Intro -x2-: A  D A
 
A                                                           E
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to the phone
                                                                A
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
D                    A                 E                        A
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
        E
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
 

D                    A
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                     A
I'll only keep her a while
D                    A                       E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
 

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

D                    A
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                     A
I'll only keep her a while
D                    A                       E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
 

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

D                    A
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
E                     A
I'll only keep her a while
D                    A                       E
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
D            E
Tell her goodbye...
          D            E
Please... tell her goodbye..