"Words of Love" is a song by

the Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...

from their second studio album of the same name. The song was written by John Phillips, and featured

Cass Elliot Ellen Naomi Cohen (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), known professionally as Mama Cass and later on as Cass Elliot, was an American singer and voice actress. She was a member of the singing group the Mamas & the Papas. After the group brok ...

as the primary vocalist. It was released as a single in November 1966 (backed with a cover of Martha and the Vandellas's "

Dancing in the Street "Dancing in the Street" is a song written by Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter. It first became popular in 1964 when recorded by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas whose version reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ...

"). Given the disappointing chart placement of the prior single, "

Look Through My Window "Look Through My Window" is a song recorded by the American vocal group the Mamas & the Papas. It was written by John Philips, c. 1964 during a temporary separation from his partner, Michelle Phillips. The song was inspired by the fact that althou ...

", hopes were high that "Words of Love" would return the group to the upper reaches of the charts: on the week of January 21, 1967, the single fulfilled this hope, as it reached No. 5 in the United States. Overseas, it peaked at No. 47 in the United Kingdom. In the lyrics, Elliot advises men that simply reciting words of love "won't win a girl's heart anymore". She tells men to demonstrate their love and admiration for a potential girlfriend by sending her "somewhere where she's never been before". Michelle Phillips provided her high pitched "NO" before the refrain of the song. The mono single, while approximately the same running time as the stereo version, contains a horn section overdub not heard in the stereo mix, extra backing vocals, and a more prominent piano; Elliot's vocals fade out a bit sooner near the end. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' praised the single's "solid and unique harmonies". The Mamas & the Papas used "Dancing in the Street" in their live performances, and this flip side garnered enough airplay on its own accord to reach No. 73 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Chart.

Later uses

In 1971,

Mama Cass Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent * Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places *Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement ...

featured "Words of Love" as the B-side of one of her UK single releases, " One Way Ticket." This inclusion provided "Words of Love" with additional exposure in Britain, given its relatively tepid chart showing five years earlier.

Cover versions

* In 2008,

Nicole Atkins Nicole Atkins (born October 1, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter. Her influences include 1950s crooner music, 1960s psychedelia, soul music, and the Brill Building style of writing. Atkins has been compared to Roy Orbison and singers from ...

did a cover for an exclusive

Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller. It is a Fortune 1000 company and the bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. As of July 7, 2020, the company operates 614 retail stores across all 50 U. ...

three track promotional sampler CD "Introducing Nicole Atkins" in conjunction with her appearance for their "Upstairs at the Square" series held in Manhattan.

In popular culture

* The song was used frequently as

bumper Bumper or Bumpers may refer to: People * Betty Bumpers (1925-2018), American activist, First Lady of Arkansas, wife of Dale Bumpers * Dale Bumpers (1925–2016), American politician, governor of Arkansas and senator * Bumper Robinson (born 197 ...

music during the early years of ''

Coast to Coast AM ''Coast to Coast AM'' is an American late-night radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics. Most frequently the topics relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was hosted by creator Art Bell from its inception in 19 ...

''. * The song was featured as the outro to the eighth episode of the sixth season of ''

Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its fict ...

''.

References

The Mamas and the Papas songs 1966 songs 1966 singles Songs written by John Phillips (musician) Dunhill Records singles Song recordings produced by Lou Adler {{1960s-rock-song-stub