I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Ev'rybody's building the big ships and the boats,
Some are building monuments,
Others, jotting down notes,
Ev'rybody's in despair,
Ev'ry girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
I like to do just like the rest, I like my sugar sweet,
But jumping queues and making haste,
It ain't my cup of meat.
Ev'rybody's 'neath the trees,
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All the pigeons gonna run to him.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
A cat's meow and a cow's moo, I can recite 'em all,
Just tell me where it hurts yuh, honey,
And I'll tell you who to call.
Nobody can get no sleep,
There's someone on ev'ryone's toes
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Ev'rybody's gonna wanna doze.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
Some are building monuments,
Others, jotting down notes,
Ev'rybody's in despair,
Ev'ry girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
I like to do just like the rest, I like my sugar sweet,
But jumping queues and making haste,
It ain't my cup of meat.
Ev'rybody's 'neath the trees,
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All the pigeons gonna run to him.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
A cat's meow and a cow's moo, I can recite 'em all,
Just tell me where it hurts yuh, honey,
And I'll tell you who to call.
Nobody can get no sleep,
There's someone on ev'ryone's toes
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Ev'rybody's gonna wanna doze.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
Lyrics submitted by dsfire, edited by Mellow_Harsher, slywlf
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Zombie
Cranberries, The
Cranberries, The
"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
i've heard that Dylan was at an acid party when Anthony Quinn complained about the noise. Quinn had just played a mighty Eskimo on a not so good movie and Dylan wrote this song to insult him. the other meanings may be right but i beleive it started with this.
This song is definately NOT about Jesus, even though many seem to think so!
Dylan may have thought the drug references in this were too blatant. I am suprised so many think it's a religious or other song.
"not my cup of meat" blends the idea of "cup of tea" as personal preference and "meat" as in what primarily drives and sustains you. It's a clever way of saying "I subsist on drugs but I prefer something else, though I know some people live for this."
The idea that "some are building monuments, others jotting notes" probably refers to rolled cigarettes whether joints, laced joints, laced tobacco, etc. Jotting notes would be something narrow and a monument would be obnoxiously large.
Eskimo ~ snow ~ cocaine.
"Trees" likely refers to marijuana as well. The pigeons choose their perches, and when the man with the snow comes along they flock there instead of the trees.
The connection between the actor and film could have a personal meaning to Dylan. Perhaps the actor Anthony Quinn resembled the dealer who inspired the song, or was around the scene either in person or on a poster, and was popularly associated with the archetype of the eskimo at that time and place.
@songmeaningstom ugh
What does this song mean? Anyone know?
jesus
Bob's voice is insanely cool in this song... And the Band is awesome.
ive heard its about a group of people awaiting the arrival of an acid supplier. Also, it could relate to simply waiting for someone bringing help, such as more basic medical attention.
In the 'Biograph' notes, Bob says it's a nursery rhyme! If it is 'about jesus', it's the funniest description of the rapture ever written.
First part "Ev'rybody's in despair" until a savior comes. Savior could be a messiah or a drug dealer. 2nd part, "All the pigeons gonna run to him" implies all the fools will be drawn to Quinn, which still could mean Jesus or a drug dealer. The 3rd part throws in a bunch of drug references "tell me where it hurts yuh, honey, And I'll tell you who to call" which implies a Dr. Feelgood solution. Also "Nobody can get no sleep" maybe because they're high on coke or speed. I though for sure this song was about acid when I first heard it because "Ev'rybody's gonna wanna doze." I thought it was dose (slang for LCD) and not doze. This may be giving Bob too much credit, but the song does draw a humorous parallel between religious saviors and pushers.
Bob lived on the streets for a while! must ave been cold..maybe he had more respect for eskimos afterwards. i might be way of line aswell.