From our vantage point here in Second Disc HQ, all the leaves really are brown and the sky is gray...making it the perfect day for some California dreamin'. Happily, we won't have to dream for too long, as on January 8, Real Gone Music has its first release of the year - and the label is making a complete singles collection for the Mamas and the Papas a reality. The Complete Singles--50th Anniversary Collection boasts 53 tracks and over 150 minutes of pop perfection on two CDs, including for the first time ever on CD every A- and B-side of every single the group released, all in their rare, original U.S. mono single mixes - including the U.S. chart-topping "Monday, Monday" and other Top 10 smashes "California Dreamin'," "I Saw Her Again," "Words of Love," "Dedicated to the One I Love" and "Creeque Alley." And that's not all. This collection also includes the rare and diverse solo single sides recorded by "Mama" Cass Elliot, Denny Doherty and John Phillips for the Dunhill and ABC labels, again in their rare, original single mixes.
The Complete Singles has been newly remastered by Aaron Kannowski - who worked similar magic on Real Gone's sets for the Mamas and the Papas' fellow Dunhill Records artists The Grass Roots and Steppenwolf. This one-of-a-kind, long-in-the-making collection has been assembled from the best sources available, many of which were tracked down across the globe. It features new liner notes by co-producer Ed Osborne drawing on interviews with producer Lou Adler as well as the one and only Michelle Phillips. Mama Michelle comments of this release, "I can't believe it's been 50 years since our first single hit the charts. What a way to celebrate! Thanks to Real Gone for commemorating our anniversary in such a thorough, classy way."
The remarkable harmony pop sounds of The Mamas and the Papas: The Complete Singles--The 50th Anniversary Collection is available from Real Gone Music on January 8. Mark your calendar now!
The Mamas and the Papas, The Complete Singles--The 50th Anniversary Collection (Real Gone Music, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. TBD)
CD 1
- Go Where You Wanna Go (Dunhill 4018, 1965)
- Somebody Groovy (Dunhill 4018/4020, 1965)
- California Dreamin' (Dunhill 4020, 1965)
- Monday, Monday (Dunhill 4026, 1966)
- Got a Feelin' (Dunhill 4026, 1966)
- I Saw Her Again (Dunhill 4031, 1966)
- Even If I Could (Dunhill 4031, 1966)
- Look Through My Window (Dunhill 4050, 1966)
- Once Was a Time I Thought (Dunhill 4050, 1966)
- Words of Love (Dunhill 4057, 1966)
- Dancing in the Street (Dunhill 4057, 1966)
- Dedicated to the One I Love (Dunhill 4077, 1967)
- Free Advice (Dunhill 4077, 1967)
- Creeque Alley (Dunhill 4083, 1967)
- Did You Ever Want to Cry (Dunhill 4083, 1967)
- Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming) (Dunhill 4099. 1967)
- Straight Shooter (Dunhill 4099, 1967)
- Glad to Be Unhappy (Dunhill 4107, 1967)
- Hey Girl (Dunhill 4107, 1967)
- Dancing Bear (Dunhill 4113, 1967)
- John's Music Box (Dunhill 4113, 1967)
- Safe in My Garden (Dunhill 4125, 1968)
- Too Late (Dunhill 4125, 1968)
- Dream a Little Dream of Me (ABC/Dunhill 4145, 1968)
- Midnight Voyage (ABC/Dunhill 4145, 1968)
- For the Love of Ivy (ABC/Dunhill 4150, 1968)
- Strange Young Girls (ABC/Dunhill 4150. 1968)
CD 2
- Do You Wanna Dance (ABC/Dunhill 4171, 1968)
- My Girl (ABC/Dunhill 4171, 1968)
- Step Out (ABC/Dunhill 4301, 1972)
- Shooting Star (ABC/Dunhill 4301, 1972)
- California Earthquake (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4166, 1968)
- Talkin' to Your Toothbrush (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4166, 1968)
- Move In a Little Closer, Baby (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4184, 1969)
- All for Me (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4184, 1969)
- It's Getting Better (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4195, 1969)
- Who's to Blame (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4195, 1969)
- Make Your Own Kind of Music (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4214, 1969)
- Lady Love (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4214, 1969)
- New World Coming (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4225, 1970)
- Blow Me a Kiss (Mama Cass Elliott) (ABC/Dunhill 4225, 1970)
- A Song That Never Comes (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4244, 1970)
- I Can Dream, Can't I (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4244, 1970)
- The Good Times Are Coming (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4253, 1970)
- Welcome to the World (Mama Cass) (ABC/Dunhill 4253, 1970)
- Don't Let the Good Life Pass You By (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill 4264, 1970)
- The Costume Ball (Mama Cass Elliot) (ABC/Dunhill SPD 15, 1971)
- Watcha Gonna Do (Denny Doherty) (ABC/Dunhill 4270, 1970)
- Gathering the Words (Denny Doherty) (ABC/Dunhill 4270, 1970)
- To Claudia on Thursday (Denny Doherty) (ABC 13318, 1971)
- Tuesday Morning (Denny Doherty) (ABC 13318, 1971)
- Mississippi (John Phillips) (ABC/Dunhill 4236, 1970)
- April Anne (John Phillips) (ABC/Dunhill 3236, 1970)
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So, by this wording, "assembled from the best sources available", does this mean some tracks are vinyl transfers?
Probably. But I'm sure tapes for some of the singles were found at offshore locations. I know that's what happened for the Carpenters singles set that's just been released.
If there are vinyl transfers, I feel that should be disclosed by the label, any label rather than using the vague "assembled from the best sources available". It is only fair to the consumer to let them know up front.
Hope they make this available on iTunes, no more buying cd's for me.
I am just the opposite. Absolutely NO downloads for me, ever. It is CD or nothing.
I second that!!
I third that !!!!
I fourth that !!!!
I third that! Really looking forward to clean mono and that pumped up, delirious bass playing by Joe Osborn!! Harmony Rules!!
Some of the mono mixes are strikingly different from the stereo versions - "Words of Love" has whole horn sections that are missing from the stereo mix, and "Even If I Could" has a different feel to it. This will be a nice start to the new year.
I'd love to see a complete collection of Simon & Garfunkel's mono single mixes on CD. "I Am A Rock" has a different vocal track, "A Hazy Shade of Winter" has extra horn stabs, etc.
Ooooh! That would be an awesome singles collection!
My copy arrived over the weekend and I have to say it is absolutely amazing! The single mix of "Creeque Alley" alone is worth the price of the set. I have always considered myself somewhat of a Mamas and Papas expert, but I had no idea until now how different the single mixes were. It was quite a cool experience hearing them for the first time after 35 or so years listening to the "standard" versions.
The disc art was a nice detail as well. Disc one features the original yellow and white Dunhill logo. Disc two features the later "rainbow border" version used after the label was purchased by ABC. Good stuff!