Dapper Tunes: Mama Cass' Dream a Little Dream of Me

I'm sitting in a coffee shop and Dream a Little Dream of Me, the song that Mama Cass Elliott is famous for singing, played on the stereo. I will forever associate this song, and all of The Mamas and the Papas tunes, with riding in cars.

I've spent a considerable amount of my time in cars. When I was younger and my family was moving around a lot, my mom and I would set out in her Volkswagon Rabbit and find our way around. I think it was her way of killing two birds with one stone: entertaining an energetic and imaginative little boy (me) and getting acquainted with our new town. That old Rabbit was equipped with an AM radio, which, even back in the mid-1980s, had pretty limited stations. We would usually settle on an oldies station, which, back in the 80's, was mostly playing music from the mid-1950's to the late-60's.

By the time I was in fourth grade, I knew the entire catalog of music from that era. I was able to identify the doo-wop bands, especially the ones my dad favored, by ear. I could tell you the name of every Supreme and I knew the entire back story of the The Mamas and the Papas. I knew that Michelle Phillips had been married to John Phillips and I knew that McKenzie Phillips was his daughter. I knew that Mama Cass was the real talent in the band but Michelle Phillips was the face.

Later, when I got my own car, it had a tape player. I celebrated by raiding the 99 cent bin at Walmart for cassettes to stock in the car. One of the first ones I picked up was a collection of The Mamas and the Papas' greatest hits. I must have listened to that tape a million times. It's funny now to think of listening to one set of songs over and over. I mean, I'm sitting here next to a phone that holds most of my music catalog. Back then, back in the cassette days, my car tunes were limited to whatever mix tapes and other cassettes were stuffed in the glove box.

I no longer have any cassette tapes. In fact, I don't even have a cassette player. I finally donated all my old tapes, include that Mamas and Papas collection, when we sold our old Volvo, the one with the cassette player, about five years ago. I've never re-purchased The Mamas and the Papas on CD nor as digital copies. Frankly, I don't know if I ever need to own them again. After listening to the songs on an endless loop for 10+ years, I'm fine with only hearing the songs in elevators and coffee shops.