‘The Mamas & The Papas’ lit up the music scene in America in the late 1960s. The group symbolized the counterculture movement of the era, and their folk music with a ’60s beat captivated their fans.
The group appeared on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ in 1967 at the height of their stardom. John Phillips, Cass Elliot, Michelle Phillips, and Denny Doherty took the stage to sing their hit California Dreamin’.
The performance has been remastered in HD, adding to the brilliance of the set and the group’s costumes. The singers are surrounded by candy cane poles, giant lollipops, white horses, and a pink background.
Michelle Phillips is seen holding a half-eaten banana next to her microphone. The floral-colored outfits don’t distract from the tight harmonies and infectious hook. They have an instrumental break, and they all stand and move to the front with different objects in hand, including a fire hydrant, a giant flower, and a blow-up globe.
They sing, “All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray. I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day. I’d be safe and warm. If I was in LA. California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.
The Mamas & The Papas only existed for roughly five years, but they released five studio albums and 17 singles in that time. Six of those singles made the Billboard top 10, and they sold close to 40 million records. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
This 1967 performance on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ was an impressive display of musicianship mixed with a late ’60s counterculture attitude. The remastered HD version gives the song new life.
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