The Mamas & the Papas - Japanese Box Set

 

The Mamas and the Papas, were a vocal quartet whose intricate harmonies brought them to the forefront of the folk-rock movement of the 1960s.  In sound and look, the Mamas and the Papas typified the groovy optimism of the emerging counterculture hippie movement (John Phillips wrote "San Francisco [Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair]” for Scott McKenzie).

Members of the group were 
 —John Phillips (1935–2001), who was the primary songwriter and musical architect of the group. 
—"Mama" Cass Elliot (1941–1974), was often cited as the group’s most powerful vocalist. 
—Denny Doherty (1940–2007), sang tenor, his voice anchored many of their biggest hits. 
— Michelle Phillips (born 1944), sang soprano, and is the only surviving member as of 2026. Fun Fact: Michelle had an eight-day marriage to Dennis Hopper (yes, eight days).

All four members were veterans of New York City’s Greenwich Village folk scene (Denny Doherty and "Mama" Cass Elliot performed in the "Mugwumps" with future members of the Lovin’ Spoonful), the Mamas and the Papas moved to Los Angeles in 1965.  At Dunhill Records, with producer Lou Adler, they enjoyed a series of hits with well-written songs, mostly by John Phillips, that proved perfect vehicles for the group’s cascading harmonies, among them "California Dreamin", "Monday, Monday", and "Creeque Alley".  Backing music was provided by The Wrecking Crew.

Despite their harmonious image, The Mamas and the Papas imploded in 1968 due to intense internal conflict, love triangles (Michelle Phillips' affair with Denny Doherty), creative exhaustion, and "Mama" Cass Elliot's desire for a solo career.

They briefly reunited in 1971 to fulfill a contract, and recorded 'People Like Us' before disbanding permanently as members pursued solo paths. 

This box set is a Japanese-import collection of the band's complete studio albums.

1966 - 'If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears'

1966 - 'The Mamas & The Papas'

1967 - Deliver

1968 - 'The Papas & The Mamas'

1970 - 'Historic Performances Recorded 
At The Monterey International Pop Festival'

1971 - 'People Like Us'

The albums are limited edition SHM-CD, reissues packaged in mini-LP replica sleeves.  They were 96kHz/24bit flat transferred from analog master tapes and remastered at Universal Music Studios, Tokyo, in 2013.  

These are the best versions available, though I've never been a fan of Lou Adler production style.

In the above photo, The Mamas & the Papas are all clearly high.  So, for the freeload, what substance(s) do you think each of them is high on?