I was at a New York City dinner party last night (May 14, 2011) and there was a woman named Sylvia (who happened to attend my high school: Alameda High School, Class of 1988). Her name made me think of this song.
"Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart,as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom. It also spent 3 weeks at #1 on the Australian music charts, making it the 15th ranked single in Australia for 1972. It appeared on the group's first album, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.
The song tells the story of a man trying to telephone his ex-girlfriend, presumably named Sylvia Avery, to say one last goodbye, but unable to get past her mother.
The song is autobiographical. Shel Silverstein was in love with Sylvia Pandolfi and called her up just when she was packing for her wedding. Her mother, Louisa Pandolfi, tried to convince Shel Silverstein that the love was over.
The song was covered by Bobby Bare in 1972 and became a country hit reaching US Billboard country chart number 12 position.
The song was covered by Bon Jovi on This Left Feels Right Live. A sequel, titled "Mrs. Avery," has been written and performed by the British folk rockers The Men They Couldn't Hang. This song begins where "Sylvia's Mother" ends and concerns what happens next.
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was a pop-country rock band formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1969. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit More", "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" and "Sexy Eyes". In addition to their own originals, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by poet Shel Silverstein, of children's book fame.
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