Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From The North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents' scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as "Club Passim" in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.
Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:
Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
Good Man E.P. (2006)
In The Dark: Live At Vicar Street (2006)
The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (2007)
Live at the Record Exchange EP (2008)
So Runs the World Away (2010)
To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (April 2011)
The Beast In Its Tracks (2013)
Acoustic Live, Vol.1 (2015)
Sermon on the Rocks (2015)
Daddy's Little Pumpkin
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can tell by the way you roll
You must be daddy’s little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
It’s quarter past eleven
And you’re sleeping on the bedroom floor
I can feel the fire burning
Feel the fire burning
Burning right behind your eyes
You must’ve swallowed a candle
Or some other kind of surprise
I’m going down to Memphis
I got three hundred dollars in cash
Goin’ down to Memphis
I got three hundred dollars in cash
All the women in Memphis
Gonna see how long my money can last
I’m going down to Memphis
Gonna rattle somebody’s cage
I’m going down to Memphis
Gonna rattle somebody’s cage
I’m gonna beat on my guitar
And strut all around the stage
You must be daddy’s little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
And if you see my baby coming
Don’t tell her that her daddy’s in jail
Ah you’d sell little pumpkin just to raise
Her sweet daddy’s bail
You must be daddy’s little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
Daddy’s little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
You never do nothing
Just to save your goddamn soul
The lyrics to Josh Ritter's song "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" describe a scene of a man observing a woman who he believes to be "daddy's little pumpkin." The way she carries herself, rolling and sleeping on the bedroom floor, suggest to him that she is the apple of her father's eye. However, the singer also notes that there is something intense and possibly dangerous about her, as if she has "swallowed a candle" or some other mysterious force is burning behind her eyes. The lyrics then shift to the singer's own plans to head to Memphis with some extra cash, where he intends to make a name for himself as a musician and potentially even get arrested. The song concludes by returning to the idea of the woman being "daddy's little pumpkin" as a warning not to involve her in his criminal activities.
The lyrics of "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" suggest a tension between the warmth and care associated with the idea of being "daddy's little pumpkin" and the darkness and danger that exist alongside that love. The line about "swallowing a candle" suggests the potential for an explosive, self-destructive force within the woman. Additionally, the contrast between the singer's plans to provoke and challenge authority in Memphis and the warning not to involve the woman in his recklessness suggests a recognition of the importance of boundaries and safety even within acts of rebellion and self-expression.
Line by Line Meaning
You must be daddy’s little pumpkin
The singer believes that the subject is someone who has a close relationship with their father.
I can tell by the way you roll
The singer has observed certain defining behaviors in the subject that leads them to believe they are 'daddy's little pumpkin'.
It’s quarter past eleven
It is late at night.
And you’re sleeping on the bedroom floor
The subject is sleeping on the floor of a bedroom.
I can feel the fire burning
The artist perceives a strong emotion within the subject.
Burning right behind your eyes
This strong emotion is visible in the subject's eyes.
Feel the fire burning
The singer again notes the intense emotion they detect in the subject.
You must’ve swallowed a candle
The artist uses a metaphor to suggest that the cause of the subject's fiery emotion is a mystery.
Or some other kind of surprise
The artist introduces other possibilities for the source of the subject's fiery emotion.
I’m going down to Memphis
The artist is traveling to Memphis.
I got three hundred dollars in cash
The singer has $300 on their person.
All the women in Memphis
The artist expects attention from women when they reach Memphis.
Gonna see how long my money can last
The singer intends to spend their money in Memphis and gauge how long it lasts.
I’m going down to Memphis
The singer reiterates their planned journey to Memphis.
Gonna rattle somebody’s cage
The singer wants to cause a stir or cause someone to become nervous.
I’m gonna beat on my guitar
The artist plans to play music on their guitar.
And strut all around the stage
The artist intends to perform confidently on stage.
And if you see my baby coming
The singer anticipates the arrival of someone they care about.
Don’t tell her that her daddy’s in jail
The singer has negative news to share but advises against sharing it in order to protect their loved one.
Ah you’d sell little pumpkin just to raise
The artist accuses someone of being unscrupulous and willing to do anything to get what they want (in this case, money for bail).
Her sweet daddy’s bail
The artist is discussing getting bail money for a loved one.
You never do nothing
The artist is criticizing the subject for being passive and not taking action.
Just to save your goddamn soul
The singer implies that the subject is unconcerned with their own spiritual well-being.
Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.