Sylvia's mother 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,
Find more similar lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.com/d3Z'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.
Fade.
Please!
Tell her goodbye...

SYLVIA'S MOTHER
Written by: Shel Silverstein
Performed by: Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show1-1971
Appears on: Sylvia's Mother-1971 & 1777, Doctor Hook-1971, Dr. Hook & the
Medicine Show: Revisited-1976, Best of Dr. Hook-1980, Love Songs-1988,
Dr. Hook at His Best-1995, Original Gold-1999, The Singles-2001, The
Essential Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show-2003, Greatest Hits-20072, et al.

1Covered by: Kenny Rogers-1974, Bobby Bare-1974, Eric Donaldson-1984,
Superblue-1995, The Countdown Singers-1999,

2Transcribed from the track on this album.

(c)1972 Evil Eye Music Inc.