Mama Lion

Mama Lion - Mama Lion - 1972 - Family Productions (released by Philips as "Preserve Wildlife")

Produced by Neil Merryweather, Mama Lion was a group destined to show off the Joplinesque voice of Lynn Carey, a sculptural blonde beauty previously in Ivar Avenue Reunion. As often with the Merryweather outputs, the music is a rather loose mix of blues and rock. Their records are now mostly remembered for their sleeves, especially the first with Lynn Carey breastfeeding a lion cub. © Stephane Rebeschini, [Taken from Fuzz, Acid & Flowers - American Garage, Psychedelic & Hippie Rock 1964-1975]

Not a bad blues rock album. The album is probably remembered more for the inside album cover which depicts Lyn Carey suckling a lion cub, than the music. The album itself features a few good tunes sung by the sometimes overpoweringly strong vocalist, Lyn Carey. There are good covers of "Can't Find My Way Home", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "Ain't No Sunshine" Her backing band were by no means great musicians, and yet the playing and backing vocals suited Lyn Carey's old style hard hitting bluesy vocals. Check out their 1973 album, "Give It Everything I've Got."

TRACKS

Ain't No Sunshine
Be Bad With Me
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Wildcat
Candy Man
Mr. Invitation
Sister,Sister(She Better Than A Man)
Can't Find My Way Home
It's Only A Dream
Cry

BAND

Lynn Carey - vocals
Neil Merryweather - bass/vocals
Rick Gaxiola - guitar
James Newton Howard - keyboards/vocals
Coffi Hall - drums/percussion
Alan Hurtz (guitar)

REVIEW

Released shortly after Led Zepplin hit big, this LP walks in the shadow of that style. Now mostly remembered for the promoition blitz for this album - that included the lead singer Lynn Carey topless on the LP cover breastfeeding a lion cub and a stint as the September 1972 Penthouse Pet of the month (keep in mind these were different times and promotion like this was edgy but acceptable). The music shares more in common with bands like Cold Blood and Rare Earth than Janis Joplin. Its what 1972 really sounded like. All that said, the songs themselves just are not that good, most are average at best. Good intentions lost in translation. Even with that excuse the LP has not aged well. I really wanted to like this album, but in the end its mearly O.K. ... © Michael Wilson, © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC

LYNN CAREY BIO (Wikipedia)

Lynn Carey is a singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist in the band "Mama Lion." She is the daughter of actor Macdonald Carey. She is remembered for her beauty and figure as well as her powerful voice. First band was C.K. Strong Mama Lion recorded an album in 1972 called "Preserve Wildlife." In addition to performing on the album as a singer, Lynn Carey appeared on the inside of the album cover with her blouse open and breast exposed, pretending to nurse a lion cub. Lynn Carey was Penthouse Magazine's Pet of the Month in December 1972. She performs big band music these days. Her personal website is http://www.lynncarey.com She provides thhe vocals for Kelly McNamara (lead singer with The Carrie Nations) in Beyond the Valley of thhe Dolls Ms. Carey talked about her career and activities in an interview with Steve Escobar in 2001 @
www.steveescobar.com/rock/lynn.html