Spoonful
Chester Burnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could be a spoonful of gold
Just a little spoon of your precious love
Satisfy my soul.
Men lied about a little
Some of them cried about little
Some of them died about a little spoon
That spoon, that spoon, that
It could be a spoonful of coffee
Could be a spoonful of tea
But a little spoon of your precious love
Good enough for me.
Men lied about that
Some of them died about that
Some of them cried about that
Everybody fightin' about a spoonful
That spoon, that spoon, that
It could be a spoonful of water
Save you from the desert sand
But one spoon of lead from my forty-five
Save you from another man.
Men lied about that
Some of them cried about that
Some of them died about that
Everybody fightin' about a spoonful
That spoon, that spoon, that
That spoon, dat spoon, dat spoonful.
The lyrics of Spoonful by Chester Burnett carry some considerable meaning about love, power, and/or addiction, depending on how you choose to interpret them. The song begins with a request for a spoonful of precious love, which the singer believes to have the ability to satisfy his soul. He then goes on to recount the obsession and conflict that surround the spoonful, which can be interpreted in various ways.
The first stanza implies that the "spoonful" mentioned might be a metaphor for wealth, and how a spoonful of diamonds or gold could satisfy the singer's needs. The second stanza, on the other hand, suggests that the "spoonful" could be love, as he mentions how a little spoonful of "precious love" can be good enough for him. In the final stanza, he highlights how a spoonful of water would save one from the desert sand, but a spoonful of lead from a forty-five can protect one from another man.
Overall, the song speaks to how people fight about what they perceive to be valuable, leading to conflict, pain, and sometimes death. It also highlights the importance of what we value and how depending on what it is, it can save us or destroy us.
Line by Line Meaning
It could be a spoonful of diamonds
A small amount of something valuable like diamonds
Could be a spoonful of gold
A small amount of something valuable like gold
Just a little spoon of your precious love
A small amount of your love is all I need
Satisfy my soul.
Your love brings happiness to my heart
Men lied about a little
People deceive themselves about the true value of small things
Some of them cried about little
People can become emotional over small things
Some of them died about a little spoon
People can die over small things
Everything fightin' about a spoonful
People will fight over small things, even if it's not worth it
It could be a spoonful of coffee
A small amount of coffee
Could be a spoonful of tea
A small amount of tea
But a little spoon of your precious love
Your love is worth more than coffee or tea
Good enough for me.
Your love is all I need to be happy
It could be a spoonful of water
A small amount of water can save you in a desert
Save you from the desert sand
Water can be life-saving in a dry and arid environment
But one spoon of lead from my forty-five
A small amount of bullet can protect you from danger
Save you from another man.
A gun can protect you from another person who poses a threat
That spoon, that spoon, that
The importance of small things, including the little spoon and its symbolic value
Contributed by Natalie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stephyo
It could be a spoonful of diamond
Could be a spoonful of gold
Just a little spoon of your precious love
Satisfy my soul
Men lies about little
Some of 'em cries about little
Some of 'em dies about littles
Everything fight about a spoonful
That spoon, that spoon, that sp
It could be a spoonful of coffee
Could be a spoonful of tea
But a little spoon of your precious love
Good enough for me
Men lies about that
Some of 'em dies about that
Some of 'em cries about that
But everything fight about a spoonful
That spoon, that spoon, that
Ooh ooh, fight about spoonfuls
Ooh ooh, fight about a spoonful
It could be a spoonful of water
Save you from the desert sand
But one spoon of lead from forty-five
Save you from another man
A Men lies about that
Some of 'em cries about that
Some of 'em dies about that
Everybody fightin' about a spoonful
That spoon, that spoon, that
@barbaracoxbey1011
I'm so Grateful for this Music !
My Father , Mother , Grandfather,
Brothers were and are Musicians.
Blues was Our Anthem. Harmonicas was my Grandfather and Great Uncle favorite Instruments.Piano , Saxophone ,
Base & Lead Guitars was we
Heard. Blues is so Enligting for the Spirit. So many of them didn't
receive the Recognition that was
Due ! Screaming Jay Hawkins song " I Put a Spell On You " now
it's a regular people Sing. I knew
this at a very Early Age ! Researching Blues is a good
Teacher !!!!
@chipmiller9163
Howlin' Wolf's music will boost your testosterone levels 💪🗣
@owhite3003
This was a song on my uncle's list to listen to after loosing the battle with cancer. Here to you uncle Bubba!
@clusterwound4818
R.I.P to his soul
@thomasnotafrancesco6378
I hope his soul is resisting peacefully in heaven.
@harperhellems3648
Your Uncle was a cool dude. Ever thought about listing his playlist? We all can learn something new every day.
@Gabe94dotcom
I heard it on entourage
@modsquad20
“I’m pretty sure, I’m not a doctor, but I’m pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at the same time.
That’s not a loss. That’s a draw.” ~ Norm Macdonald
@butcherbay186
Here because of TV series "REACHER"....great music....I never knew
@MrMuzikProductions
Greatest single blues song ever. There would never have a Zeppelin or Cream if not for this giant. Makes me cry when I play this song.
@SS-gx7tg
I watched Cadillac Records for the first time last week and have been addicted to Howlin Wolf ever since. It's unreal how much his material (especially this song in particular) affects me. Not to sound too hippie but this guy's entire 'aura' just feels so unique and authentic, even amongst other bluesmen at the time. An original and true trailblazer with an undeniable vision. Junior Kimbrough is another blues musician I've discovered recently that strongly resonates with me.