what drug is the rolling stones song mother's little helper about?

[burn out]

sorry for asking such a basic question but i recall here and elsewhere that it is a popular misconception the song is about valium and it's actually about...and i can't remember what and can't find it with the search. anyone?

 

[dokomo]

It refers to either valium or dexedrine, I'm not sure which. I've heard from many people that it was the yellow 5mg valiums.

 

[Lil_Dookie]

I'm pretty postive its refering to valium.

 

[puckboy]

I think it's about prescription drugs in general and dependance on them. The point of the song was to illustrate the double standard regarding prescription drug addicts and people addicted to illicit/street drugs I think.

So you could say it was about valium, dexedrine, all of it. But I think it's mainly talking about valium. I don't know for sure though.

 

[growit&smokeit]

definately valium.

 

[nods]

'Mothers little helper' 1965

"And thought shes not really ill theres a little yellow pill"

DEFINATELY 5mg Valiums, which is weird cos Mick was gobbling amphetamine sulphate, @ methamphetamine hcl tabs when he wrote it.

I can think of at least 4 pop culture songs where Valium is mentioned.

 

[welshmick]

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


I think it's benzedrine

 

[Waterfall]

Theres probably no definite answer, I think both diazepam and amphetamine came as little yellow pills at the time?

 

[scream]

Dexedrine SKF were always orange little triangles until they were discontinued recently. Early Stones member Brian Jones had Dexoxyn (Methedrine) tabs smuggled into hospital for him before he drown in 1969.