"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, but she would later become engaged to another man and end up as a museum curator at the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City. Desperate to continue the relationship, Silverstein called Pandolfi's mother, Louisa, but she told him that the love had ended. The lyrics tell the story in much the same way: a man, despondent after learning that Sylvia, with whom he had an earlier relationship, is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say one last goodbye. However, Sylvia's mother tells him that Sylvia is engaged to be married, and is trying to start a new life in Galveston. She asks the man not to say anything to her because she might start crying and want to stay. She tells the man Sylvia is hurrying to catch a 9 o'clock train. She then returns to the phone conversation, thanks the narrator for calling. The pathos lies in the singer's awareness that Sylvia is right there with her mother, Sylvia being unaware that he is the man on the phone. Throughout the phone conversation, an operator interrupts to ask for more money to continue the call.
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 BillboardHot Country Singles chart that October. One of his last hit records during his stay at Mercury Records, "Sylvia's Mother" became the first of many Silverstein-penned songs Bare had success with, and would foreshadow both an entire album dedicated to Silverstein-penned songs and hit records written by Silverstein, including "Marie Laveau," "The Winner," "Rosalie's Good Eats Café", "The Mermaid", "Warm and Free" and others.
In 1976, the French singer Sacha Distel covered the song : "Le Père de Sylvia". This shift from Mother to Father makes the song more euphonic in French. Indeed, "La Mère de Sylvia" could have led to possible misinterpretations.
A sequel titled "Mrs. Avery" has been written and performed by British folk rockers The Men They Couldn't Hang. Written from the point of view of the lovesick character's father, shortly after the telephone conversation and once Sylvia has left town, it documents a further telephone conversation with Sylvia's mother discussing the aftermath and additional romantic captivation
A Croatian version of the song, named "Silvija", is played by popular Croatian singer Dražen Zečić. A Dutch version of the song, named 'Sylvia's Moeder", is played by Dutch group Drukwerk. A French version of the song, named "Le père de Sylvia", is sung by the french singer Sacha Distel
