Album: Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars (1988)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Edie Brickell wrote the lyric for this song about another Edie: the actress Edie Sedgwick. Known for her associations with Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan in the '60s, Sedgwick was an actress/model who died in 1971 at age 28 from a mixture of alcohol and barbiturates. Brickell didn't know about her until one day when she was at a friend's house and saw a book called Edie on her shelf. Curious about the name, she looked through it and got a glance at Sedgwick's story, which she found depressing and tragic. As she was driving home, Brickell started forming the lyrics, which she left somewhat vague.
  • Some references to Sedgwick's life in the lyrics:

    Little Miss S. in a mini dress - Sedgwick helped popularize miniskirts. She had a very slim figure - a look that was in style at the time.

    Electric dye in her lovers hair - She dyed her hair silver so it would look like Andy Warhol's.
  • This was the third single from Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, the first Edie Brickell & New Bohemians album. They formed in Dallas in 1985 when Edie Brickell was a student at Southern Methodist University. They got a deal with Geffen Records in 1986, but still didn't believe music would work out as a full-time job - the album title is a reference to their chances. Their firt single, "What I Am," became a surprise hit, but their next one, "Circle," didn't do as well. "Little Miss S." didn't get a video or a huge promotional push from Geffen, and it didn't chart. The band split after one more album but got back together in the late '90s.
  • Edie Brickell & New Bohemians performed this on Saturday Night Live when they were musical guests November 5, 1988. They also performed "What I Am" on the show, giving the song a huge boost. In the wings that day was SNL VIP Paul Simon, who caught Brickell's eye. They struck up a romance and got married in 1992.
  • A year after "Little Miss S." was released, The Cult put out a song about Edie Sedgwick called "Edie (Ciao Baby)."

    In 2015, Wolf Alice released their song about Sedgwick, "Silk."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."