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Sylvia's Mother Lyrics
<b>Sylvia's mother</b> says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to the phone
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's packin' she's gonna be leavin' today
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's marryin' a fella down Galveston way
Sylvia's mother says please don't say nothin' to make her start cryin' and stay
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's hurryin' she's catchin' the nine o'clock train
Sylvia's mother says take your umbrella cause Sylvie, it's startin' to rain
And Sylvia's mother says thank you for callin' and sir won't you call back again
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Tell her goodbye...
Please... tell her goodbye..
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's marryin' a fella down Galveston way
Sylvia's mother says please don't say nothin' to make her start cryin' and stay
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says take your umbrella cause Sylvie, it's startin' to rain
And Sylvia's mother says thank you for callin' and sir won't you call back again
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Please... tell her goodbye..
Song Info
Submitted by
abfab On Sep 16, 2002
More Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Cover Of The Rolling Stone
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Carry me, Carrie
Sharing The Night Together
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In this song, you feel the frustration of a guy who wants to have one last conversation with his old girlfriend but is stymied by Sylvia's mother. I imagine him standing at a pay phone, digging into his pockets for more coins, as he desperately tries to talk to his love before she leaves town. This is especially poignant near the end of the song, when the mother tells him "thank you for calling and, sir, won't you call back again," implying that Sylvia is nearby so the mom is pretending he's someone else.
It reminds us of a time when communications were much more difficult. For younger persons, many of whom have their own cellphones, this may be hard to relate to, but it was just a generation ago when trying to get in touch with someone was much more difficult. If a boy called his girlfriend, he often had to talk first to her parents, who sometimes served as a gatekeeper, preventing their daughter from talking to someone unless they approved of him.
@procktheboat - Thank you for nailing it 18 yeas ago.
@procktheboat - Thank you for nailing it 18 yeas ago.
shel silverstein (wrote silly poems, funny cartoons in playboy magazine) wrote a number of dr. hook songs... and I'm fairly sure he wrote this one too.
anyway, i think it's intentionally overdone to mock the typical overdramatic love song.
Sylvia's Mother" is autobiographical, with songwriter Shel Silverstein drawing upon his unsuccessful attempt to revive a failed relationship. Silverstein had been in love with a woman named Sylvia Pandolfi, but she would later be engaged to another man. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she instead told him that the love had ended.[4]
Sylvia's Mother" is autobiographical, with songwriter Shel Silverstein drawing upon his unsuccessful attempt to revive a failed relationship. Silverstein had been in love with a woman named Sylvia Pandolfi, but she would later be engaged to another man. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she instead told him that the love had ended.[4]
The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: A young man, despondent and near tears after learning that his ex-girlfriend (Sylvia Avery, with whom he had an earlier bad breakup) is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say...
The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: A young man, despondent and near tears after learning that his ex-girlfriend (Sylvia Avery, with whom he had an earlier bad breakup) is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say one last good-bye, or at least try to get a suitable explanation as to why their relationship failed and maybe try to rekindle things. However, Sylvia's mother (Mrs. Avery) tells him that Sylvia is engaged to be married, and is trying to start a new life in Galveston. She asks the man not to say anything to her because she might start crying and want to stay. She tells the man Sylvia is hurrying to catch a 9 o'clock train. In an aside, she then tells Sylvia to take an umbrella ("cause Sylvie, it's starting to rain"). She then returns to the phone conversation, thanks the (unidentified) man for calling, and asks him to call back again ("And sir, won't you call back again"). The pathos lies in Sylvia's mother being aware of both conversations, but the lovers only "pass in the night". Throughout the phone conversation, an operator cuts in to ask for more money ("40 cents more for the next three minutes") to continue the call.
Kenshin23 is right, it was written by Shel Silverstein, and it's supposed to be satirical, but it became a big hit because people took it seriously. It's kind of hard not to though, because the delivery is so emotional. I think if Shel himself had sung it, it would have come out a lot differently.
Sylvia's Mother" is autobiographical, with songwriter Shel Silverstein drawing upon his unsuccessful attempt to revive a failed relationship. Silverstein had been in love with a woman named Sylvia Pandolfi, but she would later be engaged to another man. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she instead told him that the love had ended.[4]
Sylvia's Mother" is autobiographical, with songwriter Shel Silverstein drawing upon his unsuccessful attempt to revive a failed relationship. Silverstein had been in love with a woman named Sylvia Pandolfi, but she would later be engaged to another man. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she instead told him that the love had ended.[4]
The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: A young man, despondent and near tears after learning that his ex-girlfriend (Sylvia Avery, with whom he had an earlier bad breakup) is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say...
The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: A young man, despondent and near tears after learning that his ex-girlfriend (Sylvia Avery, with whom he had an earlier bad breakup) is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say one last good-bye, or at least try to get a suitable explanation as to why their relationship failed and maybe try to rekindle things. However, Sylvia's mother (Mrs. Avery) tells him that Sylvia is engaged to be married, and is trying to start a new life in Galveston. She asks the man not to say anything to her because she might start crying and want to stay. She tells the man Sylvia is hurrying to catch a 9 o'clock train. In an aside, she then tells Sylvia to take an umbrella ("cause Sylvie, it's starting to rain"). She then returns to the phone conversation, thanks the (unidentified) man for calling, and asks him to call back again ("And sir, won't you call back again"). The pathos lies in Sylvia's mother being aware of both conversations, but the lovers only "pass in the night". Throughout the phone conversation, an operator cuts in to ask for more money ("40 cents more for the next three minutes") to continue the call. Flag cattyfaceon August 20, 2014 I thout I would look it up.I think it is meant to be sad :)
mrs avery you slut
@aussiedud3 rofl
@aussiedud3 rofl
@aussiedud3 - Hey- Ladies of a certain age really had to put it out there in the '70s.
@aussiedud3 - Hey- Ladies of a certain age really had to put it out there in the '70s.
I'm stunned at how many people think Mrs. Avery's last lines are an implication of any sort of empathy or respect for the caller: Sylvia's right there by this time (Grab your umbrella) and capable of hearing her side of the conversation; Mrs. Avery is acting as if she is speaking to a stranger. Of course, nearly 20 years there was no such thing as Wikipedia and so many other sources. Still, the above is a strange interpretation.
ahh yeah such a ...good song, a little what is the word, over done? but still good
This is such a sad song...Beautiful, but sad.
ive listened to this song ever since i was little it is so old and beautiful and i love it soooooo much.
I wonder why Sylvia was leaving town; was she disgraced by the singer, do you think?
Lovely and sad song. Pretty clear I think. He wants to say goodbye but the mom says no way. I wonder if it is based on some true story. Bye.
yes , this song is based on a true story but the mother last name was changed
yes , this song is based on a true story but the mother last name was changed