The Mamas & the Papas (album)

The Mamas & the Papas
Studio album by
the Mamas & the Papas
ReleasedAugust 30, 1966 (1966-08-30)
GenreSunshine pop
Length31:07
LabelDunhill
ProducerLou Adler
The Mamas & the Papas chronology
If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
(1966) 		The Mamas & the Papas
(1966) 		The Mamas & The Papas Deliver
(1967)
Singles from The Mamas & the Papas
  1. "I Saw Her Again"
    Released: July 1966
  2. "Words of Love"
    Released: November 14, 1966
  3. "Dancing in the Street"
    Released: 1966
  4. "Dancing Bear"
    Released: 1967

The Mamas & the Papas is the second studio album by the Mamas and the Papas, released on August 30, 1966.[1] The album peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and number 24 in the UK.[2][3] The lead off single, "I Saw Her Again", reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 11 in the UK Singles Chart. "Words of Love" was released as the second single in the US peaking at number 5. In the UK, it was released as a double A-side with "Dancing in the Street" (a cover of the 1964 hit by Martha and the Vandellas) and charted at number 47 in the UK.

After John Phillips discovered that group member Michelle Phillips was having an affair with Gene Clark of the Byrds, he fired her from the group on June 4, 1966.[4][5][6] In June, a new singer was hired to replace her. Jill Gibson was producer Lou Adler's girlfriend at the time and was already a singer/songwriter who had performed on several Jan and Dean albums.

The photo already chosen for the album's cover featured Michelle Phillips prominently, so Dunhill had Gibson take a photo posed in exactly the same position as Michelle, and then superimposed the new photo over that of Phillips. However, the decision was then made to shoot an entirely new picture with the new line-up and to also change the album's title to Crashon Screamon All Fall Down, which it was promoted under before release. With the return of Michelle to the group just prior to the LP's release, the original cover and eponymous title were reinstated.

The album was first issued on CD in 1988 (MCAD-31043) and also appears in its entirety on All the Leaves Are Brown, a retrospective compilation of the band's first four albums, with the single versions of "I Saw Her Again" and "Words of Love".

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link

Original track listing

All songs by John Phillips, unless otherwise noted.

Side one

  1. "No Salt on Her Tail" – 2:35
  2. "Trip, Stumble and Fall" (John Phillips, Michelle Gilliam) – 2:35
  3. "Dancing Bear" – 4:08
  4. "Words of Love" – 2:13
  5. "My Heart Stood Still" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 1:43
  6. "Dancing in the Street" (Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter) – 3:00

Side two

  1. "I Saw Her Again" (John Phillips, Denny Doherty) – 2:50
  2. "Strange Young Girls" – 2:45
  3. "I Can't Wait" – 2:40
  4. "Even If I Could" – 2:40
  5. "That Kind of Girl" – 2:20
  6. "Once Was a Time I Thought" – 0:58

Personnel

Technical

Chart positions

Certifications

Certifications for The Mamas & The Papas
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Goldsmith 2019, p. 152: "Less than a year after [The Mamas & the Papas] release (August 30, 1966) ..."
  2. ^ a b Anon. (October 22, 1966). "Top LP's" (PDF). Billboard. p. 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 8, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  3. ^ a b "Cass, John, Michelle, Denny by Mamas And Papas". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  4. ^ Phillips, Michelle (1986). California Dreamin': The True Story of the Mamas and the Papas The Music, the Madness, the Magic that was (1 ed.). Warner Books. p. 86. ISBN 0-446-51308-3.
  5. ^ Hall, Doug (2000). The Mamas & The Papas California Dreamin' (1 ed.). Quarry Press. p. 102. ISBN 1-55082-216-0.
  6. ^ Fiegel, Eddi (2006). Dream a Little Dream of Me: The Life of Cass Elliot (1 ed.). Pan Books. p. 203. ISBN 0-330-48751-5.
  7. ^ Anon. (January 28, 1967). "RPM 25 Top LPs" (PDF). RPM. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  8. ^ Anon. (November 12, 1966). "Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  9. ^ Anon. (October 29, 1966). "100 Top LP's" (PDF). Record World. p. 26. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  10. ^ "The Mamas & The Papas" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  11. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 16/2024)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Anon. (December 24, 1966). "Best Albums of 1966" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  13. ^ Anon. (December 30, 1967). "Top LP's – 1967" (PDF). Billboard. p. 42. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 25, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  14. ^ Anon. (December 23, 1967). "Best Albums of 1967" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 3, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  15. ^ "American album certifications – The Mamas & The Papas – The Mamas & The Papas". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 20, 2026.

Sources

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