The Mamas & the Papas released us from our contracts and we were history, though we still owed the label another album." Elliot (billed as Mama Cass) had released her solo debut "Dream a Little Dream" in 1968, Phillips released "John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.)" in 1970, and Denny Doherty followed with "Watcha Gonna Do?" in 1971. Dunhill maintained momentum by releasing "The Best of the Mamas and the Papas: Farewell to the First Golden Era" in 1967, "Golden Era Vol. 2" in 1968, "16 of Their Greatest Hits" in 1969, and the Monterey live album in 1970. Dunhill was determined to
The Papas & The Mamas being one example. All the material was new upon release with the exception of "Twelve Thirty", which had been released as a single in August 1967 as "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)". The song "Meditation Mama" featured the first lead vocal ever on a Mamas and the Papas track by John Phillips. All four members of the band contribute lead as well as backing vocals on this album. The vocals for "For the Love of Ivy" reportedly took one month to record. Although it was the first album from the group not to peak in the