Dream a Little Dream (Cass Elliot album)
Encyclopedia
Dream a Little Dream was the first solo album
by singer Cass Elliot
immediately after the break-up of The Mamas & the Papas
. Capitalizing on the success of her first solo song as the album's title, the record was released on October 19, 1968 by Dunhill Records
. The album was re-released by MCA Japan in 2001.
, Dunhill had already booked Elliot with a three-album deal as a solo artist.
In finding an objective producer, to help her steer the album, Elliot chose John Simon
. She had liked his work with The Band
and after hanging out found him to be the perfect person to work with. Both Elliot and Simon agreed that this would be her album and Simon was keen on allowing her the chance to choose her own material and to shine on her own.
The album, itself, is very much of a concept album
. While working with The Mamas & the Papas
, Elliot felt severely limited in her desire to try different musical styles and took this album as that opportunity. The album contains touches of country, blues, rock, jazz, gospel and even a bluegrass song. When interviewed about the split, she told the Los Angeles Free Press
, “I have a lot of things inside me to sing and I can’t expect the others to wait around until I have got things out of my system. It’s not that I wanted to leave the group, it’s just that I wanted to do some things on my own.”
The album was recorded in no more than ten days at Wally Heider
’s studio in Los Angeles
. Instead of spending countless hours doing retakes, like she had done with The Mamas & the Papas
, almost every song was recorded live. With the help of Simon, Elliot was also keen to try some experimental things such as adding sound effect
s to most of the songs. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” was introduced at the beginning of the album with the sound of rain and a thunderstorm and then with the static of someone changing a radio station. At the end of the song, a radio DJ announces that an ensuing earthquake has hit Los Angeles
as “California Earthquake” begins. Several other songs on the album lead into the next song to create the feeling that the same song is still playing.
John Sebastian
’s “Darling Be Home Soon” and Joni Mitchell
’s “Sisotowbell Lane” were both recorded but ultimately dropped from the album. These finally saw the light of day in 2005 when The Complete Cass Elliot Collection: 1968-71 was released; it featured all the material recorded for Dunhill on Elliot's first three solo albums, along with several other singles and unreleased rarities.
. They felt the album she had made was only marketable to a hippie
audience, and thus went about marketing it toward the underground media
. Elliot was less than pleased with this; she felt that the album really showed who she was and where she was at that moment, and that, had the album been promoted properly, it would have been a hit. Dunhill was also keen on keeping the “Mama Cass” name alive, despite Elliot wanting to separate herself from that image as much as possible and to be known as “Cass Elliot.”
Despite the clashes between Elliot and Dunhill, the album sold over 150,000 copies and was a moderate success, landing at the 87th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
To promote the album, Elliot became the first woman subject for Rolling Stone
magazine followed by a then phenomenal $40,000 a week gig at Caesars Palace
in Las Vegas
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by singer Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot , born Ellen Naomi Cohen and also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London, England, from an apparent heart attack after two weeks of sold-out...
immediately after the break-up of The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
. Capitalizing on the success of her first solo song as the album's title, the record was released on October 19, 1968 by Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions, originally for the purpose of releasing Johnny Rivers recordings on Imperial Records. It became a record label in 1965 and was distributed by ABC Records...
. The album was re-released by MCA Japan in 2001.
Conception
In less than a month after her split with The Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, Dunhill had already booked Elliot with a three-album deal as a solo artist.
In finding an objective producer, to help her steer the album, Elliot chose John Simon
John Simon (record producer)
John Simon is an American musician, record producer, and composer. He is best known for his work with The Band as producer and musician on Music from Big Pink and The Band.-Biography:...
. She had liked his work with The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
and after hanging out found him to be the perfect person to work with. Both Elliot and Simon agreed that this would be her album and Simon was keen on allowing her the chance to choose her own material and to shine on her own.
Album
Elliot's original title for the album was going to be “In the Words of My Friends” which came from the fact that nearly all the songs she chose were written by friends and family.The album, itself, is very much of a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. While working with The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, Elliot felt severely limited in her desire to try different musical styles and took this album as that opportunity. The album contains touches of country, blues, rock, jazz, gospel and even a bluegrass song. When interviewed about the split, she told the Los Angeles Free Press
Los Angeles Free Press
The Los Angeles Free Press , also called “the Freep”, was among the most widely distributed underground newspapers of the 1960s. It is often cited as the first such newspaper...
, “I have a lot of things inside me to sing and I can’t expect the others to wait around until I have got things out of my system. It’s not that I wanted to leave the group, it’s just that I wanted to do some things on my own.”
The album was recorded in no more than ten days at Wally Heider
Wally Heider
Wally Heider was an American recording engineer and recording studio owner - History :After a distinguished career as an engineer in the 1940s and 1950s, he was instrumental in recording the San Francisco Sound in the late 60s and early 70s...
’s studio in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Instead of spending countless hours doing retakes, like she had done with The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, almost every song was recorded live. With the help of Simon, Elliot was also keen to try some experimental things such as adding sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s to most of the songs. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” was introduced at the beginning of the album with the sound of rain and a thunderstorm and then with the static of someone changing a radio station. At the end of the song, a radio DJ announces that an ensuing earthquake has hit Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as “California Earthquake” begins. Several other songs on the album lead into the next song to create the feeling that the same song is still playing.
John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
’s “Darling Be Home Soon” and Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
’s “Sisotowbell Lane” were both recorded but ultimately dropped from the album. These finally saw the light of day in 2005 when The Complete Cass Elliot Collection: 1968-71 was released; it featured all the material recorded for Dunhill on Elliot's first three solo albums, along with several other singles and unreleased rarities.
Track listing
- "Dream a Little Dream of MeDream a Little Dream of Me"Dream a Little Dream of Me" is a song with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn.- Early recordings :"Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra with vocal by Nelson on February 16, 1931 for Brunswick Records. That February 18, Wayne King...
" (Wilbur SchwandtWilbur SchwandtWilbur Schwandt is credited for the music to the song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with Fabian Andre.He frequently went by the stage name of "Don Swan."...
, Fabian AndreFabian AndreFabian Andre was an American composer, best known for cowriting the music of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with Wilbur Schwandt in 1931. Popular in its time, the song was revived when covered by The Mamas & the Papas after Andre's death in Mexico City in 1960.-External links:*...
, Gus KahnGus KahnGustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
) - US #12 Pop/#2 AC, UK #11 - "California Earthquake" (John HartfordJohn HartfordJohn Cowan Hartford was an American folk, country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore...
) - US #67 - "The Room Nobody Lives In" (John SebastianJohn SebastianJohn Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
) - "Talkin’ to Your Toothbrush" (John SimonJohn Simon (record producer)John Simon is an American musician, record producer, and composer. He is best known for his work with The Band as producer and musician on Music from Big Pink and The Band.-Biography:...
) - "Blues For Breakfast" (Richard ManuelRichard ManuelRichard George Manuel was a Canadian composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his contributions to and membership in The Band....
) - "You Know Who I Am" (Leonard CohenLeonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
) - "Rubber Band" (Cyrus FaryarCyrus FaryarCyrus Faryar is an American folk musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was active in musical, theatrical, and performance events in high school. After graduating from high school and attending college, he became involved in the entertainment industry, opening the first coffee house in...
) - "Long Time Loving You" (Stuart ScharfStuart ScharfStuart Scharf was an American composer, guitarist, and philosopher.Scharf grew up in Crown Heights and attended Winthrop Junior High School. He was good friends with guitarist Jay Berliner who was a serious influence on his musical career. In the early 1960s, Scharf was lead guitarist for...
) - "Jane, The Insane Dog Lady" (John Simon)
- "What Was I Thinking of" (Leah Cohen)
- "Burn Your Hatred" (Graham NashGraham NashGraham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
) - "Sweet Believer" (Cyrus Faryar)
Reception
When Elliot presented the album to the studio heads of Dunhill, they were less than pleased - they had expected her to produce material similar to her work with The Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
. They felt the album she had made was only marketable to a hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
audience, and thus went about marketing it toward the underground media
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
. Elliot was less than pleased with this; she felt that the album really showed who she was and where she was at that moment, and that, had the album been promoted properly, it would have been a hit. Dunhill was also keen on keeping the “Mama Cass” name alive, despite Elliot wanting to separate herself from that image as much as possible and to be known as “Cass Elliot.”
Despite the clashes between Elliot and Dunhill, the album sold over 150,000 copies and was a moderate success, landing at the 87th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
To promote the album, Elliot became the first woman subject for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine followed by a then phenomenal $40,000 a week gig at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Personnel
- Cass Elliot - vocals
- Hal BlaineHal BlaineHal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
- drums - Harvey BrooksHarvey BrooksHarvey Brooks is an American bassist. He has played in many styles of music...
- bass - James BurtonJames BurtonJames Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
- guitar, dobro - Cyrus FaryarCyrus FaryarCyrus Faryar is an American folk musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was active in musical, theatrical, and performance events in high school. After graduating from high school and attending college, he became involved in the entertainment industry, opening the first coffee house in...
- guitar, ukulele - Renais Faryar - vocals
- Jim GordonJim Gordon (musician)James Beck "Jim" Gordon is an American recording artist, musician and songwriter. The Grammy Award winner was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s, recording albums with many well-known musicians of the time, and was the drummer in the blues-rock supergroup Derek...
- drums - Paul HarrisPaul Harris (musician)Paul Harris is a keyboards player and session musician.Harris appears on several albums of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s by leading artists such as Stephen Stills, B. B. King, Judy Collins, Al Kooper, ABBA, Eric Andersen, Rick Derringer, Nick Drake, John Sebastian, Joe Walsh, Seals & Crofts and Dan...
- organ, piano - Brenda HollowayBrenda HollowayBrenda Holloway is an American singer and songwriter, a recording artist for the Motown label during the 1960s...
- background vocals - Plas JohnsonPlas JohnsonPlas John Johnson Jr. is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most familiar as the lead on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme"....
- saxophone - Larry KnechtelLarry KnechtelLawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...
- keyboards - John SebastianJohn SebastianJohn Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
- guitar, harmonica - John SimonJohn Simon (record producer)John Simon is an American musician, record producer, and composer. He is best known for his work with The Band as producer and musician on Music from Big Pink and The Band.-Biography:...
- piano, arrangements - Stephen StillsStephen StillsStephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
- guitar, vocals