Bright Young Thing(s) = literal meaning of this phrase?

[Tomas]

From various contexts, I suppose it simply means anything / anybody new and fabulous and fantastic etc. Am I right?

It's the "thing" term that confuses me a bit (surely human is not a thing, yet the song Bright Young Things is about people).

Thank for any alternative explanation.

[Trixiemix]

My understanding of this term is that it's from a sort of 1920's/30's expression for bright/gay (it meant a different thing in those days) young people especially 'rich' ones who would wallow in frivolity and take nothing seriously. Paris Hilton types I think.

[Young Offender]

I think Michael Jackson used "Thing" in his song "PYT" Pretty Young Thing" from the early 80's?

[Dipso]

And David Bowie's Oh You Pretty Things from - oooh -- way back when.

Does Evelyn Waugh use the phrase Bright Young Things in Vile Bodies? I have read the book but can't remember. (My feeling is that he does though.)

[Zog]

The phrase definitely dates from the '20s.


-Zog

[Janet Street-Porter]

Does Evelyn Waugh use the phrase Bright Young Things in Vile Bodies? I have read the book but can't remember. (My feeling is that he does though.)

Apparently he was originally going to call the book Bright Young Things but thought it too cliched.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vile_Bodies

[daveid]

Stephen Fry's film was to have been called "Vile Bodies" after the book, but America the Infant objected to the title and so naturally it was changed.

[Dog]

I think Vile Bodies would have made a better title for the song too.

[!]

Does Evelyn Waugh use the phrase Bright Young Things in Vile Bodies?

Yes