Newman says that the song was inspired by his own lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s. Tom Jones and Stereophonics' version also reached No. Three Dog Night's 1970 cover topped the US pop singles chart.
' Mama Told Me Not to Come', also written as ' Mama Told Me (Not to Come)', is a song by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman written for Eric Burdon's first solo album in 1966.