Mother's Little Helper
- The Rolling Stones Lyrics

What a drag it is getting old
It's frustrating to age and deal with the changes that come with getting older

"Kids are different today" I hear ev'ry mother say
Mothers think that children these days are not like they used to be

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
Mothers need medication to cope with the stresses of daily life, even if they are not necessarily sick. They rely on these pills (referred to as 'mother's little helper') to make it through the 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
Mothers find it tedious to cook food from scratch, and instead opt for convenience foods that are less healthy. When things go wrong (like burning a steak), they turn to medication to help them cope.

Doctor please, some more of these Outside the door, she took four more What a drag it is getting old
Mothers become reliant on these pills and request more from their doctors. They often take more than prescribed and feel the negative effects of aging.

"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
Mothers believe that men don't understand their need for rest and relaxation, and are difficult to please. They once again turn to pills to help them sleep and manage their stress.

Doctor please, some more of these Outside the door, she took four more What a drag it is getting old
Mothers continue to ask their doctors for more pills and rely on them to sleep. They are reminded once again of the difficulties that come with aging.

"Life's just much too hard today" I hear ev'ry 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
Mothers find life to be increasingly difficult, and the idea of finding happiness seems futile. They are warned that taking too many pills can lead to overdose, and they must find other ways to cope with the difficulties of aging before it's too late.