Lizzie Douglas was born on June 3, 1897 in Algiers, Louisiana. She was the eldest from her 13 other siblings. Her parents Abe and Gertrude Douglas nicknamed her the Kid during her early childhood. At the age of 7 she and her family moved to Walls, Mississippi, which was just south of Memphis. The following year after she moved, she received her first guitar for Christmas. She began to practice and learn how to play both the banjo and the guitar and it was seen that she had a great talent as a musician. When she first began performing she did not use her first name Lizzie, but played under the name Kid Douglas. When she was 13 years old she ran away from her home to live on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She would play on street corners for most of her teenage years and would eventually go home when she ran out of money. She began to get noticed singing and playing guitar on the street corners. This brought an opportunity for her to tour, travel, and play with the Ringling Brothers Circus. Eventually she came back to Beale Street and got consumed in the blues scene. At the time, women, whiskey, and cocaine were high in demand with the people and places she would be around. She made her money by playing guitar, singing, and prostitution, which was not uncommon at the time. Most of the female performers were prostitutes because of financial desperation. It was said “She received $12 for her services-an outrageous fee for the time.” (Memphis Minnie Biography,1). She was known as a woman that was very strong and that could take care of herself.
She had been married three times in her life; first with Will Weldon sometime in the 1920s, then Joe McCoy (1929–1934), and finally to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe), in 1939. She and McCoy would perform together during their marriage. During this time, a talent scout from Columbia Records discovered her. When she and McCoy went to record in New York, she decided to change her name to Memphis Minnie. During the next few years she and McCoy released many singles and duets. She released the song “Bumble Bee” in 1930, which ended up being one of her favorite songs, and led her to a recording contract with the label Vocalion. Under this label, they continued to produce recording for two years, one of them being “I’m Talking About You”, which was one of her more popular songs. They soon decided to leave Vocalion and move to Chicago. She and McCoy introduced country blues to the urban environment and became very well known.
Memphis Minnie continued to have success throughout the years recording under many different labels like Decca Records and Chess Records. Some believe her fame was the reason for her divorce with McCoy due to jealousy and resentment towards her. She remarried after to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe) and began recording material with him. She became very well known in the blues industry and ended up being one of the most famous blues performers of all time, competing with both men and women.
She continued to record throughout the 50’s, but her health began to become a problem for her. She retired from her musical career and ended up going back to Memphis. “Periodically, she would appear on Memphis radio stations to encourage young blues musicians. As the Garons wrote in Women With Guitar, 'She never laid her guitar down, until she could literally no longer pick it up.'” She suffered a stroke in 1960, which caused her to be bound by wheelchair. The following year her husband, Earnest “Little Son Joe” Lawlars died. She had another stroke a short while after and eventually ended up in the Jell Nursing Home. She could no longer survive on her social security income so magazines wrote about her and readers sent her money for assistance. On August 6, 1973 she died of a stroke. She was buried in an unmarked grave at the New Hope Cemetery in Memphis. A headstone paid for by Bonnie Raitt was erected by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund on October 13, 1996 with 35 family members in attendance including her sister, numerous nieces (including Laverne Baker) and nephews. Her headstone is marked:
Lizzie "Kid" Douglas Lawlers
aka Memphis Minnie
The inscription on the back of her gravestone reads:
"The hundreds of sides Minnie recorded are the perfect material to teach us about the blues. For the blues are at once general, and particular, speaking for millions, but in a highly singular, individual voice. Listening to Minnie's songs we hear her fantasies, her dreams, her desires, but we will hear them as if they were our own."
After her death some of her old work began to surface and some of her songs were featured on blues compilations. She was one of the first 20 blues artists that were inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame.
Soo Cow Soo
Memphis Minnie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ain't had no sweet milk since she's been gone
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
If you see my cow, drive her to the barn
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
My cow little aches, she can't get no water
Got a little calf, say you might've heard her holler
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
I'm taking my time tell you the truth
Never stopped a‑jumping till?
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
I got up this morning. I went outdoors
Knowed my cow, by the way she lows
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
I give her corn, I give her wheat
I'd give anything that the poor cow needs
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
Whoa second time you will do
I ain't had no sweet milk, since my cow's been gone
The lyrics of Memphis Minnie's song "Soo Cow Soo" portrays the anxiety of a farmer who lost his cow. The artist begs anyone who sees the cow to tell it to come home quickly. Without the cow, the farmer has not had any sweet milk, and he is getting restless waiting for it. The artist, in the second verse, also pleads with anyone who sees the cow to drive it back home because they have nothing to drink in its absence. Memphis Minnie gives life to the song, making the farmer's loss feel palpable.
The third verse talks about the poor cow's state of being, a creature without water but with a little calf waiting at home. The artist uses the phrase "you better soo" to urge anyone who sees the cow to bring it back home. The fourth has Memphis Minnie stating that she is taking her time to read the situation. The fifth verse portrays how the farmer knows his cow's voice, and each lowing signifies its return home. The final verse depicts the generosity of the farmer, who would give the cow anything it needs to have it back home safely.
Line by Line Meaning
Now If you see my cow, tell her hurry home
If you happen to come across my cow, please let her know she should come back home soon.
I ain't had no sweet milk since she's been gone
I haven't had any fresh milk since my cow left.
You better soo, cow soo - soo, cow soo
You need to encourage my cow to come home with a soothing voice ("soo, cow soo").
Whoa second time you will do
Please repeat the soothing call to my cow a second time.
If you see my cow, drive her to the barn
If you see my cow, please lead her back to her home in the barn.
I ain't had nothing to drink since she been gone
I haven't had anything to drink since my cow left.
My cow little aches, she can't get no water
My cow is in pain and thirsty, and is unable to get any water.
Got a little calf, say you might've heard her holler
My cow has a baby calf, and sometimes it cries out loudly.
I'm taking my time tell you the truth
I'm not in any rush, to be truthful.
Never stopped a-jumping till?
I've been working tirelessly and nonstop, but it's unclear when I'll stop.
I got up this morning. I went outdoors
I woke up this morning and went outside.
Knowed my cow, by the way she lows
I recognized my cow by the way she moos.
I give her corn, I give her wheat
I provide my cow with corn and wheat to eat.
I'd give anything that the poor cow needs
I'm willing to give my cow anything she needs to be happy, healthy, and comfortable.
Contributed by Katherine N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@luckydave328
One of the all-time greatest blues artists, male or female..ahead of her time and a forerunner and inspiration to electric Chicago blues, Rock'n'Roll, Rockabilly even Soul and R&B.
What is this song about ?
It seems to me a thinly disguised lesbian song (!?)
She loved men though and got married twice.
There should be a movie about her life. Fantastic woman.
@sherrard5492
That’s a movie I’d love to see if Hollywood didn’t a get a chance to turn the grit into tinsel, but who could play Minnie?