Searchin’: The Mugwumps
"An early folk-rock group of sorts, the Mugwumps made some recordings in the mid-'60s, but the short-lived New York outfit are principally remembered for what their members did after they split up. Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty would become one-half of the Mamas and the Papas; Zal Yanovsky would join the Lovin' Spoonful; and Jim Hendricks was the odd man out, not achieving any notable subsequent fame. Their sessions — released on obscure posthumous albums that were issued to capitalize on the musicians' subsequent notoriety — show a tentative act with branches in both folk and straight pop. Seeds of their future folk-rock activities can be heard in the male-female harmonic blends especially, though the material is largely unimpressive, and the arrangements too pop-based to bear much similarity to either the Mamas & the Papas or the Lovin' Spoonful."
~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Tags: mugwumps
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 4, 2010 at 11:11 am
yousendit link:
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/884858443/02323f7c32834144270fa5640e1b8f63
June 4, 2010 at 10:44 pm
When Cass was a sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore,
But she changed her mind one day.
Standin’ on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike,
Take her to New York right away.
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps.
Called John and Zal and that was the Mugwumps .
McGuinn and McGuire couldn’t get no higher,
But that’s what they were aimin’ at.
And no one’s gettin’ fat except Mama Cass.
June 5, 2010 at 8:37 am
sblake,
I remember that song well, always knew it was a history of the four of them, but I didn’t get the reference to the Mugwumps. I wouldn’t even have thought of the song. Now I get it!!
June 5, 2010 at 9:27 am
Jim Hendricks wrote the song “Summer Rain” which was a top 40 hit for Johnny Rivers in 1968 or 69. it had (for me) that memorable line “while the juke box keep on playing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts band”
June 5, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Thanks, David
I remember the song well, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell you had written it.