The Mighty Quinn
Bob Dylan s Lyrics
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Some are building monuments
Others jotting down notes
Ev'rybody's in despair
Every girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy
Come all without, come all within
Come all without, come all within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
You know, I like to do just like the rest
You know, I like my sugar sweet
But jumping queues and making haste
You know, it ain't my cup of meat
Everybody's out there
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
The pigeons gonna run to him
Come all without, come all within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
Come all without, come all within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
A cat's meow and a cow's moo
You know, I can recite them all
Tell me where it hurts you, honey
And I'll tell you who to call
Nobody can get any sleep
You know there's someone on everybody's toes
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
Come all without, come all within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
The lyrics to Bob Dylan’s song “Quinn the Eskimo” are imbued with a sense of joy and deliverance. The song begins with the observation that people are all building big ships and boats, while others make monuments or jot down notes. However, everyone seems to be in despair. Yet when Quinn the Eskimo arrives, this despair is replaced with joy. Dylan suggests that the arrival of Quinn brings an indescribable kind of joy and freedom - “Every girl and boy, But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy.”
The second verse shows us that the singer is just like everyone else: they too love sweet things like sugar. However, it’s not their nature to jump queues and make haste. Dylan implies that everyone is moving too fast, but when Quinn arrives, the pigeons will come to him. This shows a theme of liberation from the pressures of society. The final verse uses the metaphor of animals like cats and cows, saying the singer can recite all their sounds, but still there’s someone stepping on everybody’s toes. When Quinn arrives, he brings peace and everyone will want to doze.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, everybody's building the big ships and the boats
Everyone is busy building large ships and boats.
Some are building monuments
Some are also working on monuments, statues or other structures that will endure after they are gone.
Others jotting down notes
Others are writing down their ideas and theories.
Ev'rybody's in despair
The current state is gloomy and hopeless for everyone.
Every girl and boy
Everyone, regardless of age or gender.
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
But when Quinn arrives on the scene.
Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy
Everyone will be happy and excited.
Come all without, come all within
Everyone is invited to join in.
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
Quinn is unique and one-of-a-kind, you won't see anyone else like him.
You know, I like to do just like the rest
I like to follow the trend and do what everyone else is doing.
You know, I like my sugar sweet
I have a sweet tooth and enjoy sugary treats.
But jumping queues and making haste
But I don't like to cut in line or rush things unnecessarily.
You know, it ain't my cup of meat
It's not my thing.
Everybody's out there
Everyone else is outside.
Feeding pigeons on a limb
They are busy feeding pigeons perched on a tree branch.
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
But when Quinn arrives on the scene.
The pigeons gonna run to him
The pigeons will abandon their perch and fly to Quinn.
A cat's meow and a cow's moo
I can imitate the sounds made by different animals with ease.
You know, I can recite them all
I remember all the different sounds and can recite them on demand.
Tell me where it hurts you, honey
Let me know where you are in pain, dear.
And I'll tell you who to call
I can recommend the right person to call for medical help or assistance.
Nobody can get any sleep
Everyone is having trouble sleeping.
You know there's someone on everybody's toes
Everyone is feeling pressured or crowded by someone else.
When Quinn the Eskimo gets here
But when Quinn arrives on the scene.
Ev'rybody's gonna wanna doze
Everyone will suddenly feel like dozing off.
Come all without, come all within
Everyone is invited to join in.
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
Quinn is unique and one-of-a-kind, you won't see anyone else like him.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind