The original lineup included three lead vocalists — Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells — along with Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards Floyd Sneed on drums and Joe Schermie (from the Cory Wells Blues Band) on bass.
Three Dog Night recorded some tracks with Beach Boys producer, composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist Brian Wilson before signing with Dunhill Records and at the time went under the name Redwood. The band changed their name based on an article describing how Australian Aborigines slept with their dogs for warmth on cold nights, the coldest being a "three-dog night."
Ain't That a Lot of Love
Three Dog Night Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I feel in my heart for you
If I could spell it out across the sea
I know my love would cover it up
Ain't that a lotta love
For one heart to hold
They would seal up their honeycomb
If the birds could hear how sweet your voice is
They would tighten up their song
(Ain't that a lotta love)
Ain't that a lotta love
For one heart to hold
Your lips are so sweet honey, you're my ev'ry need
You got a, ha, a smile so rare, a smile, girl, I can't compare
Ain't that a lotta love, yeah
If the cooks in the kitchen had a touch as hot as yours
They wouldn't need a fire, ha
If the words in the world could describe you better
They wouldn't need the sky's above
Ain't that a lotta love
Ain't that a lotta love for one heart to hold
Ain't that a lotta love
Ain't that a lotta love
Ain't that a lotta love
Ain't that a lotta love
Ain't that a lotta love
The lyrics to Three Dog Night's "Ain't That a Lotta Love" are an ode to a loved one, expressing the intensity and enormity of the love that the singer feels for them. The opening lines set the scene in the desert, a vast and seemingly endless space. The singer acknowledges that even this boundless terrain cannot contain the love that they have in their heart for their partner. The following lines express a desire to express this love across the sea, perhaps hinting at distance or separation between the two lovers. The singer feels that their love is so powerful that it could cover the ocean and reach their beloved no matter how far apart they may be.
The chorus repeats the title phrase, "Ain't That a Lotta Love", which acts as both a rhetorical question and a statement of fact. The singer is commenting on the enormity of their feelings, but also questioning whether it's too much for one heart to hold. The verse about bees and honey suggests that if the bees knew how sweet the singer's partner was, they would be compelled to seal up their honeycombs, as if to keep some of that sweetness for themselves. Similarly, if the birds could hear how sweet the singer's partner's voice was, they would be inspired to tighten up their song, as if to compete with their beauty.
The final verses compare the sweetness of the singer's partner's lips to honey, and their smile to something rare and incomparable. The singer then goes on to say that if the cooks in the kitchen had a touch as hot as their partner's, they wouldn't need a fire, implying that the singer's partner has a fiery passion that makes them exceptional. Finally, the singer muses that if the words in the world could describe their partner better, they wouldn't even need the sky above, again emphasizing the boundless, all-encompassing nature of the love they feel.
Line by Line Meaning
I know the desert can't hold all the love
The amount of love I have for you exceeds the capacity of even the largest space.
That I feel in my heart for you
I am experiencing immense affection for you that is centered in my heart.
If I could spell it out across the sea
I wish I could physically express just how much love I have for you, even if it means crossing the ocean.
I know my love would cover it up
My love for you is so boundless that it could extend across any distance or cover up any troubles.
(Ain't that a lotta love)
Isn't it incredible how much love I have for you?
If the bees only knew how sweet you are, baby
If the bees understood just how amazing you are, they would surround themselves with you constantly.
They would seal up their honeycomb
The bees would stop producing honey in order to dedicate more time and energy to admiring you.
If the birds could hear how sweet your voice is
Your voice is so lovely that even the birds would pause their singing to appreciate it.
They would tighten up their song
The birds would work harder to make their melodies more beautiful in order to compare to your voice.
Your lips are so sweet honey, you're my ev'ry need
Your kisses and your overall presence in my life are essential to me; I can't imagine being without you.
You got a, ha, a smile so rare, a smile, girl, I can't compare
Your smile is one of a kind and impossible to match in its beauty and power.
If the cooks in the kitchen had a touch as hot as yours
If the chefs were able to replicate the passion and intensity that you bring to our relationship, their cooking would be so much better.
They wouldn't need a fire, ha
The energy you bring would be enough to cook any meal without the need for any other heat source.
If the words in the world could describe you better
Even the most articulate and skilled wordsmiths would struggle to accurately portray how wonderful you are.
They wouldn't need the sky's above
The words would be enough to fill up everything in this world, and even the sky above would not be necessary.
(Ain't that a lotta love)
When you think about it, the amount of love I have for you truly is massive.
Ain't that a lotta love
It's amazing just how much love one person can feel for someone else.
Ain't that a lotta love for one heart to hold
It's almost overwhelming how much love I have for you when you think about how much capacity one heart can have.
Ain't that a lotta love
It's kind of mind-boggling how much love I have for you
Ain't that a lotta love
It's hard to put into words just how much love I have for you.
Ain't that a lotta love
It's beautiful just how much love human beings can feel for one another.
Ain't that a lotta love
It's incredible how much stronger and better life can be when two individuals love each other deeply.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOMER BANKS, WILLIA DEAN PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christine Shire
on My Impersonal Life
Who sang vocals for this