If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

Chill, oldie album.

3 Monday Monday - It's true, you can't trust that day. Surprised by the short length of the songs, but I like it! Doesn't overstay. Great tracks, held up really well. Don't think I would listen again but great music!

It is good for a rock album but not my style I would listen to it but never pick it 3/5

i knew more songs than i thought thanks to GAP & GUFs wedding party. overall enjoyed listening to it but probably wouldnt optionally choose to listen to it unless someone else put it on. my favourite songs were california dreamin, you baby and monday, monday

Prime hippie time. Such a lo-fi sound, but the emotion is still captured. Really nice record with some pleasant tunes. The vocal harmonies add to it a lot along with the backing instrumentation - really captures the era of the music. Very nice and simple record.

Some classic pop songs. Cass Elliot was great. The Philipses seemed terrible, though, so I dunno how to feel about this band overall. The general sound of this album is very pleasant, if unremarkable.

It was good.

Veldig ålreit

I was only exposed to the bangers on this album, being “Monday, Monday” and “California Dreamin’”. However, the album does have some duds. 3/5

schon älter, aber ganz nette Sachen dabei

Very nice sound. Some cover versions to fill it out

Good wholesome 1960s vibes

++*: Straight Shooter ++: I Call Your Name, Do You Wanna Dance, California Dreamin', Somebody Groovy, You Baby, The 'In' Crowd +: Monday, Monday, Got a Feelin', Spanish Harlem, Hey Girl +-: Go Where You Wanna Go 7,7/10

It was fine. Nothing special and you can kind of hear how much they all hate each other

California Dreamin’ is absolute mastery, rest of the album is a showcase of good close harmony tracks. Very enjoyable

it's pleasant in the background

zZz

Fun and the harmonizing is vocally impressive, but with the exception of california dreamin, it doesn't really reach any great heights. Best: California Dreamin' Worst: I Call Your Name

favorite track: california dreaming. Overall score: 6,5/10

You gotta love the Mama’s and the Papa’s. One of the best vocal groups of their time.

that's the song from TikTok

Started off strong but fell short on the second half. Not something I expected to enjoy but I did kinda like it

This was nice enough. I’ve always liked California Dreamin’. For such a wholesome-sounding band, they sure did a lot of drugs and had some insane controversies (incest allegations?!).

Classic but California Dreaming is really the only standout song

Loved the harmonies.

Not inherently offensive, but nothing special either, this album feels like a window to another time - and I’m sure, in that time, it was much more special. Now it just feels dated, despite the unique sound of “California Dreamin’” - which is all that saves it from a 2 star.

Actually not mad at this

Refreshing harmonies. Melodic, sometimes catchy, and a tad overwrought. Still listenable after decades. "Straight Shooter" intro sounds like a Monkees tune. Or is it the other way 'round? Rampant apostrophe abuse on the album cover removes a star.

I gasped when I got this I’m so happy to have this album since I LOVE California Dreaming. It really is the highlight on this album. The other songs kinda blended together whilst I was listening. I didn’t love it, nor did I hate it. The In Crowd was pretty good too. This was my second album to feature female voices on it which is a shame how few they are. Overall: 3/5

Great singing voices, but apart from the singles it’s all a bit forgettable. The covers are nothing special compared to the originals.

It's fine, very background, very gender-diverse-Beatles at points, but nothing that stands out as particularly worth it. Meh.

Lots of iconic moments on here. Feels more like a collection of nice covers and movie soundtrack options than an album I’d necessarily pursue again, but happy to have listened while walking the pupper on his 7th birthday.

It is hard not to love The Mamas & The Papas! There is just a certain charm to their combined voices that makes you smile at the much more innocent side of the sixties.

Great harmonies, iconic songs and back when albums left you wanting a bit more with a short run time - but it also left me wanting a little more from the depth in the songs. Dunno, I enjoyed it just not *that* much.

I liked it, but I don’t believe I’ll ever seek it out again. The style doesn’t quite gel with me. Even at its brisk 34 minute runtime, I was ready to move on with three tracks left.

bom disco, mas nao é pra mim

3.5?

Not really my cup of tea but like All the leaves are brown.

1. Monday, Monday: the vocals are dreamy, the layers are cool, but the backing on only one side of my ears vs the lead on the other is not super smooth sounding - it feels empty in a weird way. Lyrics are schoolboy kinda love/how terrible Monday feels post weekend happiness. Nothing super notable. 2. Straight Shooter: the bass and guitar on this reminds me of a love story western kinda vibe. The vocals are immaculate, a constant throughout their work. I am taking the lyrics to be more about a drug addict looking for another fix. 3. Got a Feelin': the clock ticking along with lyrics of wasting time with an unfaithful lover. The vocals are so dreamy and soft. The drums/clock and synth put the intuitive heart-dropping feeling into sound. 4. I Call Your Name: this is a Beatles cover. I don't know what the original sounds like, so I cannot compare. I liked the tempo switch, swingy energy, along with gorgeous vocals. Whispering "John" during the cover as a nod to John Lennon, who wrote this one. I enjoy the ending of this song a lot, it kinda reminds me of a happy ending in a movie. 5. Do You Wanna Dance: very 60s sweet love song. I imagine that this was played at every school dance/wedding/etc. The strings add such romance and tenderness to the already cute lyrics. Again, the split mix in headphones is throwing me off. It doesn't blend. 6. Go Where You Wanna Go: TEA on this song, it's written by John Phillips (vocals/writer) about Michelle Phillips cheating on her husband with Denny (both part of the group). Kinda really strange lyrics and overall vibe - feels like a sarcastic song. 7. California Dreamin': I think everyone has heard this one; it's incredible. The vocals from Denny are so strong. LOVE the flute. I think this may be about the impending doom of Michelle and John, due to her affair. 8. Spanish Harlem: the background vocals are very angelic, super nostalgic track - feels like a flashback to a beautiful time. The violins, along with this imagery, are stunning. "It is a special one; it's never seen the sun. It only comes out when the moon is on the run." 9. Somebody Groovy: fun lil track, I can envision people dancing and swinging around. The rhythm backing is great, I feel groovy and easy listening to this. 10. Hey Girl: very bluesy, I enjoy the piano. Yearning for someone who has been hurt by a player, waiting around for her. The conversation lyrics that go back and forth through this album gets more of a story across, giving both sides which I love. 11. You Baby: very wholesome love song, in typical 60s feel and lyrics. This is exactly how it feels to be head over heels for someone. "Greatest thing since rock and roll" -- such a time in music and culture. Vocals paired with clapping reminds me of a heart pounding with admiration. Cute to follow Hey Girl, maybe the story follows through or I'd like to imagine so. 12. The "In" Crowd: Cass' voice is so strong and takes this song to another level, it's striking. I wish the vocals were mixed on both sides rather than just the left. "If it's square, we ain't there." Being the cool guys here, they know what is in and what's not. The lyrics kinda don't land great but it has a mesmorizing energy/beat. This whole album flows nice, most of the songs are super strong and their vocals are just unmatched altogether. The drums and synths add to the dreaminess of the layered vocals. I am super disappointed in the mixing of this album as most of the vocals were on the left side, not both and I think it would hit super hard if they were equally balanced. Who knows, could be a decade thing.. This album is huge and highly respected, it has aged pretty decently for a '66 record.

A bit boring. Not particularly bad nor not particularly good. Is boring a 3* or a 2*?

Somewhat dated. There's some good ones in here, but some that haven't stood the test of time as well.

nice whimsy fun

It's a little sugary, but there are some good tunes, good album

California Dreamin still hits. Album gets old after a couple spins

Fav: California Dreamin' Notes: Lots of nostalgia on this one. Good but not great. Vinyl: Yes, but not the cover actually showing the toilet. Those are rare and worth hundreds; it was apparently a big scandal at the time to show a toilet on an album cover. After the first run, the subsequent releases had it covered up.

Iconic sound, some great tunes here, a little Boomer-y for my tastes, but keeps me listening nonetheless. Undeniable talent, well arranged. California Dreamin' is as known as it is for good reason. Gets a bit redundant on repeated listens.

Mono is not made for headsets... Having the vocals and instruments in one ear and the chorus in the other can be a bit annoying. "California dreaming" is great, of course. 3,5/5

Have heard the big ones from this, but never knew this was who it was by or explored more.

Mouerf

É um álbum legalzinho sim.. Bem fácil de ouvir. Além de California Dreamin', eu gostei de Got A Feelin' e Spanish Harlem

Mama Cass deserved the world. The other three? Varying levels of "not so much."

Everything besides california dreamin was mid

Not a huge fan

Monday, Monday and California Dreamin' are absolute classics but the rest of this album didn't do it for me unfortuantely. Somebody Groovy was also a great song but the rest just didn't hit. I'll definitely listen again later to rerate but for now its a 3/5

Another one I'm filing in "cool, glad I heard it, probably will never listen to it again"

California dreaming lifts a lot of the weight on this album, why is there a WC in the album cover? The Mamas and the Papas do know how to harmonize. Do not read about their personal relationships 😳 https://youtu.be/tNlwimUxUME they were forced to mime, so here's Michelle eating a banana in the middle of their performance. 3/5

I like the feeling of this album and hearing where California Dreamin came from.

This album was such a vibe, it really transports you back into the late 60s era. If I had to use one word to describe it, I'd probably say 'quintessential'. The compositions are just beautiful and, I mean... California Dreamin'? Need I say more?I'm generally not a huge fan of the 60s sound, but any album with California Dreamin' is an automatic high score for me. Some may call it overplayed or even overrated, but imagine writing a song so iconic it's known and used by generations after.

echte musik mit viel gesanglicher harmonie. mit klassikern die man kennt.

Wenn Musik aus dieser Zeit, dann diese Platte.

Was ok

I can believe my eyes and ears, this album is derivative and tepid. Nothing unbelievable here. Talented but unenthused by invention, this group is mothers and fathers of nothing. They are the child of greater groups and the brothers of the forgotten. California Dreamin does hold up.

Pleasant but ultimately uninteresting.

It’s good, but not great.

Good

Oozes mid-60s California pop, with lush harmonies, jangly guitars, a touch of folk, a bit of rock, and an undercurrent of melancholy beneath all the sunshine. California Dreamin' is still a haunting classic. Not sure about that album cover though, hah.

Intresting to hear some new songs from these guys. Not a big fan but it was an ok listening experience.

some all-timers on here, some duds. The highs are so much better than the lows though

I can believe my ears and ears. This is a good psychedelic folk/rock album full of lovely harmonies and some exceptional bangers. ‘Monday, Monday’, ‘Do You Wanna Dance’, ‘California Dreamin’, ‘Somebody Groovy’ and ‘You Baby’ are the go-to tracks here.

Perfectly pleasant folky poppy Flower Power. But California Dreaming and (to a lesser extent) Monday, Monday stand out for me. The rest is a bit same'ish - great vocal harmonies and all that, but no "wow" factor. Some songs are very Beatles like. No great art (or grammar) has been lost on the cover.

Great harmonies and arrangements but, with the exception of the singles and perhaps a couple of other tracks, the material is fairly average. “California Dreamin’” and “Monday, Monday” are perhaps the only Mamas and Papas I need.

Pretty good, bland in places. Shocked that the In Crowd is one of the least played songs on the album, to me its probably the funkiest

Good, but not my favorite at the moment

This was a great album with lots of great tracks but nothing that stood out as interesting or novel.

3.5 rounded down to 3 because of a bad album cover, worse album name and the grammar in the band name.

i enjoyed

Enjoyable but a little repetitive for my taste.

Not bad, but not my cup of tea. While listening to it it felt like listening to all the generic 60/70s song that later on got used as a soundtrack background in a movie in those scenes where they show the main character living his serene life before adventure awaits

Some good hits but not every track was a winner.

For det meste roligt, men alligevel varierende stemning og tempo

Fun 70s vibe

A good and easy listen though sounds somewhat dated in terms of the sound. A laid back Californian west coast sixteen vibe. The two singles are stand out tracks - Monday Monday and California dreaming. I think I owned a vinyl copy of this once.

Ok. Just a bit old sounding.

It’s really just not my favorite style of music. The vocal arrangements were good but the panning and production really did not let these songs shrine. Album tracks do equal the singles though

i did like it but nothing really stuck out to me unfortunately. it seems like music i would put on in the background and forget it’s there until it was off. that is actually what happened. good album though! worth a listen i think

I know far more of these songs that I thought I would. I laughed when this came up in my rotation, yet now I'm going, how do I know these? Because it's a solid album, dated sure, but the songs still work. It makes me think of how far music has moved since they were considered counter culture. It also is interesting that they are now the sound of the late sixties. After thinking about it and listening to the album I swear that's why I know there catalog.

7/1001 Not a bad album, but nothing special either. I try to put myself in someone’s shoes who would’ve heard this for the first time in 1966 - it probably would have made big impact. The harmonies are what has kept TMATP a part pop culture for 6 decades. Most prose have heard California Dreamin’ and maybe even Monday, Monday - so they do stand the test of time. Those songs are iconic, but the rest of the album kind of sounds like a watered down version of The Beatles. I didn’t hate the album, and the times that’s California Dreamin’ and Monday, Monday show up in a commercial or movie or in a grocery store will be more than enough for me.

Not even California Dreamin' could save this one

Beyond the novelty and laughter that may surge from the fact that you HAVE to listen with both earphones... it's just fine. Maybe it is a product of its time. I enjoyed 3, 4 songs the rest didn't make me complain or anything, just made me feel "it's playing, may just as well listen to it". No negatives of the top of my head, but I don't know if I'll revisit it. A 5.

Pretty basic album besides California Dreamin'. Their take on Do You Wanna Dance was also good, and the rest of the album was definitely worth having on in a vibe, but so clear that one song is head and shoulders above the rest.

Monday, Monday is underrated compared to California Dreaming. I feel like that song was around more when I was young. Some good songs to start the album. Then, some duds up to California Dreaming. End well. There's some good sunshine pop on this but I am glad I own the 7" with the two big hits on it. There no reason to own the whole album.

Ist okay

I enjoyed this although probably wouldn't put it among my elite/top albums. Saved a few songs from it!

Beautiful boring music from your mamas and papas. The type of album you just don't enjoy but can't claim it's not good. Got many classic tunes that I never noticed are from them, especially "California Dreamin'". Maybe 3/5, I'm not yet old enough to like their music.

Folk Pop, 1966 -> 3

60's groove with some HOF hits. Varying levels of composition and degrees of difficulty, but overall worthy of your time.

Folk rock with gorgeous vocal harmonies. Quite a short listen clocking at under 40 minutes which makes for a pleasant listen. Fun fact: Cass Eliot was a member of the band until they broke up in 68'

Mostly quite forgettable and 400% too much stereo. A couple of cool tunes tho. 3 stars because of the hot girl on the cover.

1. California dreamin 2. Monday, Monday 3. Somebody groovy

Yeah. Chill.

Classic bangers, really enjoyed it from beginning to end - some kinda boring tunes that blend into the background of this era, but overall not bad!

Solid sunshine pop.

I'm always amazed when I hear something from this era that sounds like the Beatles. Not because I view this band as a massive rip-off or something like that, but rather just how far superior The Beatles were tonall the other groups from this time period who have a similar sound. Why do I say this? The Mamas & the Papas in 1966 sound very much like early Beatles. By contrast, The Beatles around the same time were releasing Revolver, and very shortly after this, arguably one of the greatest albums of all time, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. When you hear such quintessential 60s hits like "California Dreamin," you think of how representative of the era that song is. You don't think about how innovative it is. I'm not saying this Mama's and Papa's album is bad. Actually I think it's quite good, but it's nothing new under the sun. It's nice melodies, with some excellent harmonies, and some catchy, poppy tunes in the mix. Is The Mamas and the Papas debut album worthy of being on this list? Probably. I'm guessing it was pretty influential, and like I said it is good. But, man, if this 1001 album challenge has taught me anything it's that the Beatles are worthy of all the accolades they have, and I've also learned that if something is coming out in the sixties, it needs to not sound like this to truly impress me.

sounds pretty good. doesn't age as well as other music from this era.

Great singles and covers

They have catchy jams but I predict a 3. I don't skip past it, but I also don't feel like for me it was a "must hear".

Good classic songs of the era. California dreaming is a great song. Album overall was good, I’ll come back to it when I’m in the mood for this typical 60s era music.

- paar Banger sind definitiv dabei, aaaber zwischendurch ist es dann auch echt mal zäh und etwas viel Geleier 2,75 / 5

3 - I'd rate this more a 3.5 if I could. Classic California folk rock from the 60s. Album includes some of their most recognized songs.

Why so much panning from left to right, its like they just discovered stereo.

Nostalgic Laurel Canyon comp. Doesn’t evoke an album feel, but it was kind of before that time. The hits are undeniable and defining of a sound, place, and generation. Its drawbacks are of the era. I don’t need them singing Spanish Harlem. Leave that to Phil Spector’s stable. These throw away knocked it down a couple for me. But fun nonetheless.

Not going to compete with the top comment here!

Álbum clásico sesentero, que contiene el archiconocido tema "California Dreamin’". Musicalmente es muy bueno, transporta directamente a la atmósfera hippie de su época. Las armonías vocales, aunque excelentes, acaban por hacerse algo irritantes. Además, todos los temas suenan un poco igual y el álbum incluye varias versiones de otros grupos. Merece estar en esta lista por su relevancia histórica, pero no me termina de convencer.

I love how this sunshine pop / psych follows a soul structure in both compositions and in how almost every song is a cover

I like music.

I feel like sound quality really affected my enjoyment of this.

1) ez a borító HOGYAN történt? 2) all the leaves are broooooooooown and the sky is graaaaaaaaaay (igen, ezért meg a monday mondayért kap hármast, amúgy kevesebb lenne)

There are the two mega-hits "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin" on the album. But in total it sounds a bit too aged to me.

All the leaves are brown ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN

The big hits are timeless classics that you know well. The rest seems a bit more stuck in a time capsule for me. Very mid-60s pop.

well... this shit was sonically pleasing, but it wasnt very interesting. best songs: california dreamin,monday monday

Whew, that was one big load of cheese

He laulavat hyvin kauniisti ja California dreamingista hyökyy 60-luvun nostalgia (vaikka silloin vielä sitä vuosikymmentä elettiinkin). Sanoitukset on muuten liian 50-lukua mulle, love me ja my baby jne. Vahva kaks puol.

I was ready to slam the SINGLES BAND stamp on this one, but to my surprise, a few of the deep cuts ("Straight Shooter," "Got A Feelin'") are actually pretty nice. Still, not sure this makes it out of the "Great 60s Albums" bracket and onto the "Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

хз , средненько, мне не оч нравки, 3/5

An album, more precisely a sound, synonymous with the time and place it was created, that's worthy of its place in history really only because of its two classic hits.

I have an old "Best of" on vinyl, but I don't think I've ever listened to an actual album of the Mama's and the Papa's (what's with the apostrophes by the way?). This is all firmly in classic territory - beautiful harmonies, some fabulous songwriting mixed with standards, but who would have guessed how many sexual shenanigans were going on behind the scenes with such a light, mainstream, radio-friendly sound?

I'm sorry this either needed more PCP or more black people. It's music like this that makes the exorcisms at Elvis shows make sense. Pleasent layered vocals and some catchy hooks, but if I'm going to listen to something white from this era, why not just throw on Rubber Soul or the Beach Boys. Like can you imagine watching Jimi Hendrix open for these jingle jangle, step side to side and snap mfers. Nothing bad about the music, but I'm just like this is what y'all listened to when you wanted to have a good time? Rating: 6/10

Not bad. Has some deservedly-famous songs on there.

60s folk rock

I feel like I've heard all these songs before even though I don't think I have. I did enjoy them and might give this another spin. 3.5/5

Two of the best 60s and a lot of iffy filler. I wanted to like this more as I am a huge fan of "California Dreamin" and "Monday Monday," but it wasn't there for me.

shrug

A lot of dirty laundry with these folks huh? 4 part harmonies are lovely but deceptive.

Easy listening but not very exciting.

It’s the Mamas and the Papas. It’s nice, it’s what you’d expect.

Solid, enjoyable harmonies. Standout songs: Monday monday California Dreamin

Avi really likes this one! Great harmonies, their voices are amazing. Definitely very 60s, the lovey-dovey vibe gets a little saccharine after a while, but some great songs overall. I liked “Do You Wanna Dance,” a song I always associated with the Ramones, and of course, California Dreaming.

great harmonies

decent album

Monday, Monday, etc

I think they were featured in some horror/thriller media I watched so now I only get sinister vibes when I listen to them. California Dreamin still a banger.

I never thought of them as a band appealing to adults but this album is a lot less child-like in content than I realized

A sonically powerful debut that showcased the mood shift of "family bands" from being all positive to grounding in reality of life at the times. Really puts you back in time

A couple of daytime radio classics, but does it really move you? Not quite poignent enough to avoid the feeling that it's just a great, beautifully executed example of light music of the time. But doesn't stir the hardened 21st century soul.

Great tracks. The challenge for me is a number of the tracks that I like, I prefer done by other artists.

A few very recognizable songs.

Lots of harmonies, takes a little while to get used to. They made a lot of songs feel floaty and dreamy. I didn't think I was going to recognize anything, but knew a few. I really liked the dynamic or like the mood changes throughout songs, it's not something I can think of other people doing. The mood changes along with the lyrics that don't always follow traditional rhyme schemes kept things interesting. I appreciate the experimental aspects of this album while still feeling a bit poppy.

California Dreaming cancels out how much I absolutely hate The “In” Crowd. I wish there was more of that sound, kind of dark and some mystery behind it. Staying at a 3 because the music isn’t bad and the harmonies are great but there’s just something that doesn’t connect with me here. Maybe it’s knowing too much about the John Phillips thing. I also heard this group compared to how the cast of Glee would sound singing folk music and I can see that too.

pretty great debut album. You're doing alright if you drop California Dreamin and Monday, Monday on your first record. I grew up on this music

21/1001 Getting the obvious out of the way, California Dreamin’ is one of the greatest folk rock songs ever and the rest of the album sadly doesn’t hold a candle to its quality and warmth. Now that’s not to say the rest is bad. Far from it Straighter Shooter is a wonderfully uptempo song with a great guitar riff, and in a similar vein is Somebody Groovy. Monday, Monday is another great song. Simple and mellow and it just works. Apart from a few other songs, there sadly isn’t much else to write home about. Some uninteresting attempts, leaving the rest a bit disappointing. 3,5/5

A few classic hits here.

A couple of hits but nothing else that is memorable.

This album was alright and was pretty good for its time. "California Dreamin'" is a classic as always. There's not a lot to the Mamas & the Papas other than "IYCBYE&E". Half of the songs were just generic '60s stuff. Next album please... 3 stars for "IYCBYE&E".

I appreciate this word being in this list. Monday Monday and California dreaming are classics - didn’t realize the ramones covered them with do ya wanna dance. Also many references to them in once upon a time in Hollywood. Great stuff. Also it should be noted that momma cass did not choke on a ham sandwich.

This is a pretty good album, but just not my taste. It is fine, and that's about it. High 3.

was ok. very much of the era

Not what I usually listen to but I enjoyed got a feeling and california dreamin'

Surpassingly good, but not my preferred genre

this album was pleasant and inoffensive but not really anything special for me. california dreamin is obviously well known but dare i say my least favourite song on the album?? maybe i've been overexposed to the 60s i need a break

Listening with my RØDEs and a dac/amp so this sound quality is incredible. Fuming I wasn't born a boomer who could've experienced the 60s in california as they happened. Copying the Beatles but everyone else was (listen to straight shooter again if you disagree with me) and it works because I quite enjoyed it! Straight Shooter and You Baby were personal favourites. Definitely not the most interesting the 60s had to offer by any means but it'll be a good relisten in the summer. Wish we could give half ratings on here bc I'd probably put it as a 3.5. Still hate John Phillips.

Can’t have the mamas without the papas just like you can’t have Houmous without Chutney! 2.6

After I heard this excessively mellow version of "Do You Wanna Dance" I had to stop the album and play the Ramones version just to make things right again before I proceeded. The musical equivalent of a dental spit and rinse. I want to dance with the Ramones, or even M+P's contemporary Beach Boys make me want to dance with Carl Wilson when he sings this, but I do not want to dance with these guys at all. But, M+P were incredibly rock n roll in their own way: The dichotomy between John Phillips' decades of unspeakable debauchery and the sweet tones of his band is staggering. Another huge one is how unhip they sound now and yet there was a time when they were the hippest band in the world, staging the Monterey Pop Festival, etc. But they were their own undoing because after Hendrix hit the stage at Monterey, these guys lost their cultural relevance like a switch flipped.

I'm really surprised that I'm more than a third of the way through this collection, and this is the first Mamas and Papas album, and even more shocked to discover that this is the *only* Mamas and Papas album. Nonetheless this seems like a good selection, as it has a few of their radio classics on it (although it *is* missing most of their singles, perhaps not surprisingly). I didn't grow up listening to them, and have never really found their style and sound all that compelling, so listening to this album didn't really do much for me, and a few of the tracks were a little grating (mainly the cover tunes, e.g. the Beach-Boys-esque take on "Do you wanna dance" or several of the final tracks on the album). But they have a place in the pantheon, I know, and I'm glad to have been exposed to a full album of their sometimes weirdly dark folksy tunes. I'm also struck that my favorite Mamas and Papas tunes are cover versions by later musicians (a bit like Bob Dylan, I suppose).

C sympa

Influential and iconic sound, harmonies are insane. Just not my particular taste most of the way through

I thought I would hate it based on Monday Monday but it's really nice I like it a lot. Lots of 60s pop vibes and I love the back and forth between the mamas and the papas. Side note: the solo on 'I call your name' is absolutely ridiculous and I love it. Fave song: I call your name Least fave song: Monday Monday Would I listen again: I might, but more likely I'll just pick a couple songs to listen to

Didn’t finish. Very one dimensional but good harmonies.

I liked it. I was really into this 60s style in high school and it's a lotta fun. I do think the songs start to blend together, but it is comforting. There are some fun instrumental parts here and the vocal harmonies are great. Actually a 3.5. Liked Songs: "Monday, Monday" , "Straight Shooter" , "I Call Your Name" , "Go Where You Wanna Go" , "California Dremin' " , "Somebody Groovy" , "You Baby" , "The 'In' Crowd"

liked songs: California Dreamin' ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN This album is so 60s. It's not bad, it's just very 60s. 3

Overall, this album is not too bad of a background listen as it is melodic and not invasive. Nothing too exciting though, apart from California Dreaming, which has over a billion listens on Spotify, whereas most of the other songs have a couple of million.

Not bad music at all. Very easygoing but a little boooooooooring…

This one’s a real treat. Again a pop album where I knew the hit singles (Monday Monday and California Dreaming), but was surprised by the strength of the album tracks. This is beatlesque/beach boysesque psych pop at its finest. Beautiful vocal harmonies, tasty guitar and keyboard licks. Very memorable melodies and great songwriting. My favorite is probably Got a Feelin’. I wanted to say that this album got very strong Rubber Soul influences, but I see it got released just a couple of months after Rubber Soul, so maybe it’s more of a parallel development kind of thing.

Classic 60's sound, feels very nostalgic.

Even if every song on the album sucked, except for California dreamin, it’d still be a 3 because that song is still great. Good album overall. Would listen again. 3.5⭐️

Very much of its time

Ik heb wat in te halen door de Tijdloze Countdown en de kerstvakantie, waar ik dit wat heb laten aanslepen. Dit is het eerste album en mijn god, wat is het typerend om met 'Monday, Monday' te starten op de eerste werkdag. Het klopt allemaal. Luisteren naar de deprimerende teksten over de meest sombere weekdag terwijl de verblindende kantoorlichten weer voor het eerst in twee weken op mijn gelaat schijnen. Ik heb welgeteld zes keer mijn muziek moeten pauzeren om 'beste wensen' te zeggen tegen mijn collega's met de bijhorende, licht geforceerde glimlach. Heerlijk. Gelukkig Nieuwjaar. 3.4

Okay but a little boring. Probably didn't age well

It’s hard to listen to the Mamas & the Papas’ debut with fresh ears; the music sounds like it was produced so many years ago (close to 60 to he precise). In total it If You Can Beliebe Your Eyes & Ears sounds like the house band for Laugh In - groovy music from a former time. It does however contain two of their strongest compositions- “Monday Monday” and “California Dreamin’” which make it worth the trip down memory lane.

A few standout tunes, beautiful harmonies and Cass Elliot's velvet voice are all worthy features but as a whole this album doesn't wow me.

It's pretty good, some good songs

Alright

This exceeded my expectations. I thought the harmonies were often beautiful and the melodies solid. I won’t seek it out, but new respect to them M&Ps

Solid album with some good songs but they’ve never been a group I’ve listened to a lot. They helped organize Monterey which brought Hendrix back to the US and I met Denny Doherty when he came to speak to my class at Dal so for that I’ll give them a 3.

There were some certified bangers on here but also a few duds. Overall enjoyable.

Eh

Dreamy, folky, beautiful harmonies. Very beach boys esquié, not in a bad way. It’s music I feel comfort in even though I wouldn’t revisit very often. Wish the mono was released and California dreaming is gold

Harmless. Pleasant enough, and, for the time, not that odd, but it’s very much a product of its time. A couple of odd bits - I call your name sits oddly, there’s some experimental stereo stuff going on, and those bloody apostrophes are ridiculous. Some OK bits as well - I enjoyed Straight Shooter and the hits are obviously well known enough to do the job. But it is all a bit harmless. And feels longer than it is as a result - it just sort of wallows in beige and, sixty years on doesn’t excite me really. I’ve heard worse from the sixties. A lot worse. This is perfectly pleasant, in a polite sort of way.

Not for me, but I get its historical place.

Beautiful voices and harmonies, half of the tracks I loved, half of them I would skip on a relisten.

I like the Beatles too

Most of this sounds dated, especially the schmaltzy instrumentation. That's not necessarily a criticism of them, just my own taste I guess. Still, other than California Dreaming, many of these songs sound like imitations of Beatles songs of the era that I like better (Straight shooter sounds just like Paperback writer to me) or Beach Boys songs that have stood the test of time better, for whatever reason, maybe just because they were more iconic. Maybe its because the lyrics to these songs tend more toward cliche. While the singing and harmonies are obviously well-executed, harmony for harmony's sake can have the effect of de-personalizing the tone, as it sounds like a crowd of people singing to you rather than the voice of one person telling you how they feel.

When I was a kid, California Dreaming and Dream a Little Dream of Me seemed like the most white bread, wholesome ditties from across the pond, and if you take them purely on their own merit, they are. But once you start to delve into the love triangles, and the drug addled, sex crazed, debauchery of the group, a dark shadow is cast over their otherwise whimsical pop legacy. Monday, Monday, California Dreaming, and In Crowd are all stand outs. Well written pop of the highest order. Got A Feelin’ is almost a lullaby with it's tiny bell chimes, and ticking clocks. You Baby has some great oohs and ahhs, it's Beach Boys-esque. But let's address the elephant in the room. Incest. We all know you did it John. A close friend said he'd like to drag John Phillips out of his crypt and kick the crap out of him. The story goes he desperately tried to stop his daughter's wedding the night before, and that's when they started their sickening 10 year union. The M’s and The P’s had a song called Young Girls are Coming to the Canyon, Michelle Phillips used to say “yeah and you've fucked them all John”. I'm sorry but it's all too horrible for this listener. If I want nice harmonies and whimsy, of this era, and in this rudimentary style, I'm picking The Monkees. Davy Jones and Mike Nesbitt would never defile their daughters.

didnt realise how weird that guy richard was

Good in places

It was pretty alright, nothing jumped out at me but it’s an enjoyable listen for sure. California Dreamin is an absolute all timer. Do you Wanna Dance beach boys cover??

A lot of good radio songs

Some classics for sure and great harmonies

The use of stereo is interesting but at risk of overdoing it in this. There's a couple of memorable tracks but nothing totally novel you'd be richer for hearing.

if I was getting kidnapped and tortured, I'd want this to be playing

This album serves as a bridge between Motown and the hazy psychedelic influence of the 60s. The production is what sets this apart from being just another sunshine pop album, integrating the reverb and swirls of psychedelia. 3.5 / 5

A few good tracks but not a huge fan of the 60s sound.

There's a couple of iconic songs on here (Monday, Monday... California Dreamin'), but otherwise I found the album pretty forgettable. Not bad, but I won't seek it out again.

22/11/24 It was an alright album.

Another one of those albums that I had heard the singles, but never heard the album, and honestly didn't even know who the artists were. I quite enjoyed it while riding my bike to and from work and will listen to it again

California Dreaming is a choon. You can’t not bop to that. Not much else really grabbing me. But a nice solid 34mins. So can’t complain too much. Simpsons: No

California Dreamin' is brilliant. The rest was OK, and a lot of covers I believe.

I enjoyed both singles and Mama Cassé letting rip on “The In Crowd” but the rest sounded pretty twee to my ears.

Está guay...

I'd never listened to an entire album by these guys but found myself enjoying it quite a bit!

Ah, the siren’s song of the hippie movement. Hard to hate this one. Mama Cass was a treasure. She’s the best thing here. What’s funny is that this record is essentially just a jazzed up Peter, Paul & Mary. It’s all super pretty harmonies, gentle orchestration and classic covers. Nothing even remotely radical. It’s lighter than liteFM. It’s what the parents of the hippies would have liked. It’s music by kids who grew up watching Lawrence Welk, and then smoked some reefer in high school. How this managed to inspire a generation to throw off the shackles of a nice, secure middle class life, I will never understand. But here we are. Thanks for ruining everything, ya filthy hippies. That said, this is fine. As per usual at the time, the guys sing too much.

Classic, good album. Didn't leap to my feet or anything but it was good

Simple, happy music, good harmonies but needed better engineering.

it is really pretty but does get a bit boring and repetitive

Fun. Nostalgic. But a little too old-school for me.

60’s

Not a bad album, but only a couple of songs I really got into

California Dreamin' is obviously great, but the ret was just okay.

One of the oldest sounding oldies groups for sure. I find their music mostly boring, but California Dreamin is really, really good. I also really enjoyed I Call Your Name, a song new to me.

jukebox bangers, nöd alltagstauglich though california dreamin aber en absolute banger

60s folk pop sounds of its time but still just as great. All beautifully written, very Beatles Esk twangy guitar lines and a cover of I Call Your Name. Stand out tracks: - Monday Monday - Straight Shooter - California Dreamin' - Somebody Groovy - The "In" Crowd

Enjoyable with the classics thrown in

CD är ju snorbra. Även den andra hiten, Monday monday är bra. Resten. Nej, som vanligt är det milsvida skillnad. Fattar inte.

California dreamin’ är verkligen svinbra och fanns en eller ett par till hyfsade dängor, men i övrigt var det inget som väckte särskilt mycket inom mig. Det är inte dåligt, men bara så slätstruket sextiotalstrist.

Yeah kind of nice but nothing stood out for me

I liked it. Mainly California dreaming

Not the kinks

милые и знакомые, впечатляет сколько из них хитов пошло. но надо намного больше слушать чтобы зацепило

3/5 Liked California Dreamin

California Dreaming and Monday Monday are definitely the standouts here. The rest of the songs I could kinda take or leave. Definitely not the most impressive or innovative 60s record

Fine, but a bit too clean. California Dreamin' is clearly the stand-out as expected. The rest of the tracks have some nice moments but really nothing special. 3.3/5

Nice pop rock sweetness

Some good classics

Giants of my youth. Gotta admit that I was fascinated with Cass’s size. She was perhaps the fattest famous person I’d ever seen. Why that bothered my 5 year old self is beyond me, but I’d stare at the album cover for hours. My dad was a big fan, and these stoners helped usher in his hippy days. We went from crew cuts to shoulder length overnight, and I was complaining. My dad loved to harmonize along to the music. It seemed to be some of his happiest moments. I’m not really a fan, but it’s always nice to trip down the old brain lane.

Some classic songs, but not to appealing overall.

2024-09-04...

Fun listen! Faves: Monday Monday, Go Where You Wanna Go, California Dreamin’, Spanish Harlem

Better than I expected

Lots of classic songs on this. Not bad at all.

Not my type of music.

"California Dreaming" is the best song on this album, and the rest are only ok. Beautiful harmonies but meh songs overall.

this was decent but i had absolutely zero nostalgia of this group to fall back on. california dreamin' is the best song on here by a country mile, but at least the others were fine and fairly short. also, this album cover is driving me crazy. why on earth would you pluralize mamas and papas with apostrophes???? favorites: monday monday, california dreamin

They're okay, but too sixties.

One great song, one very good song, and the rest... simply good with a lot of covers. 7 out of 10, rounding down.

Pretty enjoyable. No notes

The hits are very good. They seem to be of two minds here. Some neat progressive modern harmonic songs intermixed with more dated sounded bubblegum hymnal type music

Otroliga vocals, men blev lite repetitivt efter ett tag. Bara California Dreamin som sticker ut

Classic.

It's okay

Can totally appreciate the writing and arrangements on this record. Just of a different time period and prob not much that would bring me back for a second listen. California Dreaming is going on the 1001 playlist though

POV: you're a hippie taking a roadtrip throughout the US in the late 60s/early 70s. Favorites: California Dreams and Spanish Harlem. Monday, monday is good too.

Sounded exactly like what I expected it would

Enjoyable.

If you had to demonstrate what the 60s sounded like to an alien you might choose this. Classic 60s vibes bottled up. But they sound great and they are the banner holder for a reason. Constantly toying with the R/L stereo kind of fucks me up. Calfornia Dreamin’ is my go to track for making sure my speakers are both working. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would though.

76% Best: Monday, Monday; Straight Shooter; California Dreamin'; The "In" Crowd Must-Hear? Not quite

Lots of album separation quite nice - just a mellow album. Not really very memorable.

One of the best album covers in existence

If you can believe your eyes and ears, The Mamas & The Papas are here to assuage your fears. People often forget how much of a groundbreaking group they were, in large part due to what happened to most of them afterward, damning or otherwise. But this debut record encapsulates what they were all about in the midway point of a decade of incredible change, when any and all things seemed possible. The Mamas and The Papas, regardless of how you may have felt before, would certainly make you believe in the sights and sounds. Favorites: Monday, Monday, Straight Shooter, Do You Wanna Dance, Spanish Harlem, Somebody Groovy, Hey Girl, The "In" Crowd.

This is decent, but John Phillips is probably a sex pest, so 2.5 stars for you!

Monday, Monday

The Mama's and the Papa's successfully blended folk and pop in an era that seemed to be dominated by either the Brit invasion sound of The Beatles, the surfer sound of The Beach Boys, or Motown. While there are a few tracks on here that are sleepy and boring, you can't deny their incredible harmonies and the absolute the genius of what is clearly their best song, California Dreamin'.

This is the stereotype for hippie flower child music. It was ok

It was a lovely throwback - unfortunately I was having an autistic meltdown while listening to it. That may have coloured my review slightly.

bad

A surprise for me: that the album that contains "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday" is otherwise pretty dull.

Fun oldies album

Some really great tunes and some “meh”. Great vocals all around though!

Incredibly dysfunctional as individuals incredibly harmonius as a group. Nice record probably 3.5 stars

2.5 Cass Elliott is better alone

Yea it was alright, some of those 60’d harmonies I’m not a fan of, but it was fine.

It was fine, but I didn't think there was anything special about it. I liked "Monday, Monday" but the rest was a blur.

Classic, but not my style

A lot of these songs still hold up

This is probably the least favourite of the quintessential 60s albums I’ve heard so far (ie. Jefferson/beach boys). Very monotonous.

Ok

This is important, foundational music that set the tone for so much other similar sounding music to be built upon. The classic hits still sound great today. I don't listen to this kinda music tho, so 3 stars

Groovy. It’s groovy, what else is there to say?

Of it’s time

..).

First off, fuck John Phillips. That guy sucked. It's a good thing he's dead so I can feel comfortable listening to this album on streaming. I mean, I could've said the same thing about Jerry Lee Lewis, but I didn't. Maybe it's because this is from a band with other living members that get the money instead as opposed to a solo live album where the shithead says his own name and puts his last name in one of the songs that makes it okay to me. Whatever, let's move on from that. Something something "separate the art from the artist," you get the idea. This album's alright. I like the vocals. The presence of a whopping FOUR vocalists really adds a variety in vocal sound that you don't get much with music like this. At most it's usually two singers. The instrumental sound takes a bit of a backseat in this one, but it's still solid. The songs themselves are alright too. The highlight of course is "California' Dreamin." That song's pretty great and was an easy add to my "Best of the Albums" playlist. The others are good too. I like this album. I don't love it, but it's good. High 3/5.

I feel like I knew the two best songs already - didn’t really need the rest.

This album will be the soundtrack of my autumn, I think

Underneath the thick layer of vocal-pop bubblegum, there is some subversion, a la the free love anthem "Go Where You Wanna Go". Some tracks haven't aged all that well ("Spanish Harlem" feels... creepy?), and Cass Elliot is the clear star here. Favorite tracks: "California Dreamin'", "Somebody Groovy"

#302. This album can't really decide if it wants to be hippie music, or pop music. It's not really bad, technically, but it's very of its time, and is somewhat hard to get into if you're not already o diehard of the genre. A bit uninteresting to the casual passerby. 3/5: acceptable

I love California Dreamin and Monday Monday. A couple of other tracks on the album are fairly good as well but others, well, not so good. The vocal harmonies are amazing throughout however. The overall sound is quite dated. A mixed bag for me and my score reflects that.

Lovely warm bath of a record.

predicting it now, im not gonna like this one track one - this sounds awful on streaming. i know the original vinyl version is probably better. the panning is so off and the vocal are way too loud reading up on their history as group is way more interesting than album itself. these mfs freaky asl. fuck you john nasty ass pos its alright i guess, however i will likely never return to this album

California Dreaming is one of my favourite songs from the 60s

I feel like such a hater every time I give something less than three stars because I could never create anything like this and it’s one of the top 1001 most influential albums of all time, and also I know nothing about music, but yeah I didn’t love it

Sounds like ABBA doing folk (or, more accurately, ABBA sounds like Mama’s & Papa’s doing disco). Lovely harmonies, hard to knock the talent.

It was fine. Probably good for its time. Simple rhymes and lots of 'em.

California Dreaming and Monday Monday are classics.

Tenía referencias de este álbum por la canción California Dreamin', soundtrack de la película Chungking Express. En general disfruté el sonido, pero sin duda mis favoritas son The "In" Crowd y por supuesto, California Dreamin', que es maravillosa.

Nice 60's band with a couple of huge hits. California Dreaming and Monday, Monday

Solid album. Definitely of my parent's age...but definitely nostalgia inducing as I spend many hours in the back seat listening to "the oldies" with the Mamas and Papas a stable...

Not bad.

Very close to two stars, but "California Dreamin'" pushed it over. It's an interesting story that this band had such a short window as music changed around them.

Pleasant.

Felt like I was listening to The Brady Bunch’s greatest hits album.

Was good not my cup of tea but musically I can appreciate it