My Butcher Man
Memphis Minnie Lyrics


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Wonder where is my butcher man now?
I've been looking for him all day long!

Butcher man, butcher man, where have you been so long?
Butcher man, butcher man, where have you been so long?
I can't catch you at the butcher shop and you're so hard to find at home

I'm going to tell everybody I've got the best butcher man in town
I'm going to tell everybody I've got the best butcher man in town
He can slice your ham, he can cut it from the fat on down

He slice my pork chops and he grinds my sausage, too
He slice my pork chops and he grinds my sausage, too
Ain't nothing in the line of butcherin' that my butcher man can't do

Butcher man, in the morning, won't you please stop by my house
Butcher man, in the morning, won't you please stop by my house
I've got enough butcherin' for you to do if you promise me you just only hush your mouth?

Butcher man, butcher man, I got a ham I cannot slice
Butcher man, butcher man, I got a ham I cannot slice
If you can't stop in the morning, please stop by tomorrow night

If anybody asks you, ""Butcher man, where have you been?""
If anybody asks you, ""Butcher man, where have you been?""
Show 'em that long-bladed knife, tell 'em you been butchering out in the slaughter pens





Let's go, butcher man, for me

Overall Meaning

The song "My Butcher Man" by Memphis Minnie tells the story of a woman who is searching for her beloved butcher man. She expresses her frustration at not being able to locate him at the butcher shop or at home. Despite this, she raves about his skills, boasting that she has the "best butcher man in town." She highlights his ability to slice pork chops, grind sausage, and handle any aspect of butchering. The woman pleads with her butcher man to come to her house and help her with her ham, emphasizing her need for him to keep their relationship discreet.


This song reflects the strong ties that many African Americans had to food and cooking during the early 20th century. The butcher was often an important member of the community, as he provided fresh meat for families who could not afford to buy it at a store. The song also depicts a woman who takes pride in having access to quality food and being able to cook for her family. The woman's attraction to her butcher man goes beyond his physical appearance, highlighting his usefulness in providing her with the means to showcase her culinary skills.


Line by Line Meaning

Wonder where is my butcher man now?
I wonder where my butcher man is, as I have been looking for him all day long.


Butcher man, butcher man, where have you been so long?
Butcher man, where have you been? I can't find you at the butcher shop or at home.


I'm going to tell everybody I've got the best butcher man in town
I am going to let everyone know that I have the best butcher man in the town.


He can slice your ham, he can cut it from the fat on down
He can slice your ham and cut it precisely from the fatty part to the bottom.


He slice my pork chops and he grinds my sausage, too
He not only slices my pork chops but also grinds the sausage for me.


Ain't nothing in the line of butcherin' that my butcher man can't do
My butcher man can do anything related to butchering, and there is nothing he can't do.


Butcher man, in the morning, won't you please stop by my house
Butcher man, please stop by my house tomorrow morning.


I've got enough butcherin' for you to do if you promise me you just only hush your mouth?
I have a lot of meat to be butchered, but please promise to keep quiet about it.


Butcher man, butcher man, I got a ham I cannot slice
Butcher man, I have a ham that I can't slice.


If you can't stop in the morning, please stop by tomorrow night
If you can't make it in the morning, please come tomorrow night.


If anybody asks you, "Butcher man, where have you been?"
If anyone asks you about your whereabouts, butcher man.


Show 'em that long-bladed knife, tell 'em you been butchering out in the slaughter pens
Show them the long-bladed knife and tell them that you have been busy butchering in the slaughter pens.


Let's go, butcher man, for me
Come on, butcher man, let's get started with the butchering.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LAWLERS, MINNIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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