The Mamas & The Papas – I Call Your Name

Video from Monterey International Pop Festival recorded on Sunday June 18, 1967.

“I Call Your Name” was mostly written by John Lennon, although it was credited to the team of Lennon/McCartney. According to journalist David Sheff from his interview with Lennon, Lennon wrote this song before the formation of the Beatles.

Lennon originally turned the song over to The Dakotas, another Liverpool act, at the time when George Martin was also working with them. Lennon wasn’t happy with The Dakotas arrangement of the song and its poor B-side performance, so he had The Beatles re-do it, releasing it for the first time in the US on The Beatles’ Second Album in 1964.

Cass Elliot whispers “John… John” during the instrumental break, a little tip of the hat to her crush on John Lennon. The group closes the song with, “I call your name… ye-ah!” The Beatles were well known for the phrase “Yeah, yeah, yeah” from “She Loves You”.

“I Call Your Name” – song by The Mamas & the Papas from their debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, released February 28,1966.
Songwriters: John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
The album went to No.1 on Billboard 200, in 1966.

Musicians:
Denny Doherty – vocals
Cass Elliot – vocals
John Phillips – vocals, guitar
Michelle Phillips – vocals
P. F. Sloan – guitars, additional vocals
Larry Knechtel – keyboards
Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
Joe Osborn – bass guitar
Peter Pilafian – electric violin

Collectors take note: If you can find the original album with the cover showing the toilet in the bathroom photo, it’s worth big bucks. The initial cover was pulled because showing a picture of a toilet was considered indecent in 1966. Later shots showed the group piled in the same bathtub, but with a scroll to the side pasted over the toilet and listing hit singles from the album. Still later covers have the bathroom cropped out completely.