Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama
| Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Mama Cass | ||||
| Released | July 5, 1969 | |||
| Genre | Traditional pop, pop rock | |||
| Label | Dunhill | |||
| Producer | Steve Barri | |||
| Mama Cass chronology | ||||
| ||||
Bubblegum, Lemonade and… Something for Mama is the second solo album released by Cass Elliot under the billing "Mama Cass". It was recorded in 1969 and arranged and produced by Steve Barri. The album was originally released on July 5, 1969, with only 11 tracks. It was released again on December 6, 1969, under a new title and with a different album cover as Make Your Own Kind of Music/It’s Getting Better. "Make Your Own Kind of Music" had just become a hit and was added to the album.
Primarily a "bubblegum" pop album, it contained several other types of music, including country, tin pan alley, and jazz.
Conception
The album came after the disaster of Elliot’s collapse during her Vegas show in 1968. Plagued with bills, the studio executives at Dunhill took creative control and felt that the fastest and easiest solution would be to have Elliot record an album full of music similar to what she had done with The Mamas & the Papas. Steve Barri was appointed by Dunhill to arrange the album and choose the material.
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
The album was a moderate success when first released reaching up to the 91st spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It landed at the 169th spot when re-released in December. The album did spawn three successful singles with "It's Getting Better" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" both placing in the Top 40. "Move in a Little Closer, Baby", originally recorded by British band Harmony Grass, reached a Billboard Hot 100 peak of No. 58.[1]
The songs from this album remain among the most popular of Elliot’s solo career. Many of the songs were featured in the play and 1996 film Beautiful Thing. In the film, the album can be seen hanging on the wall of the character Leah. "It’s Getting Better" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" have both been featured on the hit series Lost.
The album was re-released on CD in 2002 by MCA Japan with the original album cover and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" added on as a bonus track. The album was also released in 2005 as part of the compilation CD The Complete Cass Elliot Collection: 1968-71.
Track Listing (July 1969)
- "It's Getting Better" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
- "Blow Me a Kiss" (Jack Carone)
- "Sour Grapes" (Tom Ghent)
- "Easy Come, Easy Go" (Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller)
- "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal)
- "Welcome To the World" (Martin Eagle Siegal, Scott English)
- "Lady Love" (Delaney Bramlett)
- "He's a Runner" (Laura Nyro)
- "Move in a Little Closer, Baby" (Robert O'Connor, Arnold Jay Capitanelli)
- "When I Just Wear My Smile" (Tom V. Lane, Sharyn Pulley)
- "Who's To Blame" (Leah Kunkel)
Track Listing (December 1969)
- "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
- "Blow Me a Kiss" (Jack Carone)
- "It's Getting Better" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
- "Easy Come, Easy Go (Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller)
- "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal)
- "Welcome To the World" (Martin Eagle Siegal, Scott English)
- "Lady Love" (Delaney Bramlett)
- "He's a Runner" (Laura Nyro)
- "Move In a Little Closer Baby" (Robert O'Connor, Arnold Jay Capitanelli)
- "When I Just Wear My Smile" (Tom V. Lane, Sharyn Pulley)
- "Who's To Blame" (Leah Kunkel)
- "Sour Grapes" (Tom Ghent)
Personnel
- Mama Cass – vocals
- Mike Deasy – guitar
- Red Rhodes – steel guitar
- Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
- Steve Barri – percussion
- Ben Benay – guitar, harmonica
- Jimmie Haskell – accordion, arranger, conductor
- Phil Kaye – percussion, engineer
- Larry Knechtel – organ, piano
- Joe Osborn – bass
- Henry Diltz - photography