Mama Told Me(Not To Come) ~ Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night is an American rock band, best known for their music from 1968–1975 but still making live appearances as of 2008.

The band started with three lead vocalists — Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells — who landed a recording contract with Dunhill Records in Los Angeles. They made some early recordings with Beach Boys producer, composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist Brian Wilson, and initially went by the name Redwood. Shortly after changing the band’s name, the vocalists hired a group of backing musicians — Michael Allsup on guitar, Floyd Sneed on drums, (Mickey McMeel on drums from 1973 to 1976), Joe Schermie (from the Cory Wells Blues Band) on bass, and Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards — and soon became one of the most successful bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s Their band road manager was Thomas H. Eggleston.

Three Dog Night earned 13 gold albums and recorded 21 Billboard Top 40 hits, 7 of which went gold. Their first gold record was “Easy To Be Hard” (U.S. #4), from the musical Hair. They had three U.S. number one songs: “Mama Told Me Not to Come” (which was also their only Top 10 hit in the UK), “Joy to the World”, and “Black and White”. Dunhill Records claimed 40 million LP units sold by them during that time period.

Their covers of songs by Randy Newman (“Mama Told Me Not to Come”), Laura Nyro (“Eli’s Coming” (U.S. #10)), Russ Ballard of Argent (“Liar” (U.S. #7)), Hoyt Axton (“Joy to the World”), Elton John and Bernie Taupin (“Lady Samantha” & “Your Song”), John Hiatt (“Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here” (U.S. #16)), and Leo Sayer (“The Show Must Go On” (U.S. #4)) were the first major hits for songs by these singer/songwriters. According to the commentary in the above-mentioned CD set, Elton John later credited their cover of “Your Song” with being a major factor in catapulting him to stardom. They also popularized songs by Harry Nilsson (“One” (U.S. #5)) and Paul Williams (“An Old Fashioned Love Song” (U.S. #4)).

Joe Schermie quit in 1973 and was replaced by Jack Ryland. The band then became an eight-piece with the induction of another keyboard player, Skip Konte. By 1976, Negron had become the principal vocalist, the streak of hit records had ended and a dissatisfied Hutton left the group. The group disbanded the following year, at least partly due to Negron’s drug addiction problem.

Mama Told Me(Not To Come)

This was a cover of a Randy Newman song.

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
“That ain’t the way to have fun, no”

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’s passed out on the floor
I 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, no”
KILL
“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”

“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”

Other Songs Posted for this Artist

• November 6, 2009 -- Old Fashioned Love Song – Three Dog Night
• September 2, 2009 -- Never Been to Spain ~ Three Dog Night
• January 12, 2008 -- One ~ Three Dog Night

Tagged as: Three Dog Night