Dr. Hook proved to be among the most resilient hitmakers of the 70s. With each new change in musical tastes, the band managed to find songs that fit. Considering that they generally relied on outside material, that was no small feat.
Videos by American Songwriter
It didn’t take them long to deliver their first hit single once they started their recording career. It was a song that would represent a certain type of 70s tearjerking style very well.
Hook’s Heights
Dr. Hook started life as Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show. Their origins sprang from a Georgia band that eventually relocated to New Jersey. That’s when Dennis Locorriere, who would sing lead on many of their hits, joined up. The name emanated from the fact that band member Ray Sawyer wore an eye patch, recalling Captain Hook. Which morphed into Dr. Hook.
The band’s early demos caught the attention of a gentleman named Ron Haffkine, who hired them to perform in a film. He eventually signed on as their manager. With Haffkine’s guidance, they scored a major label record deal and set about recording their 1972 debut album.
Even before they had recorded a song, the band developed a reputation as being a bit off-the-wall and unafraid to incorporate an element of humor in all that they did. The irony probably wasn’t lost on the band. Therefore, when their first hit single delivered a high-drama scenario that sounded like it was ripped from a soap opera.
“Mother” Troubles
Early in their career, Dr. Hook benefited from a connection to Shel Silverstein. Silverstein did a little bit of everything in the pop culture world. He gained acclaim as a cartoonist, children’s author, playwright, and much more. Along the way, he also shone as an idiosyncratic songwriter, penning offbeat tracks for country stars such as Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
Silverstein wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the first Dr. Hook album, which was released in 1972. Several of the songs delivered the humor for which he was known as a writer. But “Sylvia’s Mother” was another story.
Maybe that song turned out different because Silverstein lived it. He fell in love with a woman named Sylvia, but that relationship ended. When he heard that she was marrying someone else, Silverstein made a frantic call to her house to try to get her to reconsider. But her mother answered and shut that down immediately.
The First of Many Hits
“Sylvia’s Mother” basically retells that story, with Silverstein adding the twist of the pay phone. The narrator, running out of time and change, can’t get a word in edgewise. The mom does most of the talking, both to her daughter on her way out the door and to the poor sap attempting to make contact.
Dr. Hook did a wonderful job translating the story. Locorriere’s lead vocal delivers just the right combination of sorrow and desperation. Meanwhile, the backing vocals come in to support this guy at his darkest hour. “Sylvia’s Mother” took off, hitting No. 5 on the pop charts in 1972.
That era in pop music was distinguished by many songs featuring characters in outsized, heartbreaking situations. “Sylvia’s Mother” tackled its story with nuance, humor, and heart. Credit goes to Shel Silverstein and Dr. Hook, who were just beginning their chart journey.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.