Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, John Phillips, and Michelle Phillips formed the group in New York after previous folk groups (The Mugwumps, The New Journeymen) failed. The foursome hit it big immediately after forming The Mamas & the Papas with "California Dreamin'", still their most recognizable and enduring song (The group's early history is amusingly chronicled in the song "Creeque Alley").
The name of the band was inspired by a daytime television talk show. Before the group recorded their debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, the band was known for a short time as The Magic Circle. Wanting an easier name to remember, they were sitting around their house (which all four band members initially shared) brainstorming on a new name. Someone switched on the TV and a talk show was on with a Hells Angel. The first thing they heard was: "Now hold on there, Hoss. Some people call our women cheap, but we just call them our Mamas." Cass jumped up and exclaimed, "Yeah! I want to be a Mama!" Michelle chimed in that she wanted to be a "Mama" too. John and Denny looked at each other and John said, "Papas? Okay, problem solved." And the band had a new name.
In interviews, former band members confide that their recording sessions (and lifestyles) were usually heavily drug-laden, with large reserves of marijuana and other popular 1960s drugs on hand. They even admit that their young children, also usually present at recording sessions, openly witnessed their drug activities. Said drug usage clearly contributed to inter-group tensions.
John Phillips had married Michelle Gilliam back on December 31, 1962, long before the formation of the band. Early on in the band's history, when they were still "The Magic Circle", Michelle and Doherty began an affair in 1965. They were able to keep it secret from the other two band members for quite some time. During a trip to Mexico, Doherty revealed his affair to Elliot, who was furious (since she was secretly in love with Doherty). Soon afterwards, John Phillips caught Michelle and Doherty in the act and moved out of the house.
John could not stand to live with Michelle afterwards and so moved back in with Doherty. At this point Michelle fled into the arms of Gene Clark of The Byrds (friends and rivals of The Mamas & the Papas). After one concert where Michelle blew kisses to front-row-seated Clark, John said he could not stand to perform with Michelle any longer. Consulting both their attorney Abe Somer as well as their label Dunhill Records, the band then drafted a formal statement kicking Michelle out of the group in June 1966.
At this point they hired a new band member to replace Michelle, Jill Gibson, girlfriend of their producer Lou Adler. Gibson was already a singer/songwriter who had performed on several Jan and Dean albums. In fact, she had once been involved with Jan Berry for seven years before becoming romantically linked to Adler. Gibson was however not known as a strong singer, but learned to sing Michelle's parts within three weeks while the band was in London, England. Jill Gibson's vocals are featured on the band's second album The Mamas & the Papas, except for two tracks that include Michelle. Gibson's most important asset, however, was that she was a good replacement for Michelle: long blond hair, slim figure, pretty face, good voice, etc. Shortly after recording and touring with Gibson, it became apparent that some fans were not happy with the substitution while others did not mind. Afterwards, largely due to John, the band reintroduced Michelle to the lineup in late August 1966. Gibson received an undisclosed lump sum for her part and later would admit to feeling betrayed by John Phillips.
Michelle and John reconciled and bought a home together in Bel Air, while the band tried to forge ahead. Things seemed fine for a while (at least they pretended they were). The group recorded their third album Deliver, which became a huge hit, and during this same time Denny was drinking heavily trying to forget Michelle. He still had a hard time seeing her back with John. Eventually the band closed the first ever Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967, but performed dismally. John Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Lou Adler organized the festival, and according to interviews with the members of the group, they were all so caught up in the festival they never got around to rehearsing. That, combined with Denny Doherty's last minute arrival from Canada, created an unmemorable performance.
The band tried to work on another album (to which they were contractually bound). After making no progress, they decided to take a trip in October of 1967, to Europe to spark their creativity. While in England at a party thrown by Dunhill Records, their record label, Elliot was talking to Mick Jagger. John approached them and made an insulting remark about her in front of the guests. Disgusted and humiliated, she stormed out of the party and quit the band. Their record company released a Greatest Hits compilation as a stopgap measure. Cass was contractually bound for the band's next LP, and therefore appeared on The Papas & the Mamas, the group's fourth album.
The band broke up in July 1968. In a rare interview, after the group's break up, with Rolling Stone magazine, Cass admitted she wanted to go solo and that this is what had caused the official break up of the band.
Cass Elliot started a very successful solo career and toured the U.S. and Europe, becoming popular with hits such as "Make Your Own Kind of Music." In reviewing their contracts, the record company decided the band owed them one more album. After about a year apart, the band regrouped and released their final album People Like Us in 1971. They disbanded in 1972.
While on tour, Elliot died of a heart attack on July 29, 1974 (not from choking on a ham sandwich, as is sometimes reported). John Phillips died of heart failure on March 18, 2001. Michelle Phillips went on to a successful acting career, appearing in the 1973 movie Dillinger as well in the television drama Knots Landing, among others. Denny Doherty went on to host a popular variety show in Canada. Denny Doherty died on January 19, 2007. His sister Frances Arnold said the singer-songwriter died at his home in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto, after a short illness. Michelle Phillips is now the only surviving member of the band.
John's eldest daughter from his first marriage, Mackenzie Phillips, had a moderately successful career as an actress in the mid-70s, having first appeared in George Lucas's hit film American Graffiti (1973) and then in the successful TV series One Day at a Time, but found her success so overshadowed by her problems with drug addiction—habits that she had shared personally with her father—that by 1979 her career had effectively ended due to her inability to work. She had been in the spotlight in recent days for her tell-all book in which she reveals that she has consensual sex with her father, John Phillips, for a period of over ten years, ending when she was around eighteen. John and Michelle's daughter, Chynna, would go on to form the band Wilson Phillips along with Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson (the daughters of Beach Boys' Brian Wilson), with whom she's been friends since infancy. John's youngest daughter, Bijou Phillips, is a successful actress and model.
The Mamas & the Papas were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.
In recent years, entirely new, succeeding incarnations of The Mamas & the Papas have toured small cities nationwide—most notably featuring Spanky McFarlane and Scott McKenzie as part of the lineup—but none of them have the spirit and impact of the original group that John Phillips helped to build.
It's Getting Better
The Mamas & the Papas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would come with rockets, bells and poetry
But with me and you it just started quietly and grew
And believe it or not
Now there's something groovy and good
Bout whatever we got
And it's getting better
Growing stronger warm and wilder
I don't feel all turned on and starry eyed
I just feel a sweet contentment deep inside
Holding you at night just seems kind of natural and right
And it's not hard to see
That it isn't half of what it's going to turn out to be
Cause it's getting better
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
Getting better everyday, better everyday
And just like a flower that takes time to bloom
This love of ours is taking time to grow
Ba da da da da da da da da da da da
And I don't mind waitin', don't mind waitin'
Cause no matter how long it takes
The two of us know
That it's getting better
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
Getting better everyday, better everyday.
The Mamas and the Papas' It's Getting Better is a classic love song that tells a story of a love that has caught the singer off guard. The opening lyrics "Once I believed that when love came to me, It would come with rockets, bells and poetry" encapsulate the expectations the singer had regarding love. As many people tend to believe, love is supposed to be like a fairytale, sweeping people off their feet and making them feel like they're walking on air. However, love for the singer in this song started quietly and grew from there.
As the song progresses, it's evident that the singer has come to realize that love is more than just a feeling--it's an experience. They no longer feel "turned on and starry-eyed," but instead, they feel a "sweet contentment deep inside." This feeling is further amplified when they hold their partner at night--the singer feels a sense of comfort that feels natural and right. The singer also acknowledges that the love they share is a work in progress, just like a flower that takes time to bloom. But no matter how long it takes, they know it's getting better, stronger, warmer, and wilder every day.
Overall, It's Getting Better is a beautiful love song that speaks volumes about how love is an experience that can grow and evolve over time. It highlights the beauty of finding love in unexpected ways, and how sometimes the best things in life happen quietly.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I believed that when love came to me
I used to think that love would come with dramatic and extravagant gestures
It would come with rockets, bells and poetry
I thought love would be an earth-shattering, all-encompassing feeling
But with me and you it just started quietly and grew
However, with you, our love story began subtly and gradually developed over time
And believe it or not
Surprisingly enough,
Now there's something groovy and good
our love feels great and enjoyable
Bout whatever we got
with what we have
And it's getting better
our love keeps improving
Growing stronger warm and wilder
becoming more intense and passionate
Getting better everyday, better everyday
improving every single day
I don't feel all turned on and starry-eyed
I don't feel overwhelmed and infatuated
I just feel a sweet contentment deep inside
I feel a deep and satisfying sense of contentment
Holding you at night just seems kind of natural and right
holding you feels effortless and just the way things should be
And it's not hard to see
clearly,
That it isn't half of what it's going to turn out to be
our love has the potential to become even better than it is now
Cause it's getting better
because we're continuously improving
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
becoming more intense and passionate
Getting better everyday, better everyday
improving every single day
And just like a flower that takes time to bloom
similarly to a flower that needs to grow before blossoming
This love of ours is taking time to grow
our love needs time to develop
Ba da da da da da da da da da da da
instrumental
And I don't mind waitin', don't mind waitin'
I don't mind waiting
Cause no matter how long it takes
because regardless of how long it takes
The two of us know
we both know
That it's getting better
that our love keeps improving
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
becoming more intense and passionate
Getting better everyday, better everyday.
improving every single day
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Vothtrucks
At 67 my life is lately not so great.... not whining but after about 40 years of not hearing this song I ran across it tonight... at 4 AM. couldnt sleep. Here I sit... overwhelmed and with tears rolling down my cheeks.... from the feelings and memories from better days.... long ago........still grateful !
@patriciahayes722
As a 67 year old woman this song still gives me goosebumps
@bevcoatham6462
I'm 67 and I know exactly what you mean, I play it over and over again
@supergran1000
Another 67 year old here! Love this song!
@lollypopdrop3961
OMG SAME !!!!!!!!!! I'M 65 !!!!!!!!!!
@patriciahayes722
@@lollypopdrop3961 it's strange how we feel about different music.
@billmumbo2697
Hi another 67 year old musician this song always gives me a lift still waiting for the rocket and bells the poetry is in the songs I adore like this sung by a class vocalist ❤Cass Elliott 🎉
@Rose06091
I loved cass if you did put your thumb up
@carlstark6857
Lovely
@tubian323
She had a beautiful voice.