuire)

18. “You Baby” by the Turtles (“Live” television performance; seriously, though Flo & Eddie are the best.)

19. [The Silver Lining Demo]

20. “I Saw Her Again” by the Mamas & the Papas

21. “No Salt on Her Tail” by the Mamas & the Papas

22. “Words of Love” by the Mamas & the Papas (“Live” on the Ed Sullivan Show)

23. “Dancing in the Street” by the Mamas & the Papas (Live at Monterey Pop Festival)

24. “Once Was a Time I Thought” by the Mamas & the Papas (Version with studio chatter and outtakes from A Gathering of Flowers)

25. “String Man” by the Mamas & the Papas

26. “Dedicated to the One I Love” by the Mamas & the Papas

27. “My Girl” by the Mamas & the Papas

28. “Sing For Your Supper” by the Mamas & the Papas (taken from The Boys From Syracuse)

29. “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” by Scott Mackenzie

30. “Baithe Hai Kya Uske Paas” performed by Asha Bhosle, music by S.D. Burman (from the soundtrack to Jewel Thief, 1967)

31. “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)” by the Grateful Dead

32. “Along Comes Mary” by the Association (Live at Monterey Pop Festival)

33. “Try A Little Tenderness” by Otis Redding (Live at Monterey Pop Festival

34. “For the Love of Ivy” by the Mamas & the Papas

35. “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To the Canyon)”

36. “Midnight Voyage” by the Mamas & the Papas

37. “Different” by Cass Elliot (soundtrack to Pufnstuf, 1970)

38. “I Shall Be Released” by Cass Elliot, Joni Mitchell, and Mary Travers (Live on the Mama Cass Television Program, 1969)

39. “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips (Official MV; Live at the Billboard Music Awards, 1990)