'Mama' Cass Elliot

Cass Elliot: Where my work is, is where my life is, and if we're falling into the ocean, we're falling into the ocean.

Cass Elliot: When I was 10 years old, I lived with fear of the atom bomb. It would keep me awake nights and make me wake up screaming. We all carried that with us.

Cass Elliot: When I know somebody's sign, it helps me deal with them. Usually I'd rather let people deal with me. That's a total ego hangup, but that's where it's at.

Cass Elliot: Towards the end, the Mamas and Papas' music got too intricate, too involved and overproduced, and that's part of the reason I left.

Cass Elliot: They're paying me an outrageous sum of money; $40,000 a week, which is totally silly.

Cass Elliot: There's so much talk about the drug generation and songs about drugs. That's stupid. They aren't songs about drugs; they're about life.

Cass Elliot: The baby goes with me. She's just at the right age, 16 months. She plays harmonica and dances all the time.

Cass Elliot: On two songs, I sang with the Blossoms and Brenda Holloway. We did some gospel things. Basically, they're all solo vocals.

Cass Elliot: My house is a very free house. It's not a crash pad, and people don't come without calling, but music happens in my house and that pleases me.

Cass Elliot: Modern houses make me feel uncomfortable. I like country-type living. I like to be able to get outside where there are trees and grass.

Cass Elliot: If you are good, you can always create a place for yourself.

Cass Elliot: I've seen kids who've had the high taken out of them.

Cass Elliot: Everything I've learned in life I've learned either by doing it or by watching the changes other people go through.