Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass

Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
She wasn't the cute one, but, damn, she certainly could sing her ample rear off. Featuring only one track with the Mamas & the Papas--the hit "Words of Love"--this unfortunately titled collection spotlights Elliot's solo career, from the ancient Tin Pan Alley gem "Dream a Little Dream of Me" through Top 40 treats like "New World Comin'" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" (recently covered by Paul Westerberg). Actually, only 5 of the 12 tracks can be considered big ones--but that voice was simply perfect pop and pure ear candy. Pity she left when she did. --Bill Holdship

Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass,Mama Cass,Mca,Folk-Rock,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop


Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass

Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • SHE LEFT US TOO SOON..DAMN!
  • Gotta Love It!
  • MAMA'S BIG ONES: Merle Haggard Says, "Buy `Em."
  • LOST brought her back into the spotlight
  • Too bad Mama could not have lived on
Mama's Big Ones: The Best of Mama Cass
Mama Cass
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | Pop Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Pop Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Oldies | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
4-for-3 Pop4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 Rock4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Dream A Little Dream: The Cass Elliot Collection
  2. The Mamas & the Papas - Greatest Hits
  3. Don't Call Me Mama Anymore
  4. Dedicated to the One I Love
  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me: The Music of Mama Cass Elliot

ASIN: B000002PCH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. It's Getting Better
  2. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
  3. Make Your Own Kind Of Music
  4. Words Of Love
  5. New World Coming
  6. Move In A Little Closer, Baby
  7. One Way Ticket
  8. The Good Times Are Coming (From The Motion Picture 'Monte Walsh')
  9. Easy Come, Easy Go
  10. Don't Let The Good Life Pass You By
  11. Ain't Nobody Else Like You
  12. A Song That Never Comes

Amazon.com

She wasn't the cute one, but, damn, she certainly could sing her ample rear off. Featuring only one track with the Mamas & the Papas--the hit "Words of Love"--this unfortunately titled collection spotlights Elliot's solo career, from the ancient Tin Pan Alley gem "Dream a Little Dream of Me" through Top 40 treats like "New World Comin'" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" (recently covered by Paul Westerberg). Actually, only 5 of the 12 tracks can be considered big ones--but that voice was simply perfect pop and pure ear candy. Pity she left when she did. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars SHE LEFT US TOO SOON..DAMN!.......2007-05-07

Cass Elliot, alongside Karen Carpenter, Janis Joplin and Florence Ballard, are some of my favorite female singers who left us too damn soon.
Her voice is amazing, she had it all, but for god's sake, why did she had to die so young? Maybe God needed another angel? Simply beautiful!

5 out of 5 stars Gotta Love It!.......2007-02-18

Mama Cass has always been a favorite of mine and I believe that I had this LP in the 80's. It is just as good as I remember and my (relatively) untrained ear thinks the recording is just fine. Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars MAMA'S BIG ONES: Merle Haggard Says, "Buy `Em.".......2006-10-06


Despite this collection's title, MAMA'S BIG ONES, which is obviously a double entendre and an invitation for every low class reviewer to crack a bunch of cheap MAmMAry gland jokes, I refuse to stoop that low. I will not succumb to the temptation because the music found here deserves better; it should not be subjected to rude remarks from some plebeian guttersnipe. I'm going to address it with civility and good taste because I'm a high-minded individual who never sacrifices a million dollar opportunity for a ten cent laugh. It's not like I'm a dog which is governed by instinct; I'm a man and I have self-control and the power to make choices. And I choose to keep this review principled. It's as simple as that!

"MAMA" CASS ELLIOT was, of course, a member of that fine Pop choral group of the late `60s and early `70s, The Mamas And The Papas. She was a part of team Mama, if memory serves me well. Mama Cass had limited vocal range but a "sweet" voice and she really knew how to put a song over, how to caress a melody. Ah yes, remember when music had melody? Several of the twelve songs on this compilation are culled from The Mamas And The Papas archives. How good were The Mamas And The Papas?...

From 1972 to 1986, I had a real good friend named Andy - as loyal a friend as I ever knew - but Andy was something of a character. He listened to NOTHING but Country-Western (unusual in L.A.) and I don't mean stuff like Dwight Yoakam and Garth Brooks - not THAT kind of Country! Heck, Andy couldn't stand those "longhaired hippies" Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson! No, I'm talkin' REAL hard-core Country-Western like The Sons Of The Pioneers and Hank Williams (the dead one!) Andy was certain that Merle "Okie From Muskogee" Haggard was god. His most famous saying was: "You know what Merle Haggard says...%#&! `em!"

Through the years I'd try to turn Andy onto some more contemporary music - try to get him into the 20th Century a little bit - but he was having none of it: "Check it out, Andy, these guys are good. They're called Thin Lizzy."

"You know what Merle Haggard says...%#&! `em!"

One night while we were cruisin' Mulholland Drive in his 1954 Chevy truck (Andy rebuilt the engine himself), I quietly slipped a Mamas And Papas Greatest Hits cassette into his player, afraid that Smith And Wesson's greatest hits would be playing next (Andy was usually armed and dangerous), but.....nothing. No gun, no "Merle Haggard says"...nothing. I left the tape in the truck when he dropped me off that night and faster than you can say, "I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee", Andy was a dyed-in-the-wool Mamas And Papas fan. Merle was still god, of course, but the Mamas and Papas were angels.

It was The Mamas And The Papas that finally brought Andy up-to-date: From there he discovered the very, very early, pre-disco Bee Gees, and then Loggins And Messina. One day in 1983, while quaffing Lone Star beer (you know what Merle Haggard says about the makers of Budweiser) and watching MTV, Andy showed no small amount of enthusiasm for a Journey song. That's when I knew that things had gone too far and I threatened to play him Samuel Colt's greatest hits next. But hey, if MAMA (and her band mates) could reform a lost cause like Andy, just think what she'll do for you!

There's not a song on MAMA'S BIG ONES that I don't like. And despte the comments from a couple of other reviewers, the sound quality on my copy is perfectly fine. (Maybe they got discs from a bad batch?) Aside from Mama's lovely voice and memorable melodies, there's some real sweet lyrics found here, too; words to live by. And none sweeter than those from DON'T LET THE GOOD LIFE PASS YOU BY:

Did you ever lie and listen to the rain fall?
Did you ever own a homemade apple pie?
Did you ever watch a child while he was praying?
Just don't let the good life pass you by
Did you ever hold a hand to stop its trembling?
Did you ever watch the sun desert the sky?
Did you ever hold a woman while she's sleeping?
Friend don't let the good life pass you by
Man was made for loving not for buying
Gold can't give the things we really need
Just look my friend there's happiness in living
Somewhere between broke and being free
Did you ever see the funny side of losin'?
Did you ever sit right down and have a cry?
Did you ever take the time to help your neighbor?
Just don't let the good life pass you by

In closing, let me just say that I have been enjoying this Mama Cass compilation for fourteen years and I'm sure that you too will find MAMA'S BIG ONES to be hugely entertaining. How huge?
Thirty-eight, Double D. Dang it! I almost made it. I got SO close!

3 out of 5 stars LOST brought her back into the spotlight.......2006-09-14

After her song "Make Your Own Kind of Music" was featured on the second season of LOST I couldn't get it out of my head. VERY talented woman. I'm only 25 but I already knew her from her dominant presence in Mamas and Papas but she continues to amaze me...

3 out of 5 stars Too bad Mama could not have lived on.......2005-11-27

This is great and time to feel upbeat CD by the one and only Mama Cass. These songs give you the kind of feeling that you just can't find in much of today's music. Like so many songs of the era, there is a kind of hope and happiness for the future even though things were not necessarily that great during that time with the Vietnam War and the social unrest. I have never felt that Mama Cass has received the recognition that she deserved, but obviously she does live in history or we would not have this compilation of her best. Of course, there is an obvious lack of the rest of the Mamas and Papas, but ole Mama did very well on her own. The obvious stand out of the CD is "Dream A Little Dream of Me" which definitely should be always listed as a classic song. This song shows the ability that she had and could have developed if only she would have had more time. Other notables are "Make You Own Kind Of Music", "The Good Times Are Coming", and "Ain't Nobody Else like You." So, you are probably asking why I am only giving this CD three stars. Well, it is good, but I am a hard reviewer and I cannot put this into the five star categories. That category only exists for what I consider the very best. This is a good CD, but obviously not the best. However, I am very glad I have it in my collection and you will too if you enjoy the upbeat and positive music of this golden era and the magic voice of Cass.

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