Editing The Mamas & the Papas (section)

=== 1968–1971: ''People Like Us'' and break-up ===
John Phillips and Elliot reconciled to complete ''[[The Papas & The Mamas]]'', which was released in May 1968. The album was the band's first album not to go gold or reach the top 10 in America. "[[Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)]]" was released as a single in August 1967<ref name=pc36/> and peaked at No. 20 in the US. After the second single, "[[Safe in My Garden]]" (May 1968), made it only to No. 53, Dunhill Records released Elliot's solo from the album, a remake of "[[Dream a Little Dream of Me]]", as a single credited to "Mama Cass with the Mamas & the Papas" in June 1968, against John Phillips' wishes.{{sfn|J. Phillips|1986|p=207}} The song reached No. 12 in the US and No. 11 in the UK, making "Dream a Little Dream of Me" the only single by the Mamas & Papas to chart higher in the UK than in the US. The fourth and final single from ''The Papas & The Mamas'', "For the Love of Ivy" (July 1968), peaked at No. 81 in the US. For the second time, Dunhill Records returned to the band's earlier work for a single, releasing "Do You Wanna Dance" from the debut album in October 1968. The song reached No. 76 in the US.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Mamas & the Papas – Chart history |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/418577/mamas-papas/chart |magazine=Billboard |access-date=August 19, 2015}}</ref>

The success of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" confirmed Elliot's desire to embark on a solo career, and by the end of 1968 it appeared that the group had split. John Phillips recalled, "Times had changed. The Beatles showed the way. Music itself was heading toward a technological and compositional complexity that would leave many of us behind. It was tough to keep up."{{sfn|J. Phillips|1986|pages=207–208}} The group met its demise officially in early 1969, as John Phillips recalled, saying "Dunhill released us from our contracts and we were history, though we still owed the label another album."{{sfn|J. Phillips|1986|p=216}} Elliot, billed as Mama Cass, had released her solo debut ''[[Dream a Little Dream (Cass Elliot album)|Dream a Little Dream]]'' in 1968, Phillips released ''[[John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.)]]'' in 1970, and Denny Doherty followed with ''Watcha Gonna Do?'' in 1971.

Dunhill Records maintained momentum by releasing ''[[Farewell to the First Golden Era]]'' in 1967, ''Golden Era Vol. 2'' in 1968, ''[[16 of Their Greatest Hits]]'' in 1969 and the Monterey live album in 1970. The record company was determined to get the band's contractually obligated last album, for which it had given the band an extension until September 1971.{{sfn|J. Phillips|1986|p=241}} The label warned the band that each member would be sued for $250,000 if the band did not deliver the album.{{sfn|Fiegel|2005|p=326}}<ref>The purchasing power conversion from 1970 to 2017 is based on the Consumer Price Index as calculated by [http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/ Measuring Worth.] Retrieved January 12, 2019.</ref> A lawsuit and countersuit between the band and label were settled out of court, and it was determined that the band would record under John Phillips's label, Warlock Records, distributed by Dunhill Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ySgEAAAAMBAJ&q=mamas+and+papas&pg=PA3|magazine=Billboard|date=April 12, 1969|page=3|title=Mamas, Papas, Minus Cass, Record Again}}</ref> John Phillips wrote a collection of songs, which was arranged, rehearsed, and recorded throughout the year, depending on the availability of the other group members. Band members were rarely together at one time and most tracks were dubbed, one vocal at a time.{{sfn|J. Phillips|1986|p=251}}

The Mamas & the Papas' last album of new material, ''[[People Like Us (The Mamas & the Papas album)|People Like Us]]'', was released in November 1971. The only single, "Step Out", reached No. 81 in the US. The album peaked at No. 84 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], making it the only album by the Mamas & Papas not to reach the top 20 in the US. Neither single nor album charted in the UK. Contractual obligations fulfilled, the band's split was final.