Ev'rybody's building big ships and the boats,
Some are building monuments,
Others, jotting down notes,
Ev'rybody's in despair,
Ev'ry girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Ev'rybody's gonna jump for joy.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.

I like to do just like the rest, I like my sugar sweet,
But guarding fumes and making haste,
It ain't my cup of meat.
Ev'rybody's 'neath the trees,
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All the pigeons gonna run to him.
Come all without, come all within,
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.

A cat's meow and a cow's moo, I can recite 'em all,
Just tell me where it hurts yuh, honey,
And I'll tell you who to call.
Nobody can get no sleep,
There's someone on ev'ryone's toes
But 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.

Above are the original lyrics that were never used again after Self Portrait. Here's the lyrics from the Basement recordings, which Dylan preferred and which were used in almost every cover version.

Everybody's building the big ships and the boats
Some are building monuments, others are jotting down notes
Everybody's in despair, every girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everybody jumps for joy

CHORUS:

Come all, without
Come all within
You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn

Now, I liked to do just like the rest, I liked my sugar sweet
But, darling, fumes and making haste, it ain't my cup of mead
Everybody's just standing 'round 'neath the trees feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, those pigeons'll go to him.

CHORUS

Now a lamp gate and a gunny dew, I can't recite 'em all
Just tell me where it hurts, and I'll tell you who to call
Nobody can get any sleep, there's someone on everybody's toes
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everybody gonna doze

CHORUS
CHORUS

Here are the lyrics from Manfred Mann's Earthband, as recorded on the album "Watch" (Warner Brothers 3157) in 1978 (thanks to Lisa Peppan for sending them in):

Everybody's buildin' ships and boats,
Some are building monuments,
And others are jotting down notes,
Everybody's in despair,
Every girl and boy
When Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Everybody gonna jump for joy.

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.

Never do what I wanna do, I like my sugar sweet,
Jumpin' queues and making haste,
Ain't my cup of meat.
Everybody's beneath the trees,
Feedin' pigeons on a limb
When Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All 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.

Lemme do what I wanna do, I like my sugar sweet
But jumpin' queues and making haste,
Just ain't my cup of meat.
Nobody can get no sleep,
There's someone on everyone's toes
When Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
Everybody'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.