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/
After that confrontation
You left me wringing my cold hands
We shared some information
We might not recover from
And I watch your convictions
Melt like ice cubes in an ocean
You were so poorly cast as a malcontent
You've got them all on your side
That just makes more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply
When your high horse dies?
We'd like to go the distance
But not a one of us it gonna
You see nobody is wise enough
To turn this ancient boat around
These are the muddy waters
I'm swimming in to make a living
That I might drown in them
Should come as no surprise
You want them all on your side
That just makes more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply
When your high horse dies?
You've got them all on your side
That just leaves more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply?
One finger parallel to the sky...
You left me wringing my cold hands
We shared some information
We might not recover from
And I watch your convictions
Melt like ice cubes in an ocean
You were so poorly cast as a malcontent
You've got them all on your side
That just makes more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply
When your high horse dies?
We'd like to go the distance
But not a one of us it gonna
You see nobody is wise enough
To turn this ancient boat around
These are the muddy waters
I'm swimming in to make a living
That I might drown in them
Should come as no surprise
You want them all on your side
That just makes more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply
When your high horse dies?
You've got them all on your side
That just leaves more for doubt to slaughter
"I never knew he thought that!"
I heard you say falling out of the van
"Don't ask for his opinion
They ought to drown him in holy water!"
Will you remember my reply?
One finger parallel to the sky...
Lyrics submitted by doobeydoobeydude
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“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.
I see this as a rebuttal to having been spurned by a sanctimonious former-loved-one (and her entire circle) after an unrecoverable altercation, one which he was never even given the chance to defend himself or his position against. Here he's pointing out that she herself isn't the picture of perfect morality, "Will I watch your convictions melt like ice cubes in an ocean? You were so poorly cast as a malcontent..." and further acknowledges that having ended up in show bizness, he was bound to be surrounded by temptation that would inevitably prove too powerful to resist. The ancient boat is the Ark-like vehicle intended to spare the righteous from the flooding of the sinners, but doesn't necessarily insulate the passengers from the evils right outside. Even if they had been able to foresee trouble, they wouldn't have been able to prevent it as long as 'swimming in the muddy waters' was the nature of his breadwinning. The bottom line is that she knew what she was getting into when she got involved with him, and therefore is in no position to condemn him to the extent that she did. Clearly she enjoyed the benefits of his rising stardom, and could have been more understanding in the face of hardships.