by Sportguynj1 » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:49 am
When I was high school and college I was in a rock band and we did some recording in a studio. I learned about sound mixing, overdubbing tracks, splicing tracks, etc. I'm certainly not an expert or a recording engineer but, given the circumstances involved with recording the Mamas and Papas second album, I seriously doubt that Jill Gibson recorded 10 of the 12 songs that appear on that album and here's why:
1. In multiple interviews, John, Denny, Michelle and Lou Adler have said that Michelle recorded a few songs for the second album - "I Saw Her Again", "Words of Love" and "Once Was a Time I Thought" before she was fired from the band on June 4, 1966 after their performance at Melodyland (she was officially fired in a letter signed by John, Denny and Cass which was dated June 28, 1966). "I Saw Her Again" was recorded in April, 1966 and released in late June of 1966. Jill Gibson didn't start recording with group until early July so there's no way she could have sang on this song.
2. Jill admits that she didn't sing on "Dancing in the Street" - John Phillips states in his autobiography that this song was recorded with Michelle the night after she was reinstated in the group.
3. Jill also admits that she didn't sing on "Once Was a Time I Thought" - that is clearly Michelle's voice on the record and if you're looking for proof, listen to the "studio chatter" on their "Gathering of Flowers" compilation which includes an outtake from the studio where the group is heard recording this song - and Michelle is clearly heard saying "Wait a minute." Then you hear "Michelle can do anything she wants" and Cass retorts "No, she can't!"
3. The Rodgers and Hart material, "Here in My Arms" (which was later re-worked into "No Salt on Her Tail") and Michelle's personal favorite, "My Heart Stood Still" was also recorded with Michelle once she came back to the group. They used the backing tracks for the "Rodgers and Hart Today" ABC special which was taped in September of 1966.
4. "Words of Love" is another song that I believe Michelle is on and here's why. First of all, it was recorded in April of 1966 and it is well known that Cass did NOT want to sing lead on this song. She actually suggested that Michelle sing the lead - especially since the song was written about her - but Michelle declined. John forced Cass to sing the lead on this song by having her stand on top of a grand piano with a microphone and this was confirmed by John, Michelle, Denny and Lou Adler.
5. That leaves "Trip, Stumble and Fall", "Dancing Bear", "Strange Young Girls", "I Can't Wait", "Even if I Could" and "That Kind of Girl". I believe it's entirely possible that Jill's voice is on any or all of these remaining 6 tracks. If anything, when Michelle returned to the group her voice was most likely added as an overdub to the background tracks. It sounds like "I Can't Wait" is really a duet between Cass and John - and they overdubbed their own vocals to make the sound a bit fuller although I can be wrong.
6. As far as the two tracks that eventually appreared on their 3rd album, "Deliver", it's entirely possible that Jill sang on "Did you Ever Want to Cry?" However, "Look Through My Window" was supposedly recorded in September, 1966 which is after Jill left the group and released as a single months before "Deliver" came out. It was my understanding that Michelle is on this recording and has said it's one of her favorite records ever done with the group.
It's been over 40 years since this album was recorded and it seems like we'll never know who exactly is on what recording. I guess this will remain one of the unsolved myseteries that will always follow the Mamas and the Papas but, no matter what, this remains one of my favorite albums of all time and the CD is always in my car and I never get tired of listening to it!
Rob