Few bands can bring you back to a moment in time like The Mamas & The Papas can. Much like Credence Clearwater Revival has become synonymous with the Vietnam era, If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears sounds exactly like the late 60’s and the sunny periphery of the hippie movement– laid back carefree Californians who lounged about in 75-degree weather and sang about peace in a very community-oriented manner. Of course the hippie movement wasn’t as serene as revisionist history has led most of us to believe (see Love’s 1967 album Forever Changes for more on that), but when you think of hippies and Volkswagen vans with rainbow bumper stickers you probably think of The Mamas & The Papas. Their brand of easygoing folk music sung with layered harmonies of female and male vocalists has a way of transporting you to an era where it seemed everyone just wanted to give each other a hug and read a nice book on the lawn.
It goes without saying but “California Dreamin’” is the clear standout on If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears, a timeless song that will probably be played until the end of time in advertisements and movies and TV shows. The call-and-response vocals and hopeful lyrics set atop a somewhat moody arrangement that cleverly hides a sense of impending darkness underneath is a truly iconic bit of music. The entire song feels like an escape from something vs. a desire to go somewhere, and it’s always struck me as a great metaphor for life. Sometimes your survival instinct to flee is a greater motivator than a desire to achieve. Funny how that goes.
A final note– shout out to Mama Cass Elliot for being one of the first women in pop music to offer a differing standard of beauty for what pop stars could be. She was unfortunately self-conscious about her weight during the entirety of her life, and almost wasn’t offered a spot in The Mamas & The Papas due to concerns that her image wouldn’t lead to commercial success, but she transcended that to become the most well-known member of the band by a million miles over the past 50 years since her untimely death in 1974. Her experience paved the way for women like Lizzo, Adele, and Missy Elliott to be judged on the quality of their music compared to what they looked like.
Standout Songs: “California Dreamin’”, Monday, Monday”, “Spanish Harlem”
