Monday, June 24, 2019

mother's little helper






Two songs about a housewife zonked out on tranquilizers

The Orbital video falls into that category of videos for blisstastic euphoric dance songs that undermine the vibe totally (see also the Jonz video for "Praise You" by F.Slim)

The whole of Other Channels is a concept album about a housewife woozy on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety meds watching TV through a glassy-eyed haze.

Other songs on this theme:

Rolling Stones "Mother's Little Helper"

The Fall  "Rowche Rumble", "Industrial Estate" ("when you get depressed, get some valium" or lyrics to that effect), and (to an extent) "Underground Medecin"

And then there's a lot of recent rap that's about percoset and xanax of course


2 comments:

Jim said...

See also Private Hell by The Jam. I'm not a huge Jam but this song is just brutally dark and told from a housewive's POV, fantastic lyrics and a great song:
"The morning slips away in a valium haze,
And catalogues and numerous cups of coffee."

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

ah, that is a good one.

I don't find Weller an endearing character but the Jam had some great songs - "Pretty Green", "Funeral Pyre", "Eton Rifles", "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", "When You're Young", "Start" (even though it's "Taxman" basically). And "Going Underground" is a very strange no. 1 hit single, structurally.