Me & My Chauffeur
Memphis Minnie Lyrics


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Won't you be my chauffeur
Won't you be my chauffeur
I wants him to drive me
I wants him to drive me downtown
Yes he drives so easy, I can't turn him down
But I don't want him
But I don't want him
To be ridin' these girls
To be ridin' these girls around
So I'm gonna steal me a pistol, shoot my chauffeur down
Well I must buy him
Well I must buy him
A brand new V8
A brand new V8 Ford
Then he won't need no passengers, I will be his load
(spoken: Yeah, take it away)
Going to let my chauffeur
Going to let my chauffeur
Drive me around the





Drive me around the world
Then he can be my little boy, yes, I'll be his girl

Overall Meaning

Memphis Minnie's blues classic, "Me and My Chauffeur," has been covered by a number of artists over the years, including Jefferson Airplane and Nina Simone, and is considered an iconic song about female sexuality and empowerment. The song features a woman, most likely a female sex worker, seducing her chauffeur and using him as a symbol of her freedom and independence.


The song starts with the singer asking the chauffeur to be her driver, and describes him as someone who drives easily without causing any discomfort. However, she then expresses her displeasure about his behavior of riding other women around town. This frustration leads her to contemplate stealing a gun and shooting her chauffeur down, indicating her strong and assertive personality. In the next verse, she changes her mind and decides to buy her chauffeur a V8 Ford car and become his only passenger, effectively making him her sexual partner.


One interpretation of the song is that it is about challenging traditional gender roles and breaking free from male domination. The singer rejects the conventional notion of a woman being dependent on a man and asserts her independence by taking control of her own sexual desires. The song has been widely celebrated for its powerful lyrics and feminist undertones.


Line by Line Meaning

Won't you be my chauffeur
Asking for a chauffeur


Won't you be my chauffeur
Repeating the request for a chauffeur


I wants him to drive me
Desiring a driver for transportation


I wants him to drive me downtown
Specifically needing a driver to go downtown


Yes he drives so easy I can't turn him down
The driver is skilled and efficient, making it hard to refuse their services


But I don't want him
However, there's a catch


But I don't want him
Continuation of the previous line


To be ridin' his girls
Not wanting him to take other women around


To be ridin' his girls around
Clarifying what is meant by 'ridin' his girls'


So I'm gonna steal me a pistol, shoot my chauffeur down
Threatening to use violence against the chauffeur if they disobey


Well I must buy him
Considering an alternative course of action


Well I must buy him
Continuation of the previous line


A brand new V8
Specifically desiring a powerful car


A brand new V8 Ford
Naming the brand of car she wants to buy for him


Then he won't need no passengers, I will be his load
Eager to be the only one in the car with her chauffeur


Yes... take it away...
Introducing a new direction for the song


want to let my chauffeur
Desiring to give her chauffeur a new experience


want to let my chauffeur
Repeating the previous line


Drive me around the world
Wanting to travel around the world with her chauffeur


Then he can be my little boy, yes I'll be his girl
Flipping the dynamic of the song, wanting to be in control of the relationship




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERNEST LAWLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@anandaji4075

Lyrics
Won't you be my chauffeur
Won't you be my chauffeur
I wants him to drive me
I wants him to drive me downtown
Yes he drives so easy, I can't turn him down
But I don't want him
But I don't want him
To be ridin' these girls
To be ridin' these girls around
So I'm gonna steal me a pistol, shoot my chauffeur down
Well I must buy him
Well I must buy him
A brand new V8
A brand new V8 Ford
Then he won't need no passengers, I will be his load
(spoken: Yeah, take it away)
Going to let my chauffeur
Going to let my chauffeur
Drive me around the
Drive me around the world
Then he can be my little boy, yes, I'll be his girl
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Ernest Lawler
Me and My Chauffeur lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group



All comments from YouTube:

@jillianfoley5930

Memphis Millie. I am playing you today 1 November 2021 and still adore you and find you so wonderfull. I am approaching my 80th birthday and am so grateful to have had you in my life.

@claytonwilson5354

2024 💯🥶👑

@ejastoneman8543

​@@claytonwilson5354 styl fam🥶💯🔝🔛

@edwardgordon4309

No multitrack recording, no signal processing, no auto tune, no sampling... just pure raw talent, natural reverb of the room and one take recording on a single channel with a single microphone

@anandaji4075

~amusing

@josephregan9321

SOUL.

@mavjimbo

That's real music

@user-3tf67bk46u

Ya!!
Ain't it great!?
Errrr... isn't 🙂👍🎙️

@jillianfoley5930

Such a beautiful elegant lady = play this and am Heaven! Now 78 and and am sad that at a late time in my life I have discovered this wonderful lady. But thanks to You Tube have this on continually.

@alziron

Nice day to you sir. Good music.

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