Edit 2 for headphones. Wider sound & less channel separation. Why? When I first heard this song with headphones it sounded poor: lead and backing vocals in the middle, bass, drums & rythm guitar at the left, solo guitar at the right.
That's just not the way it should have been done... and it is just not how it sounds when listening to a vinyl lp with headphones...
Recorded December 3 - 8 , 1965. Released in the UK on the album "Aftermath" in April, 1966. Released in the US as a single on July 2, 1966.
Source file of this edit is on "Aftermath" (UK version) (Japanese mini lp remastered 2006 uicy-93021).
Vox mando guitar & tamboura: Brian Jones. Lead vocals: Mick Jagger. Acoustic guitar & background vocals: Keith Richards (though I think Mick does background vocals). Bass: Bill Wyman. Drums: Charlie Watts.
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 or diazepam (Valium).
MOTHER'S LITTLE HELPER
(Jagger/Richards)
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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