The Mamas & the Papas "High on Arrival", that she had been in a long-term sexual relationship with her late father. Denny Doherty's solo career faltered after the appearance of "Whatcha Gonna Do?" in 1971. The follow-up, "Waiting for a Song" (1974), was not released in the US, although a 2001 reissue by Varèse Sarabande gained wider distribution and the album is now available as a digital download. It features Michelle Phillips and Cass Elliot as backing vocalists, the latter in what proved to be her last recorded performances. A single from the album, "You'll Never Know", made the adult contemporary charts. Doherty then turned
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.