Mother's Little Helper

The Rolling Stones

About Mother's Little Helper

"Mother's Little Helper" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track to the United Kingdom version of their 1966 album Aftermath. It was released as a single in the United States and peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1966. The B-side "Lady Jane" peaked at number 24. The song deals with the sudden popularity of prescribed calming drugs among housewives, and the potential hazards of overdose or addiction. The drug in question is variously assumed to be meprobamate (Miltown) or diazepam (Valium). 


Year:
1967
2:47
737 
#2

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What a drag it is getting old
"Kids are different today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day

"Things are different today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag
So she buys an instant cake and she burns her frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And two help her on her way, get her through her busy day

Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old

"Men just aren't the same today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy, You can tranquilize your mind
So go running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimize your plight

Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old

"Life's just much too hard today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
The pusuit of happiness just seems a bore
And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
They just helped you on your way, through your busy dying day

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The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in Dartford in 1962. The earliest settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (keyboards, piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Since Wyman's retirement in 1993, the band's full members have been Jagger, Richards, Watts and guitarist Ronnie Wood who joined in 1975. Darryl Jones (bassist) and Chuck Leavell (keyboardist) are regular contributors but not full band members. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Rolling Stones in 1989, noting that "critical acclaim and popular consensus has accorded them the title of the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”Rolling Stone magazine ranked them 4… more »

26 fans

Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Creation
"Mother's Little Helper" was written primarily by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, members of The Rolling Stones.
Recorded Year
The track was recorded in 1966 as part of the "Aftermath" recording sessions.
First Release
The song was first released on the 1966 album "Aftermath".
Genre - Special Significance
The song is one of the earliest examples of the rock genre using a distinctively non-Western instrumentation, specifically a sitar.
Lyrics Interpretation
The lyrics of "Mother's Little Helper" are a stinging commentary on the widespread use of prescribed drugs among housewives in the 1960s and it criticizes the modern society and its dependence on tranquillizing drugs.
Chart Performance
The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in the United States.
Unique Beginning
Unlike most popular songs, "Mother's Little Helper" begins with a fade-in, contrary to the traditional fade-out ending.
Instrumentation – Signature Sound
Keith Richards used a twelve-stringed guitar to attain a distinctive high-pitched opening riff of the song.
Troubling Reception
The song was seen as controversial when it was first released due to its dark lyrical content, a criticism of how society pushed women to use prescription drugs to cope with their lives.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by artists like Tesla, Liz Phair, and Indigo Girls.
Cultural Reference
"Mother's Little Helper" has embedded itself into popular culture, with references in TV shows like "The Simpsons" and "The Sopranos", as well as movies like Casino and Juno.

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    "Mother's Little Helper Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2770345/The+Rolling+Stones/Mother%27s+Little+Helper>.

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