Sylvia's Mother

"Sylvia's Mother" is a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein, produced by Ron Haffkine and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart (tied with "Sexy Eyes" from the album Sometimes You Win for the band's best performing song),[1] as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom. It spent 3 weeks at #1 on the Australian music charts,[2] making it the 15th ranked single in Australia for 1972; and also reached #1 in South Africa, where it was the 3rd ranked song for the year. It appeared on the group's first album, Dr. Hook.

"Sylvia's Mother"
Single by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
from the album Dr. Hook
B-side"Makin' It Natural"
ReleasedMarch 1972
GenreCountry rock, pop
LabelColumbia Records
Songwriter(s)Shel Silverstein
Producer(s)Ron Haffkine
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show singles chronology
"Last Morning"
(1971)		 "Sylvia's Mother"
(1972)		 "Carry Me, Carrie"
(1972)

Song background

"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 become engaged to another man and end up as a museum curator at the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City.[3][4][5][6][7] Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she told him that the love had ended.[8]

The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: a man, despondent after learning that Sylvia, with whom he had an earlier relationship, is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say one last goodbye. 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. She then returns to the phone conversation, thanks the (unnamed) narrator for calling. The pathos lies in the singer's awareness that Sylvia is right there with her mother, Sylvia being unaware that he is the man on the phone. Throughout the phone conversation, an operator interrupts to ask for more money ("40 cents more for the next three minutes") to continue the call.

Chart performance

Bobby Bare cover
"Sylvia's Mother"
Single by Bobby Bare
B-side"Music City U.S.A."
Released1972
RecordedJune 15, 1972
Mercury Custom Recording Studio
Nashville, Tennessee
GenreCountry
Length3:52
3:39 (7" version)
LabelMercury Records 73317
Songwriter(s)Shel Silverstein
Producer(s)Jerry Kennedy
Bobby Bare singles chronology
"What Am I Gonna Do"
(1972)		 "Sylvia's Mother"
(1972)		 "I Hate Goodbyes"
(1973)

In 1972, about the same time the Dr. Hook version was on the chart, country singer Bobby Bare recorded a cover version. Bare's version became a hit, reaching No. 12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that October. One of his last hit records during his stay at Mercury Records, "Sylvia's Mother" became the first of many Silverstein-penned songs Bare had success with, and would foreshadow both an entire album dedicated to Silverstein-penned songs (1973's Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies) and hit records written by Silverstein, including "Marie Laveau," "The Winner," "Rosalie's Good Eats Café", "The Mermaid", "Warm and Free" and others.

Other cover versions
  • In 1976, the French singer Sacha Distel covered the song : "Le Père de Sylvia" (Sylvia's Father). This shift from Mother to Father makes the song more euphonic in French. Indeed, "La Mère de Sylvia" could have led to possible misinterpretations.
  • A sequel titled "Mrs. Avery" has been written and performed by British folk rockers The Men They Couldn't Hang. Written from the point of view of the lovesick character's father, shortly after the telephone conversation and once Sylvia has left town, it documents a further telephone conversation with Sylvia's mother discussing the aftermath and additional romantic captivation [15]
  • "Sylvia's Mother" was also covered by Bon Jovi on This Left Feels Right Live.

Foreign adaptations

A Croatian version of the song, named "Silvija", is played by popular Croatian singer Dražen Zečić.

A Dutch version of the song, named 'Sylvia's Moeder", is played by Dutch group Drukwerk.

A French version of the song, named "Le père de Sylvia", is sung by the french singer Sacha Distel

References
  1. Fread Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits (New York, Billboard, 2003), p. 312
  2. "Go-Set Australian charts - 22 July 1972". Poparchives.com.au. 1972-07-22. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  3. Pat Binder, Gerhard Haupt. "Cinco continentes y una ciudad - Curators". Universes-in-universe.de. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  4. "Searching For Sylvia". Songfacts.com. 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  5. New Tendencies in Mexican Art: The 1990s, page 11, by Ruben Gallo
  6. Age of discrepancies, page 31, by Olivier Debroise
  7. Kalil, Susie (1993-12-16). "Gray Matter of Concern". Houston Press. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2010-01-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)]
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Sylvia's Mother - Dr Hook & The Medicine Show". Danskehitlister.dk. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  11. Steffen Hung. "Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show - Sylvia's Mother". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 17, 1972". Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  14. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 30, 1972". Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  15. confirmed by Paul Simmonds, the lyricist
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