Want some whiskey in your water?
Sugar in your tea?
What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?
This is the craziest party that could ever be
Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't wanna see
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, no" uh uh
Open up the window, let some air into this room
I think I'm almost chokin' from the smell of stale perfume
And that cigarette you're smokin' 'bout scare me half to death
Open up the window sucker, let me catch my breath
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
The radio is blastin', someone's knockin' at the door
I'm lookin' at my girlfriend - she just passed out on the floor
I've seen so many things I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is - I don't wanna see no more
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son" (listen to me)
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
Sugar in your tea?
What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?
This is the craziest party that could ever be
Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't wanna see
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, no" uh uh
Open up the window, let some air into this room
I think I'm almost chokin' from the smell of stale perfume
And that cigarette you're smokin' 'bout scare me half to death
Open up the window sucker, let me catch my breath
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
The radio is blastin', someone's knockin' at the door
I'm lookin' at my girlfriend - she just passed out on the floor
I've seen so many things I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is - I don't wanna see no more
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son" (listen to me)
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
song info:
Verified yes
LanguageEnglish
Rank−
Duration00:03:16
Charts
Copyright ©Warner Chappell Music
WriterRandy Newman
Lyrics licensed byLyricFind
Added
Last updatedMarch 8th, 2022
About"Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman written for Eric Burdon's first solo album in 1966. Three Dog Night's 1970 cover of the song topped the US pop singles chart. Tom Jones and the Stereophonics' cover version also hit number four on the UK Singles Chart in 2000.
Newman original and first recordings
Newman says that the song was inspired by his own lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s. As with most Newman songs, he assumes a character - in "Mama..." the narrator is a sheltered and extraordinarily straight-laced young man, who recounts what is presumably his first "wild" party in the big city, is shocked and appalled by cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking, and loud music and — in the chorus of the song — 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 piano accompaniment, as well as Ry Cooder's slide guitar part, both of which give the song the feel of a bluesy Ray Charles-style rhythm and blues number.
Three Dog Night version
Also in 1970, Three Dog Night 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 guitar.
Newman original and first recordings
Newman says that the song was inspired by his own lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s. As with most Newman songs, he assumes a character - in "Mama..." the narrator is a sheltered and extraordinarily straight-laced young man, who recounts what is presumably his first "wild" party in the big city, is shocked and appalled by cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking, and loud music and — in the chorus of the song — 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 piano accompaniment, as well as Ry Cooder's slide guitar part, both of which give the song the feel of a bluesy Ray Charles-style rhythm and blues number.
Three Dog Night version
Also in 1970, Three Dog Night 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 guitar.
Album Details
![Three Dog Night - It Ain't Easy [1970]](https://cdn.lsistatic.com/img/pixel.gif){kind=tracking}