Elliot was widely considered the most charismatic member of the Mamas & the Papas due to her sense of humor and optimism, in part because of her large size and weight. She was one of the most beloved members of the group, and her warm, distinctive voice was a large factor in their success. She is best remembered for her vocals on the group's Billboard hits "California Dreamin", "Monday, Monday", and "Words of Love", as well as her first hit as an independent act, "Dream a Little Dream Of Me".
Cass was in love with fellow Mamas & Papas band member Denny Doherty. His affair with another married band member, Michelle Phillips, was one of the causes of the break-up of the band. Elliot resented Michelle's perceived betrayal of their friendship and helped to support the band's decision to fire Michelle in June 1966, when it became clear that John Phillips could no longer work with her. The band quickly replaced Michelle with Jill Gibson, girlfriend to their producer Lou Adler. However, by late August of 1966, Michelle was let back into the group, while Jill received a lump sum for her efforts. Gibson would later admit to feeling betrayed by the band.
Cass gave birth to a daughter named Owen Vanessa Elliot, on 26 April 1967, without naming the father.
Elliot guest-starred three times on Julie Andrews's 1973 television series, The Julie Andrews Hour. Cass's voice blended surprisingly well with that of Andrews, given their stylistic differences, and they created a pleasing onscreen chemistry. Cass also made guest appearances on The Carol Burnett Show.
Elliot was a close friend and neighbor of coffee heiress Abigail Folger, who was a victim of the Charles Manson murders. She was also close to actress Sharon Tate, writer Wojciech Frykowski, and international hairdresser Jay Sebring, all victims of the Manson madness in the summer of 1969. Singer and performer Sammy Davis, Jr. was also a good friend of Elliot and this group, and Davis has been quoted as saying that they had all been together days before the tragedy, and were it not for he and Cass each flying off to other gigs that week, they too could have been victims of the Manson Family.
After the breakup of The Mamas & the Papas in July 1968, Elliot went on to have a successful solo career, even headlining briefly in Las Vegas, for the whopping contract at that time of USD$40,000 per week. Though her Vegas gig ended badly, she was a regular on TV talk shows and variety shows in the 1970s. Her most successful recording during this period was Dream a Little Dream of Me from her solo album of the same name, released by Dunhill Records. At the height of her career in 1974, having just finished performing at the London Palladium theatre, she died of a heart attack. The coroner surmised her heart had weakened to the point of failure due to Elliot's weight and the effects of several crash diets over the years.
Elliot was married twice. In 1963 she wed James Hendricks; they divorced in 1968 (Hendricks had been a member of "Cass Elliot and the Big Three," later named "The Mugwumps"). In 1971 she married Baron Donald von Wiedenman, a journalist.
It should be noted, that Mama Cass died in the exact same bed, in the exact same room, (although a few years prior), as manic drummer of The Who, Keith Moon, in an apartment owned by singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson.
An urban legend holds that Elliot died while choking on a sandwich, sometimes specified as a "ham" sandwich. Shortly after her death, but before her autopsy, The Times published an article that quoted her doctor as speculating that she "probably... died as a result of choking on a sandwich while lying in bed". However, the coroner found no food in her trachea, and reported the cause of death as heart failure. Nevertheless, the rumor spread, with the popular imagination adding that the sandwich contained ham (it possibly originated as an unkind remark about Elliot's weight). Another version of the story holds that the doctor found a sandwich or partially eaten sandwich in her room, causing him to speculate about the cause of death. Apparently, that version of the story has no corroboration either.
Another popular myth circulated about Elliot. While the Mamas & the Papas were touring as The Magic Circle (their name before changing it to The Mamas & the Papas), Elliot begged friend Denny Doherty to let her join the band. Though she had a great voice, the band's leader, John Phillips, didn't feel her voice blended well with the band's other female vocalist, his wife Michelle Phillips. But Elliot followed the band wherever they appeared, even to an engagement in the Virgin Islands. Here, she was finally accepted into the band. The myth purports that while in VI, a piece of copper tubing fell on her head and miraculously changed her voice. Though untrue, the myth has been repeated by such music professionals as Casey Kasem. Elliot was hit on the head with a copper pipe during a nightclub renovation, but it had no effect on her voice. The myth was apparently started by band member John Phillips as a justification for letting her into the band after initially refusing to allow her to join. He tells the story himself on the PBS special California Dreamin': The Songs of the Mamas and the Papas, insisting it's true.
Both rumors were mentioned in the Filmfour-produced film Beautiful Thing, of which Mama Cass' music is a big feature.
The E! True Hollywood Story biography about Elliot reports (and revives) the completely unfounded and baseless rumor that singer/songwriter John Lennon of The Beatles may have been the father of Elliot's daughter, Owen. This rumor most likely originated from Cass's fantasies due to her obsession with the Beatle -- demonstrated in the Mamas and the Papas rendition of the song "I Call Your Name," written by Lennon/McCartney, in which Cass literally calls out John's (Lennon) name. Many, many years later after the death of Mama Cass, bandmate Michelle Phillips helped Owen find her real biological father.
The song "Make Your Own Kind of Music" was featured in the ABC television show LOST, during the opening of season 2. It was played by Desmond to distract the survivors entering the Hatch.
Does Anybody Love You
Mama Cass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you wake up alone every morning
On your side of town?
And do you wonder why
When the sun goes down
You feel like crying?
The way I love you, darling?
Does anybody bring you up
When you're down?
You know what you're doing
But you shouldn't have to do it alone
So come on over to my side of town
What's it like where you're going?
Are you getting there any easier
On your side of town?
And don't it feel strange
That I'm not around
To see you changing?
Does anybody love you
The way I love you, darling?
Does anybody bring you up
When you're down?
You know what you're doing
But you shouldn't have to do it alone
So come on over to my side of town
I know you better do it on your own
But don't you miss me
When you're all alone?
Does anybody love you
The way I love you, darling?
Does anybody bring you up
When you're down?
You know what you're doing
But you shouldn't have to do it alone
So come on over to my side of town
I'll be around, I'll be around
In "Does Anybody Love You," Mama Cass questions the loneliness of a person whose love has departed from them. She sets the tone, informing us of the pain this person is going through by asking them what it feels like to wake up alone every morning on their side of town. The use of imagery here is to show the isolation and loneliness that the person feels every day. Mama Cass then goes on to ask the person if they ever cry when the sun goes down, implying that their loneliness eats them up every night.
Mama Cass then asks if anyone loves the person in the way she does. In doing so, she brings up the idea of unconditional love, which she believes is impossible for anyone else to provide. The way that Mama Cass sings these words makes us feel the depth of her love for the person, which also brings us to the realization that she may be singing about herself.
As the song progresses, Mama Cass urges the person to come over to her side of town, offering a chance to escape their sadness. She invites the person to come to her side, where love exists, and no one should have to suffer alone.
In essence, the song is about loneliness and the void that it creates in our lives. Mama Cass's message is simple and clear- love can help heal anything, and no one should have to deal with their sorrows alone.
Line by Line Meaning
What's it like where you sleeping?
How's your sleep, are you feeling comfortable?
Do you wake up alone every morning
On your side of town?
Are you waking up by yourself every day in your neighborhood?
And do you wonder why
When the sun goes down
You feel like crying?
Do you question why you feel sad every evening when the day is over?
Does anybody love you
The way I love you, darling?
Does anybody bring you up
When you're down?
Is there anyone who loves you as much as I do and can lift you up during tough times?
You know what you're doing
But you shouldn't have to do it alone
So come on over to my side of town
You can handle things on your own, but you don't have to. Come to my part of town and let me help you.
What's it like where you're going?
Are you getting there any easier
On your side of town?
How's your journey progressing, is it smoother in your area?
And don't it feel strange
That I'm not around
To see you changing?
Isn't it odd that I'm not there to see the changes you're going through?
I know you better do it on your own
But don't you miss me
When you're all alone?
I know you can handle it yourself, but do you ever feel lonely without me?
I'll be around, I'll be around
I'll be here for you when you need me.
Contributed by Victoria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rick Kirchhoff
on A Song That Never Comes
This lady was one of a kind anid miss her . . .