"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?'[refrain]And the operator says 40 cents more for the next three minutes.Please, Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her. I'll only keep her a whilePlease, Mrs. Avery, I just want to tell her goodbyeSylvia'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 nothin' to make her start cryin' and stay.'[refrain]Sylvia's mother says 'Sylvia's hurrying. She's catching the nine o'clock train.'Sylvia's mother says, "Take your umbrella 'cause Sylvia, it's starting to rain.'And Sylvia's mother said, "Thank you for calling, and, sir, won't you call back again?"
Classic "golden oldie" from 1972 by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Lyrics by Shel Silverstein, who is perhaps best known for his poetry and cartoons, but he also wrote the lyrics for many country-western songs.
Posted because after enjoying Fargo season 5, I decided to binge-watch season 2, and this song was featured in the background.
Reposted because I woke up with this as an earworm and had to Google various phrases until the source popped up, and because the only way to get rid of an earworm is to give it to someone else...
It's also interesting to ponder that probably one generation (maybe 2?) of readers here will not appreciate the implied potential tragedy of needing to "insert 40 cents more for the next three minutes"...
Maybe you can add "Operator", sung by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, performed by the Grateful Dead to the list of 'operator' songs? And "Memphis, Tennessee" by Chuck Berry?
ReplyDeletePlus Garth Brooks "Callin' Baton Rouge", but most importantly, Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman".
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, reread/listen to the song and think about it from the point of view of a young woman. It's not such a great song. A lot of Shel Silverstein is creepy from a woman's point of view.
Oh gosh! Heaven forfend a guy could express genuine heartbreak.
DeleteI started watching "Grey's Anatomy" (when it was on TV) because they used a song by the Postal Service. After a few episodes, I realized they were not using that song anymore and that I liked the song more than the series, so I stopped watching.
ReplyDeletejust yesterday I heard a radio DJ reminding his listeners that the lyrics of Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue" were written by Shel Silverstein
ReplyDeleteI contemplated rejecting your implied earworm infection, but relaxed into acceptance when I realised your 'generous' post also illuminated in my brain box the juxtaposition of real, 'possible to occur' events, and, so far, unreal, impossible to occur, alien visits and interactions, depicted in one of the season's of Fargo.
ReplyDeleteI will now, well, sometime later on in my day, rewatch Fargo, the series. Thank you.
An old (well obviously) favorite of mine... a heartfelt, sad song that even John Prine would be proud of.
ReplyDeleteShel Silverstein is a genius, you never know where he'll take you... or if you'll get back.
ReplyDeletexoxoxoBruce