A                       
Sylvia's mother says, Sylvia's busy,
                                        E
too busy to come to the phone.
E7
Sylvia's mother says, Sylvia's tryin'
                                        A
to start a new life of her own.                               
D                                  A
Sylvia's mother says, Sylvia's happy,
    E                                         A
so why don't you leave her alone?
              E
And the operator says forty cents more,

for the next, three, minutes.                           
               D                             A    
Please---ease Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                           A
'll only keep her a while.
D                               A                                      E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye.

 
A        
Sylvia's mother says, Sylvia's packin',
                                           E
she's gonna be leavin' today.
E7     
Sylvia's mother says, Sylvia's marryin'
                                       A
a fella down Galveston way.
D                                  A     
Sylvia's mother says, please don't say nothin'
   E                                         A
to make her start cryin' and stay.
           E
And the operator says forty cents more,

for the next, three, minutes.                           
               D                             A    
Please---ease Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                           A
'll only keep her a while.
D                               A                                      E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye.

 
A
Sylvia's mother says, Slyvia's hurryin'
                                              E
she's catchin' the 9 o'clock train.
E7        
Sylvia's mother says, take your umbrella,
                                             A
'cause Sylvia it's startin' to rain.
D                                 A
Sylvia's mother says, thank you for callin'
       E                                      A
and sir won't you call back again?
           E
And the operator says forty cents more,

for the next, three, minutes.                           
               D                             A    
Please---ease Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                           A
'll only keep her a while.
D                               A                                      E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye.