"Mighty Quinn" | ||||
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Single by Manfred Mann | ||||
from the album Mighty Garvey! (UK) The Mighty Quinn (US) | ||||
B-side | "By Request – Edwin Garvey" | |||
Released | 8 January 1968 | |||
Recorded | 2 November – December 1967[1] | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 2:51 | |||
Label | Fontana Tf 897[2] | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan[2] | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Hurst[2] | |||
Manfred Mann singles chronology | ||||
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Official video | ||||
"Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)" from TopPop on YouTube |
"The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" | |
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Song by Bob Dylan | |
from the album Self Portrait | |
Released | 8 June 1970 |
Recorded | 31 August 1969 |
Venue | Isle of Wight Festival, Wootton Creek |
Genre | Folk rock[3] |
Length | 2:48 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan |
Producer(s) | Bob Johnston |
"Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)" is a folk-rock song written and first recorded by Bob Dylan in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions. The song's first release was in January 1968 as "Mighty Quinn" in a version by the British band Manfred Mann,[4] which became a great success. It has been recorded by a number of performers, often under the "Mighty Quinn" title.
The subject of the song is the arrival of Quinn (an Eskimo), who prefers a more relaxed lifestyle [" jumping queues, and making haste just ain't my cup of meat"] and refuses hard work ["Just tell me where to put 'em and I'll tell you who to call"], but brings joy to the people.[original research?]
Dylan is widely believed to have derived the title character from actor Anthony Quinn's role as an Eskimo in the 1960 movie The Savage Innocents.[5] Dylan has also been quoted as saying that the song was nothing more than a "simple nursery rhyme". A 2004 Chicago Tribune article[6] said the song was named after Gordon Quinn, co-founder of Kartemquin Films, who had given Dylan and Howard Alk uncredited editing assistance on Eat the Document.