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 Mamas & the Papas depending on the availability of the other group members: "It was rare we were all together. Most tracks were dubbed, one vocal at a time." The Mamas and the Papas' last album of new material, "People Like Us", was released in November 1971. The only single, "Step Out" (January 1972), reached number eighty-one in the US. The album peaked at number eighty-four on the "Billboard" 200, making it the only Mamas and Papas LP not to reach the top twenty in the US. Neither single nor album charted in the UK. Contractual obligations fulfilled, the band's split was now final.