Sylvia’s Mother

 

I was stationed in Iceland at a NATO base when I first heard the song by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.

For some reason the song had a special meaning to me and reminded me of when I was courting my wife  Anita of 59 years. While the singer did not get Sylvia, I did get Anita. Persistence pays.

 

I was 17 at the time and not old enough to drink although I was raised where at a young age I worked in my Dad’s whiskey still. I carried sugar , malted corn and one gallon Coke jugs into the still and carried 4 gallons at a time of 100 proof whiskey out. Well to make a long story short, when I first met Anita, she worked in a drug store in Avondale/Goodyear Arizona  at the soda fountain and snack bar. I would stop  frequently and she would make me a tuna fish sandwich and a cup of coffee. She was hard to flirt with because her Dad was very strict and wasn’t overly fond of sailors and hillbilly’s. We would infrequently double date with my good friend Henry McDevitt and his close friend, later his wife, Guadalupe Maria Silva who we called Lupe. Anita was nervous just holding my hand. Anyway, Henry and I did not let our being too young to drink stop us. We would drive out to Luke Air Force Base and go to the enlisted men’s club where they did not hesitate to serve us beer or whiskey. We would sit at a table and drink. One time I remember vividly was when I had drank a little much and I wanted to talk to Anita. I called and her mother answered the phone. She could tell I was inebriated to put it mildly. I asked to speak to Anita and her mother refused to let me talk to her.

Years later, in Iceland, Doctor Hook’s song came out and it reminded me of the time in Arizona when Anita’s mother would not let me speak to Anita. I was calling from a pay phone and I had to often put in 40 cents to keep the call alive.  I just love the lyrics to the song and I am sure several love sick men can relate. Please take the time to go on you tube and listen to Dr. Hook and his medicine Show singing Syvia’s Mother. The emotion of the song comes through loud and clear. Just thought I would share the lyrics but to appreciate the song, you have to listen to it.

 

 

Sylvia’s Mother Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy
Too busy to come to the phone"
Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's trying
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"

[Chorus]
Please, Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her
I'll only keep her a while

 

[Chorus]
Please, Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her

I'll only keep her a while
Please, Mrs. Avery, I just want to tell her goodbye…….

[Verse 2]
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's packing
She's gonna be leaving today
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's marrying
A fella down Galveston way
Sylvia's mother says please don't say nothing
To make her start crying and stay
And the operator says forty cents more
For the next three minutes

 

[Chorus]
Please, Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her
I'll only keep her a while
Please, Mrs. Avery, I just want to tell her goodbye

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