Psychedelic Pop

It seems that legal prescription drugs for questionable purposes (e.g., boredom with life) were part of the scene in the mid-Sixties as well as the illegal substances. About this time, Valium became popular as a tranquilizer to treat a range of conditions, from anxiety to insomnia to muscle spasms. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote the song about the medication with a warning about using it for frivolous reasons and overdosing. The Rolling Stones recorded it at the end of 1965. They released it as a track of their 1966 album Aftermath and as a single, which was backed with “Lady Jane.” “Mother’s Little Helper” went to #8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The Rolling Stones were one of the most popular of the Sixties British invasion bands. Playing on this track were Mick Jagger (lead vocals, percussion), Keith Richards (guitars, backing vocals), Brian Jones (12-string guitar), Bill Wyman (bass guitar), and Charlie Watts (drums).

Here are the lyrics to “Mother’s Little Helper” by The Rolling Stones:

What a drag it is getting old

“Kids are different today,” I hear every 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 every 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 to 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 every 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 every mother say
The pursuit 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, hey

If you are interested in reading about and listening to other songs by The Rolling Stones: “Paint it Black,” “Satisfaction,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Get Off of My Cloud,” and “Sympathy for the Devil.”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Mother’s Little Helper” by The Rolling Stones.