"Make Your Own Kind Of Music" is an ode to individuality and self expression. The title alone makes a very clear statement that's reinforced in the lyric, offering loads of encouragement. You've gotta sing your own song, even if nobody else sings along. The message could apply quite literally to musicians who find themselves following trends and conforming to norms instead of making the music they want, but the metaphor is relevant to anyone making their way through life.
The singer here is Mama Cass Elliot, a mighty vocalist best known as a member of The Mamas & the Papas, a seminal '60s group that had hits with "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'." When the group broke up in 1968, Elliot stayed on their label (Dunhill) as a solo artist. Her first single was a cover of the standard "Dream A Little Dream Of Me," with her fellow Papas and Mama on backing vocals. It was a hit, launching her as a solo artist. "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" was released a year later and was a modest hit.
"Make Your Own Kind Of Music" was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, a formidable husband-and-wife songwriting team whose compositions include "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place," and "Kicks." They started writing for movies and stage productions in the late '60s, but around this time also wrote two songs that Cass Elliot turned into chart hits: "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" and "It's Getting Better." In the '70s, their songs were recorded by B.J. Thomas ("I Just Can't Help Believing") and Blood, Sweat & Tears ("So Long Dixie") and Mann released some solo albums.
See your Spotify stats (with number of plays and minutes listened) and discover new music.
Music data, artist images, album covers, and song previews are provided by Spotify. Spotify is a trademark of Spotify AB.