"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), as well as #2 in the United Kingdom. It spent three weeks at #1 on the Australian music charts, 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, and in New Zealand. The song spent 7 consecutive weeks at #1 in Ireland on the Irish Singles Chart. It appeared on the group's first album, '' Doctor Hook''.

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. She later became engaged to another man and ended up as a museum curator at the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil in Mexico City. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she told him the love had ended. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said " 'T ain't easy to render unto Silverstein what is Shel's, but this group knows the secret to Top 40 success on this happy/sad tune, bound to be a huge request and sales item."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Bobby Bare cover

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.

References

External links

The real story of Sylvia's Mother
* {{Authority control 1972 singles Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show songs Song recordings produced by Ron Haffkine Songs written by Shel Silverstein Songs about telephone calls Songs about mothers Cashbox number-one singles Number-one singles in Australia Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in New Zealand Number-one singles in South Africa Columbia Records singles 1971 songs