Little People
The White Stripes Lyrics


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There's a little girl who says bing bing bomb
There's a little girl who says bing bing bomb
Hello
Oh, oh

There's a little boy with a spider in his hand
There's a little boy with a spider in his hand
Hello
Oh, oh

There's a little girl with the red shoes on
There's a little girl with the red shoes on
Hello
Oh, oh

There's a little boy with twenty five cents
There's a little boy with twenty five cents
Hello
Oh, oh

And there's a little girl with a tiger on her bed
There's a little girl with a tiger on her bed
Hello
Oh, oh

There's a little boy with nothin' on his mind





There's a little boy with nothin' on his mind
Hello

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of The White Stripes’ “Little People” introduces us to a song that evokes a sense of childlike wonder and innocence. With the repetition of the phrase “There’s a little…” followed by descriptions of children engaged in simple, everyday activities, we are transported to a world where small, seemingly trivial moments are celebrated and appreciated.


The first two pairs of children we meet are a little girl who says “bing bing bomb” and a little boy with a spider in his hand. These two characters help set the whimsical tone of the song, as we are briefly introduced to their unique quirks and personalities. The next little girl, who sports a pair of red shoes, is described simply and elegantly, yet her presence adds to the overall colorfulness of the song. The fourth child we meet is a little boy with a quarter in his pocket, a detail that is reminiscent of the value children place on seemingly insignificant objects.


The final little girl is described with one of the most vivid images of the song, as she shares her bed with a tiger. This detail is poignant in its portrayal of how children can create their own worlds of imagination and fantasy. Finally, we are introduced to a little boy with nothing on his mind, perhaps suggesting that sometimes the most simple moments of reflection and introspection can be valuable to a child’s growth and development.


Overall, “Little People” can be seen as a love song to the joys of childhood, capturing a sense of wonder and whimsy that is often reserved for the very young.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a little girl who says bing bing bomb
There's a little girl who likes to make loud sounds


There's a little boy with a spider in his hand
There's a little boy holding onto a small but powerful creature


There's a little girl with the red shoes on
There's a little girl wearing a distinctive and noticeable item


There's a little boy with twenty five cents
There's a little boy with a small but significant amount of money


And there's a little girl with a tiger on her bed
And there's a little girl who enjoys having a wild and powerful symbol close to her


There's a little boy with nothin' on his mind
There's a little boy who seems carefree or unconcerned




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Robyn


on Candy Cane Children

The meaning of this song is basically saying the older you get, the less fun Christmas becomes usually do to adulthood. The lines "don't you know your name?...", probably refers to the adults telling kids to grow up as if they're saying "Do you know how old you are? You're getting too old for this stuff." Probably why he put the lines "nobody knows how to talk to children". Also, he puts the lines "think again" after a thought of one of the kids thinking of wishing to participate in Christmas activities. As if they're thinking "Yeah I probably AM too old for this.." "364 more tears girl" the sadness of getting older. Not participating feels like a missed opportunity and causes even more sadness..

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