Mama Told Me Not to Come
Encyclopedia
"Mama Told Me" is a song by Randy Newman
written for Eric Burdon
's first solo album in 1966. Three Dog Night
's 1970 cover of the song topped the U.S. pop singles charts.
music scene of the late 1960s. However, the song is not strictly autobiographical; Newman uses a green narrator, a sheltered and extraordinarily strait-laced young man, who recounts what is presumably his first "wild" party in the big city. The young man is shocked and appalled by everything he sees (including cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking, drunkenness, and loud music) and--in the chorus of the song--he recalls his "mama told [him] not to come."
The first recording of "Mama Told Me Not to Come" was cut by Eric Burdon & The Animals. A scheduled single-release of September 1966 was withdrawn but the song was eventually included on their 1967 album Eric Is Here
.
Newman's own version of his song was released on the 1970 album 12 Songs
and was characterized by Newman's mid-tempo, rollicking piano accompaniment as well as Ry Cooder
's understated slide guitar part, both of which give the song the feel of a bluesy Ray Charles
-style R&B number.
released a longer, rock 'n roll and funk
-inspired version (titled "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)") on It Ain't Easy.
Three Dog Night's version had the same 3/4 by 2/4 time change as Eric Burdon's version and featured Cory Wells
singing lead in an almost humorous vocal-style, Jimmy Greenspoon
playing a Wurlitzer electric piano, and Michael Allsup
playing his guitar
, which sounds like a violin
on the recording.
The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
on July 14, 1970, the same day that It Ain't Easy was certified gold.
This was the very first #1 song played on the July 4, 1970 (first) broadcast of American Top 40
.
's 1998 movie adaptation
of Hunter S. Thompson
's 1972 gonzo
novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Due to the song's upbeat, paranoid mood, it was used for the scene of obsessively drug-using protagonists Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo escaping a "District Attorneys convention on narcotics and dangerous drugs". It also appears as the last song in the movie's G-rated trailer, mainly accompanying Duke's wild car ride to have Dr. Gonzo catch a plane in time, a scene where in the R-rated trailer and in the actual film, Viva Las Vegas
by Dead Kennedys
was used instead.
The Three Dog Night version was also used in the 1997 films GI Jane (played over a montage of scenes showing Jordan O'Neill (Demi Moore
) condition herself for the extreme physical demands of SEAL
training) and Boogie Nights
.
& Stereophonics
' treatment of the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart
in 2000. This version was produced by Steve Bush and Marshall Bird (AKA "Bird & Bush").
recorded one of the earliest versions of the song in 1967, followed by Three Dog Night's 1970 hit. It has also been recorded by a diverse range of artists, including Wilson Pickett
, Lou Rawls
, The Wolfgang Press
, Yo La Tengo
, Helmut Zerlett and The Slackers
. Jazz singer Roseanna Vitro
included it in her 2010 collection The Music of Randy Newman.
Tea Leaf Green
and Widespread Panic
have performed this song live. In 1971, the comic singer Patrick Topaloff
released a French version named Maman, viens me chercher. A German version, entitled Das War So Doch Nicht Geplant, was published in 2005 by the German soul singer Stefan Gwildis.
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
written for Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
's first solo album in 1966. Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
's 1970 cover of the song topped the U.S. pop singles charts.
Newman original and first recordings
Newman says that the song was inspired by his own lighthearted reflection on the Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
music scene of the late 1960s. However, the song is not strictly autobiographical; Newman uses a green narrator, a sheltered and extraordinarily strait-laced young man, who recounts what is presumably his first "wild" party in the big city. The young man is shocked and appalled by everything he sees (including cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking, drunkenness, and loud music) and--in the chorus of the song--he recalls his "mama told [him] not to come."
The first recording of "Mama Told Me Not to Come" was cut by Eric Burdon & The Animals. A scheduled single-release of September 1966 was withdrawn but the song was eventually included on their 1967 album Eric Is Here
Eric Is Here
Eric Is Here is a 1967 album billed to Eric Burdon & The Animals, although the actual band with Burdon is the Horace Ott Orchestra.-History:...
.
Newman's own version of his song was released on the 1970 album 12 Songs
12 Songs (Randy Newman album)
12 Songs is a 1970 album by singer/songwriter Randy Newman. His second album, 12 Songs received much better reviews than his first. On 12 Songs Newman collaborates with Clarence White and Ry Cooder. The album set the stage for Newman's later career with songs sung from the point of view of...
and was characterized by Newman's mid-tempo, rollicking piano accompaniment as well as Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
's understated slide guitar part, both of which give the song the feel of a bluesy Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
-style R&B number.
Three Dog Night version
Also in 1970, Three Dog NightThree Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
released a longer, rock 'n roll and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
-inspired version (titled "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)") on It Ain't Easy.
Three Dog Night's version had the same 3/4 by 2/4 time change as Eric Burdon's version and featured Cory Wells
Cory Wells
Cory Wells is an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.-Life and career:...
singing lead in an almost humorous vocal-style, Jimmy Greenspoon
Jimmy Greenspoon
Jimmy Greenspoon is an American keyboard player, best known as a member of the band, Three Dog Night. He currently lives in Montgomery County, Maryland....
playing a Wurlitzer electric piano, and Michael Allsup
Michael Allsup
Michael Allsup is an American guitarist, best known for his contribution as a member of the rock and roll group, Three Dog Night....
playing his guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, which sounds like a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on the recording.
Charts and certifications
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Top Singles | 2 |
The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on July 14, 1970, the same day that It Ain't Easy was certified gold.
This was the very first #1 song played on the July 4, 1970 (first) broadcast of American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
.
Appearances in popular culture
Three Dog Night's version would later appear in Terry GilliamTerry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
's 1998 movie adaptation
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (film)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a 1998 American drama film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo. It was adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel of the same name....
of Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
's 1972 gonzo
Gonzo journalism
Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story via a first-person narrative. The word "gonzo" is believed to be first used in 1970 to describe an article by Hunter S. Thompson, who later popularized the style...
novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Due to the song's upbeat, paranoid mood, it was used for the scene of obsessively drug-using protagonists Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo escaping a "District Attorneys convention on narcotics and dangerous drugs". It also appears as the last song in the movie's G-rated trailer, mainly accompanying Duke's wild car ride to have Dr. Gonzo catch a plane in time, a scene where in the R-rated trailer and in the actual film, Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas (song)
"Viva Las Vegas" is a 1964 song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and recorded by Elvis Presley for his Viva Las Vegas film vehicle of that year...
by Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
was used instead.
The Three Dog Night version was also used in the 1997 films GI Jane (played over a montage of scenes showing Jordan O'Neill (Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
) condition herself for the extreme physical demands of SEAL
Seal
Seal commonly refers to:* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals many of which are commonly called seals* Seal , a device which helps prevent leakage, contain pressure, or exclude contamination where two systems join...
training) and Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
.
Tom Jones and the Stereophonics version
Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
& Stereophonics
Stereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
' treatment of the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 2000. This version was produced by Steve Bush and Marshall Bird (AKA "Bird & Bush").
Other versions
P. J. ProbyP. J. Proby
P.J. Proby is an American singer, songwriter, and actor, who has portrayed Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison in musical theater productions as well as enjoying a successful recording career in his own right....
recorded one of the earliest versions of the song in 1967, followed by Three Dog Night's 1970 hit. It has also been recorded by a diverse range of artists, including Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
, The Wolfgang Press
The Wolfgang Press
The Wolfgang Press was an English post-punk band, active from 1983 until 1995, recording for the 4AD label. The core of the band was Michael Allen , Mark Cox , and Andrew Gray , with many guest musicians....
, Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, Helmut Zerlett and The Slackers
The Slackers
The Slackers are a New York City band, formed in Brooklyn in 1991. The band's sound is a mix of ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, soul, garage rock, and jazz...
. Jazz singer Roseanna Vitro
Roseanna Vitro
- Biography :Born Roseanna Elizabeth Vitro in Hot Springs, Arkansas on February 28, 1951, Vitro began singing at an early age, drawing inspiration from various musical genres like gospel, rock, and R&B, theatre, and classical music. Her father owned a night club in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the '50s...
included it in her 2010 collection The Music of Randy Newman.
Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green is a five-piece jam band from San Francisco Bay Area, comprising Josh Clark , Trevor Garrod , Reed Mathis , Scott Rager , and Cochrane McMillan .-History:Tea Leaf Green began in the fall of 1996, when Scott Rager met Ben Chambers on the...
and Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
have performed this song live. In 1971, the comic singer Patrick Topaloff
Patrick Topaloff
Patrick Topaloff was a French comedian, singer, and actor.The son of a Georgian father and a Corsican mother which, according to him, made him "a delicate Franco-Russian dessert", Topaloff began his career on Europe 1, where his comic antics drew a wide audience, especially among children who...
released a French version named Maman, viens me chercher. A German version, entitled Das War So Doch Nicht Geplant, was published in 2005 by the German soul singer Stefan Gwildis.