This was written by Randy Newman, the nephew of Academy Award-winning composer Lionel Newman. The song is about a party that left a "bad taste" in the writer's mouth. The drug scene was fairly new to American middle-class youth at that time.

Eric Burdon & The Animals released the first version of this song, including it on their 1967 album Eric Is Here. That same year, P.J. Proby also covered the song.

At this point, Randy Newman had yet to release any solo material. When he started recording his own material (starting with his 1968 debut album) many of the songs had already been recorded by others. "Mama Told Me Not to Come" was included on his second album, 12 Songs, which came out around the same time Three Dog Night issued it. Newman had little chart success as an artist in these early years, but Three Dog Night did, and their raucous rendition was the one listeners preferred..

Cory Wells, who sang lead on this track, was the Three Dog Night band member who pushed to record it. He was a big fan of the song and played it with his previous band.

Lyrics

Want some whiskey in your water

Sugar in your tea

What's all these crazy questions they askin' me

This is the craziest party there could ever be

Don't turn on the lights, 'cause I don't want to see

Mama told me not to come, oh lord

Mama told me not to come

She said, 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 smoking

'Bout scared me half to death

Open up the window, sucker

Let me catch my breath

Mama told me not to come, oh lord

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

(Instrumental)

The radio is blastin'

Someone's knocking 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

I don't know what it is

somebody shut that door

Mama told me not to come, oh lord

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

Told me, told me

That ain't no way to have fun, whoah, yeah yeah

Mama told me not to come

Mama, mama, mama told me

That ain't no way to have fun

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

Songwriters: Randy Newman

Mama Told Me Not to Come lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc