California Dreamin' Documentary - the Songs of the Mamas & the Papas

The new DVD documentary "California Dreamin" chronicles the brief but legendary career of the 1960's pop/folk quartet The Mamas & The Papas. Comprised of songwriting/recording genius John Philips, his pretty blonde wife Michelle, talented tenor Denny Doherty and brassy big-voiced Cass Elliot, the four were so different in appearance that famed producer Lou Adler named their first album "You Can't Believe Your Eyes And Ears" after his reaction to seeing the group in the flesh for the first time.

Though they only recorded five albums together in their brief time together and appeared live less than a hundred times, the super group left a lasting impression on rock and roll. Their hit songs "California Dreamin" and "Monday, Monday" along with splendid covers (i.e. "Dream A Little Dream") are considered classics in the music world.

This latest DVD proves to be almost definitive and encompasses a large amount of the group's televsion performances on the hottest shows of the day such as "Shindig" and "The Ed Sullivan Show".

The members of The Mamas & The Papas were smack dab in the middle of the 1960s folk scene just as it was breaking. John Philips told the story of how their friends rose to fame and his own group came together in the hit song "Creeque Alley".

The song features shout outs to John Sebastian and Barry McGuire, who would form The Lovin' Spoonful and Roger McGuinn of The Byrds. While those artists might have gone on to have longer careers, they were obviously huge fans of their old friends, The Mamas & The Papas. The docu includes present day interviews with all three artists. McGuire even recounts the tale of how he hooked the nomadic group up with producer, Lou Adler who signed them to their first record deal.

Also sitting for new interviews are surviving band members Denny Doherty and Michelle Phillips. Cass Elliot died suddenly of heart failure in 1974 and John Phillips also succumbed to heart failure in 2001 after a long illness. The remaining Mama and Papa admit to some trouble in the group (Mama Michelle had an affair with Papa Denny) but they mostly look back in kindness.

Even the Phillips' daughter Chynna seems to have nothing but good to say about her parents rocky marriage that ended when she was a small child. There is some older footage of a weak-looking John Phillips, who speaks with a bit more bite about his ex-band mates. What's really missing though are interviews with Mama Cass. Such a presence and a joy to watch, she was easily the most charismatic member of the band. Given her premature death and her short tenure with The Mamas & The Papas it is easy to see how such footage may not even exist.

All in all though, there are some wonderful and rare moments here. There's the band singing all of their hits plus a haunting version of the lesser-known folk tune "Dancing Bear". Black and white home-movie footage of the band going goofy at a clothing store is a treasure.

You can argue that the documentary is a little too quick to paint sunshine and flowers on every waking moment that the band spent together, but time does have a way of healing old wounds. And though decades have gone by since their signature song "California Dreamin'" shot up the charts, the music of The Mamas & The Papas will continue to hold a place in the hearts of music lovers everywhere.