The members of The Shake Spears left Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) for Europe in 1964 after accepting a sponsorship from the Belgium newspaper 'Het Laatste Nieuws'. Up until then the band had enjoyed moderate success in their home country as The Dynamics. Once in Belgium, they were signed to the independent record label Ronnex and changed their name. In 1965, The Shake Spears moved to England where Gene Latter joined the group. He left the band ay year later to pursue a solo career.
Mothers Little Helper
Gene Latter Lyrics
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"Things 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 her mother's little helper
"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 buys a frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of her 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 ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy. You can tranquilise your mind
So go running for the shelter of your mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimise 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 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.
"Mother's Little Helper" by Gene Latter is a satirical song that comments on the state of society in the 1960s. Using a fictional character, the song describes how mothers turn to prescription drugs to deal with their busy lives and unappreciative husbands. The first stanza paints a picture of a tired and overwhelmed mother that goes to her doctor to get a prescription for a "little yellow pill" that helps her get through the day. This pill is not necessarily medicine for any specific illness, but rather a way to help her cope with her daily routine.
The second stanza follows the same idea, but focuses on how mothers have to resort to buying instant food rather than cooking fresh meals because cooking has become a chore. The mother uses the "little yellow pill" to help her get through the day once again. The chorus repeats the idea of mothers turning to "little yellow pills" to help them get through their busy lives.
The third stanza tones down the irony and sarcasm and showcases how the mother has become addicted to the pills. She asks her doctor for more pills, and once she is back home, she takes four more and repeats the phrase "what a drag it is getting old."
The fourth and final stanza follows a similar pattern as the previous ones, but this time it focuses on how men are not the same anymore and how they don't appreciate their wives' hard work. The mother once again turns to taking tranquilizers to deal with these issues. The song ends with a warning that taking too many of these pills could lead to an overdose and death, suggesting that the use of pills as a quick fix to life's problems has negative consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
What a drag it is getting old.
A lament about aging and how it affects one's quality of life.
"Things are different today," I hear ev'ry mother say
Mothers today have different struggles and situations compared to the past.
Mother needs something today to calm her down
Mothers experience stress and anxiety as they care for their families.
And though she's not really ill, There's a little yellow pill
Mothers turn to medication to alleviate their emotional distress even when they are not physically sick.
She goes running for the shelter of her mother's little helper And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day.
The medication provides emotional relief for mothers and helps them cope with the demands of daily life.
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag, So she buys an instant cake and she buys a frozen steak
Mothers feel burdened by the expectation of cooking fresh meals for their families and opt for easier, pre-made options.
Doctor, please, some more of these, Outside the door, she took four more
Mothers can become addicted to the medication, leading them to seek more pills to cope with their stress.
"Men just aren't the same today," I hear ev'ry mother say, They just don't appreciate that you get tired
Mothers feel that their husbands do not understand their fatigue and the challenges of their lives.
They're so hard to satisfy. You can tranquilise your mind, So go running for the shelter of your mother's little helper
Mothers turn to medication to ease their emotional needs and find peace in their minds.
And four help you through the night, Help to minimise your plight
The pills help mothers relax and sleep through the night, lessening their distress.
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore, And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
Mothers find it difficult to find meaning and joy in their lives. The medication can become harmful if taken in excess.
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper, They just helped you on your way through your busy dying day.
In the end, the medication does not provide lasting relief and only helps mothers cope with death and dying.
Writer(s): Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.