"Mama Told Me Not to Come" is a song by Randy Newman written for Eric Burdon's first solo album in 1966.

Newman says that it is a lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene in the late 1960s. He recounts a wild party, and uses the lyrics to convey a sense of excitement and confusion. The song is loaded with the black humor, sarcasm, and double entendre that made Newman famous. Among other topics, he makes thinly veiled references to drugs, alcohol, and sex.

The first recording of "Mama Told Me Not to Come" was made by Eric Burdon & The Animals. A scheduled single-release of September 1966 was withdrawn but the song was eventually included on their 1967 album Eric Is Here.

Newman's own version of his song was released on the 1970 album 12 Songs, and is characterized by a slow tempo and has a hint of funk influence. It failed to crack the charts.

Since its release, the most famous being a longer, more funk inspired version released by Three Dog Night on It Ain't Easy(titled "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)"), also in 1970. In contrast with Newman's version, the party is rendered as chaotic, confusing and terrifying.

Three Dog Night's version made it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1970. This version has the distinction of being the first number-one song on the American Top 40countdown show with longtime host Casey Kasem. Newman mentions Three Dog Night's version is better than his, and his favorite of all versions.

Tom Jones & Stereophonics' treatment of the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart in 2000. This version was produced by rising star producers Steve Bush and Marshall Bird, AKA Bird & Bush.

P. J. Proby recorded one of the earliest versions of the song, in 1967, and since Three Dog Night's 1970 hit it has been recorded by diverse artists including Wilson Pickett, Lou Rawls, The Wolfgang Press, Yo La Tengo, Helmut Zerlett and The Slackers.

Tea Leaf Green[1] and Widespread Panic[2] have also performed this song live. In 1971, the comic singer Patrick Topaloff released a french version named Maman, viens me chercher. A German version, entitled Das War So Doch Nicht Geplant, was published in 2005 by the German soul singer Stefan Gwildis.