The Mamas and the Papas: Free Advice (1967)

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The Mamas and the Papas: Free Advice (1967)

Although they looked kind of clean-cut by the hairy standards of the day and sang such pretty songs, what we would learn later was how fraught and seedy some of the internal workings of The Mamas and the Papas were.

The song Go Where You You Wanna Go for example was less about living your life in the hippie spirit than John Phillips' address to his wife Michelle's infidelities (one of which was with group member Denny Doherty which resulted in her being fired briefly).

He came back again with Got Feelin' about the same theme.

And on the flipside of their single Dedicated to the One I Love (a remake of the old Shirelles song) was this oddly folksy piece which is large in innuendo and nudge-nudge-wink-wink about how to enjoy recreational drugs with out being hassled. (By "The Man", presumably.)

Regrettably John -- after the group broke up -- couldn't follow his own injunction, fell prey to heroin and cocaine, tried to record a solo project with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (which went unreleased until a few years ago, as the album Pay Pack and Follow) and was convicted of trafficking in 1980.

There was worse in his life too, according to his daughter Mackenzie who alleged an incestuous relationship after he raped her while they were high. 

Physician heal thyself?

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