Little Miss S.
Edie Brickell New Bohemians Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Shooting up junk in the bathroom
Makin' it with punks on the floor
Livin' the scene of her limousine
Little Miss S. in a mini dress
Living it up to die
In a blink of the public eye

Day-glo point in an electric chair
Electric dye in her lovers hair
A pretty sight in the middle of the night
Made up for everyone to see
Swinging on the branch of a broken family tree

You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without life

The village idiots in her bed
Never cared that her eyes were red
Never cared that her eyes were dead
In the hours that her face was alive
It was the thing just to be by her side

You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without life

Hey, alright

You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without life

You got a lot of living to do without




You got a lot of living to do without
You got a lot of living to do without life

Overall Meaning

The song "Little Miss S" by Edie Brickell New Bohemians is a dark and poignant portrayal of a young woman's life that is lived recklessly, with no regard for the consequences. The titular character, Little Miss S, is described as shooting up junk in the bathroom and making it with punks on the floor. She is living a life of excess, chasing the thrill of the moment and ignoring the perilous journey that this lifestyle will inevitably lead her down. She is seemingly unbothered by the fact that she is headed for an early death, living it up while the public watches her every move, until one day she will be gone in the blink of an eye.


Throughout the song, we see that Little Miss S is a victim of her choices, as she swings on the branch of a broken family tree. She is rebelling against the world that has wronged her and is lashing out, using drugs and sex as misguided forms of self-expression. The chorus repeats the phrase "You got a lot of living to do without... life", implying that Little Miss S is living a life that is devoid of any real meaning or purpose, simply going through the motions and enduring the consequences of her actions. The village idiots in her bed are described as never caring that her eyes were red or dead, suggesting that those who are drawn to this lifestyle are themselves lacking in direction and empathy.


Overall, "Little Miss S" is a haunting and melancholy reflection on the destructive power of youth and the dangers of living without purpose. It serves as a warning to young people who may be tempted to embrace a life of excess and indulgence and encourages them to choose a path that is more meaningful and fulfilling.


Line by Line Meaning

Shooting up junk in the bathroom
Injecting narcotics in the bathroom


Makin' it with punks on the floor
Engaging in sexual activity with punk rockers on the floor


Livin' the scene of her limousine
Living the extravagant lifestyle of riding in a limousine


Little Miss S. in a mini dress
Referring to the titular person in a short dress, possibly identifying her by a nickname


Living it up to die
Living an indulgent lifestyle that will ultimately lead to her demise


In a blink of the public eye
Her sensationalized lifestyle being closely monitored by the public and potentially ending abruptly or unexpectedly


Day-glo point in an electric chair
A neon or fluorescent visual element of her electric chair


Electric dye in her lovers hair
A bright hair color dye used on her lover


A pretty sight in the middle of the night
Appearing aesthetically pleasing at night


Made up for everyone to see
Wearing makeup for public display


Swinging on the branch of a broken family tree
Living a life full of dysfunction and chaos within her family lineage


You got a lot of living to do without
Possibly a response to someone's statement that they cannot live without something, stating that they have a lot of life to live regardless


You got a lot of living to do without life
A reminder that despite one's struggles, life is worth living and should be taken advantage of


The village idiots in her bed
Referring to her foolish or inexperienced sexual partners


Never cared that her eyes were red
Her partners were unconcerned about her red, bloodshot eyes, possibly indicating drug use


Never cared that her eyes were dead
Her partners were also unconcerned about her lifeless eyes, possibly indicating a loss of vitality or spirit


In the hours that her face was alive
During the moments when she appeared most vibrant and engaged


It was the thing just to be by her side
It was considered desirable to be in her company, despite potential negative consequences


Hey, alright
An expression of casual affirmation or excitement




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRANDON ALY, EDIE ARLISA BRICKELL, JOHN BRADLEY HOUSER, JOHN WALTER BUSH, KENNETH NEIL WITHROW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found