We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
After releasing a duo LP with Dave Mason and participating in the final Mamas & Papas record in 1971, Cass Elliot was finally ready to record her solo debut for her new record label RCA. It came out in early 1972.
Elliot was granted artistic freedom by her new label and she used it to try and escape her past as “Mama Cass”. She projected the image of a torch singer on the LP cover and did a variety of new and old songs including some selections that recently done by others at the time.
“Jesus Was A Crossmaker” was written and recorded by Judee Sill just a few months prior. Disney Girls was on the Beach Boys “Surfs Up” LP earlier in the year (Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnstone are on this one). You’ll alsao recognize “Baby, I’m Yours” and the old chestnut “It’s All In The Game”, which has got to be the only #1 song ever co-written by a former US Vice President)
She also tackles of couple of Randy Newman tunes. whose songs were being done by everybody at the time. “I’ll Be Home” and “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” area couple of standout tracks on the LP along with a song called “When It Doesn’t Work Out” written by her sister Leah Kunkel.
Elliot is backed up by an all-star cast including Larry Carlton, and lots of members of the Wrecking Crew like Joe Osborn, Don Randi, Carol Kaye, Al CAsey, Louie Shelton and Dennis Budimir. John Geurin plays drums on some tracks as well and the background vocals are handled by veterans Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, and Venetta Fields.
The album sold poorly as many fans were’t ready for Elliot’s transformation. The voice still sounds good and the backing tracks are professionally rendered. She would release some other stuff along with some hits in the next couple of years before her untimely death.
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