The Rolling Stones have amassed a treasure trove of classic songs throughout their career. Although it would be easy to play the same hit song every time they show up for a concert, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have made it a habit of pulling out their finest work from across their career, throwing in songs like ‘You Got the Silver’ alongside necessary tracks like ‘Satisfaction’. While it might work out well to have one classic tune after another, one song never came together live.
Then again, The Rolling Stones have always prided themselves as a live band. Throughout their work in the London club scene, the group would often give acts like The Beatles a run for their money in terms of sheer force onstage, becoming a favourite of kids and an absolute nightmare for any parent who heard them.
As the band began to move past their bluesy roots, though, Jagger and Richards soon developed into a songwriting institution, crafting one perfect pop song after the next on tracks like ‘As Tears Go By’ and ‘The Last Time’. Although Aftermath showed them delving into greater sonic depths than they were used to, ‘Mother’s Little Helper’ served as one of their most interesting departures.
Telling the story of a woman who overdoses on pills after running around the house all day, Jagger acts as the scolding observer, empathising with the woman’s need to avoid getting old and wondering where everything went wrong for her in the first place. Once the band started to play the song live, though, nothing came together.
