That Long Hot Summer, “Sylvia’s Mother” and RIP Dennis Locorriere

I was saddened to hear that the primary vocalist from the band Dr Hook, Dennis Locorriere, passed away last weekend at the age of 76. Although he was an American, born in New Jersey, he had been living in East Sussex with his third wife for some time.

If like me you turned 16 during that long hot summer of 1976, you will no doubt remember the song Love You A Little Bit More by Dr Hook. It got stuck at the No. 2 spot on the UK Singles Chart throughout the whole school holidays, being kept off the top spot by Elton and Kiki’s song, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. I was cross, as I thought the Dr Hook song was the better one and impossibly romantic to the teenage me. And, Dennis’ husky voice, just so… mmm.

The joke is of course that this is obviously a song about makin’ love, but at 16 I knew little about all that malarkey let alone staying up to greet the sun. In fact until I was a teenager I had thought “making love” was finding someone really special and then launching into a dance with them. I blame this couple, Fred and Ginger, who ruined me for the real life teenage fumbles that came along down the line. They were forever “making love” to each other, but both were always fully clad (impeccably so) and the prelude to running off to get married was a beautiful song, a dance and a peck on the cheek. All down to the Hays Code of course, a rigid set of industry guidelines applied to most films released by major studios from 1934. The code spelled out unacceptable content such as drugs, profanity, and sex. Thus my confusion.

Fred and Ginger “Making Love”

But the next song is one we all probably remember, Sylvia’s Mother, from 1972. At this point the band were still known as Dr Hook & the Medicine Show, the name originally inspired by Ray Sawyer’s eyepatch, a reference to Captain Hook of Peter Pan fame. The multi-talented Shel Silverstein wrote all the songs for the band’s self-titled debut album, released in May 1972, where Dennis performed lead vocals, guitar, bass and harmonica. The album was awarded a gold disc. The single from the album, Sylvia’s Mother, based on a real life conversation the songwriter had with the mother of an ex-girlfriend, became the band’s first million-seller and reached the No. 2 spot on the UK Singles Chart. Dennis said he loved story songs as when you’re singing you have to be a bit of an actor, and “be that guy in the phone booth”. He even met up with the real life Sylvia many years later who had become a museum curator in Mexico City!

Dr Hook (they shortened their name in 1975) continued to have great success throughout the rest of the 1970s with soft-rock hits such as Sharing The Night Together, When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman and Better Luck Next Time, all featuring Dennis’ sexy vocals. In 1983, Ray Sawyer left the band and after a Farewell Tour in 1985, the remaining line-up split up. Dennis retained ownership of the band’s name after the split and continued to tour, despite having health issues, until 2025. At the end of last year he released a statement saying that although he was as healthy as a guy his age had the audacity to be, he was growing weary of touring and sought to enjoy retirement. Sadly he only got six months.

Until next time, RIP Dennis.

Sylvia’s Mother Lyrics
(Song by Shel Silverstein)

Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s busy
Too busy to come to the phone’
Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s tryin’
To start a new life of her own’
Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s happy
So why don’t you leave her alone?’

And the operator says, ’40 cents more for the next 3 minutes’
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her
I’ll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell ‘er goodbye

Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s packin’
She’s gonna be leavin’ today’
Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s marryin’
A fella down Galveston way’
Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Please don’t say nothin’
To make her start cryin’ and stay’

And the operator says, ’40 cents more for the next 3 minutes’
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her
I’ll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell ‘er goodbye

Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Sylvia’s hurryin’
She’s catchin’ the nine o’clock train’
Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Take your umbrella
Cause Sylvie, it’s startin’ to rain’
And Sylvia’s mother says, ‘Thank you for callin’
And, sir, won’t you call back again?’

And the operator says, ’40 cents more for the next 3 minutes’
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her
I’ll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell ‘er goodbye

Tell her goodbye

Please
Tell her goodbye

Postscript:

I didn’t even know it existed but this week I was presented with one of these by the WordPress people.

It’s apparently a Perfectionist Badge which means I return to my posts often to edit, edit, edit after I’ve published them. Sounds fair but not something that’s held me in good stead throughout my life. I come from a long line of perfectionists but it’s become obvious that the people who do best in life are those who commit to being, just good enough. There is no time in the world of work nowadays for perfectionism and it frustrated my dad, my mum and myself. Oh well, at least I can be a perfectionist around here.