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.
What's The Matter With The Mill?
Memphis Minnie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say Minnie! Where you going?
Memphis Minnie:
What you want, Kansas Joe?
I'm going to the mill; what do you think?
Have my corn ground
For what?
Ahw, that old mill is done broke down
I'm just from down there
Memphis Minnie:
How do you know?
Ahw, and it broke you down
Kansas Joe McCoy:
Ahw, no, I went to get my corn ground
It done broke down
Yeah, it done broke down)
Memphis Minnie:
What's the matter with the mill?
Done broke down?
Memphis Minnie:
Can't get no grinding, tell me what's the matter with the mill
Well, I had a little corn, I put it in a sack
Brought it to the mill and come right back
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Kansas Joe McCoy:
It done broke down
It done broke down
Memphis Minnie:
Ahw, grind it
Now listen here folks, I don't want no stuff
You can't bring me my meal, bring me the husks1
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Kansas Joe McCoy:
It done broke down
It done broke down
Memphis Minnie:
Well, my papa sat and cried, my brother did, too
They both been to the mill, they can't get nothing to do
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Kansas Joe McCoy:
It done broke down
It done broke down
Now listen here folks, I want you to bear this in mind
If you're going to the mill, you're just losing time
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Kansas Joe McCoy:
It done broke down
It done broke down
(spoken: Aww, grind it again)
"What's The Matter With The Mill?" is a blues song by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy. The lyrics are a dialogue between Minnie and Joe, where Minnie tells Joe she's going to the mill to grind corn, but Joe tells her that the mill is broken down. The song continues with Minnie questioning what is wrong with the mill, and Joe repeatedly answering that it is broken down. Throughout the song, Minnie expresses frustration with not being able to get her corn ground, while Joe seems more resigned to the situation.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the economic struggles of African Americans in the rural South during the early 20th century. The mill represents a key resource for the community, but it is unreliable and inaccessible, leaving people without access to basic necessities like flour and meal. Minnie's frustration and Joe's resignation reflect the hopelessness felt by many in the face of economic factors beyond their control.
Overall, "What's The Matter With The Mill?" is a powerful example of the blues as a tool for expressing the struggles and realities of everyday life, particularly for those facing oppression and economic hardship.
Interesting facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Say Minnie! Where you going?
Kansas Joe is asking Memphis Minnie where she is going.
What you want, Kansas Joe?
I'm going to the mill; what do you think?
Have my corn ground
Memphis Minnie tells Kansas Joe that she is going to the mill to get her corn ground.
For what?
Ahw, that old mill is done broke down
I'm just from down there
Kansas Joe tells Memphis Minnie that the mill is broken down and he just came from there.
How do you know?
Ahw, and it broke you down
Memphis Minnie questions how Kansas Joe knows about the mill being broken down and suggests that it has caused him some trouble.
Ahw, no, I went to get my corn ground
It done broke down
Yeah, it done broke down
Kansas Joe explains that he went to the mill to get his corn ground, but it is broken down.
What's the matter with the mill?
Done broke down?
Memphis Minnie questions what is wrong with the mill and confirms that it is broken down.
Can't get no grinding, tell me what's the matter with the mill
Memphis Minnie states that she can't get her corn ground and asks again what is wrong with the mill.
Well, I had a little corn, I put it in a sack
Brought it to the mill and come right back
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Memphis Minnie explains that she brought her corn to the mill, but it is still not able to be ground and again asks what is wrong with the mill.
It done broke down
It done broke down
Kansas Joe repeats that the mill is broken down.
Ahw, grind it
Memphis Minnie sarcastically suggests that the mill should just grind despite being broken down.
Now listen here folks, I don't want no stuff
You can't bring me my meal, bring me the husks1
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Memphis Minnie expresses her frustration that the mill is unable to grind her corn and says that she would rather have the husks than nothing at all.
Well, my papa sat and cried, my brother did, too
They both been to the mill, they can't get nothing to do
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Memphis Minnie shares that her family members have also been to the mill and are unable to get anything done because of the broken down mill.
Now listen here folks, I want you to bear this in mind
If you're going to the mill, you're just losing time
What's the matter with the mill?
What's the matter with the mill?
I can't get no grinding
Tell me what's the matter with the mill
Memphis Minnie warns others that going to the mill is a waste of time and pointless because of the broken down state of the mill.
It done broke down
It done broke down
(spoken: Aww, grind it again)
Kansas Joe repeats that the mill is broken down and suggests sarcastically to grind it again.
Contributed by Annabelle H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
williewaterbug
One of my all time favorite songs. These two were so cute. That rolling solo so sweet. Kids today just don't know nothing.
Creak
Idk about that. I'm 21 and I listen to a lot of this stuff, and I'm sure there are others too. It's just not mainsteam since it's "outdated", despite being very good.
Giovanni Iorio
Some good soul out there that could write the lyrics of this masterpiece!!!
Ty for posting . God bless you all
Arkansas Red
That's my favorite version of that tune. Hopefully, when Bob Wills or other people recorded it back then, that Kansas Joe (McCoy) got credit and some royalties. Back then a lot of composers of tunes sold them for a few bucks or a bottle of hootch.
monkee time
Moon Mullican's version is fun too!
Mathew Fines
LOVE Memphis Minnie!
Giovanni Iorio
Ty for posting!!! Please lyrics...I love Minnie and her songs...and I would like to learn them...and I will sing them while I train
Ben White
Muddy Waters did a great version of this called Can't Get No Grinding. People should check it out!
Jason
Cheers!
Big Barty
He also did one called "What's the matter with the mill". 🙄