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.
World of Trouble
Memphis Minnie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a cold, cold morning, I was out in the rain and snow
Yes, in a world of trouble, I couldn't find no place to go
The wind was blowing and the rain began to freeze
The wind was blowing and the rain began to freeze
So much of trouble, Lord, have mercy on me
Standing on the corner, my friends all was passing by
Standing on the corner, my friends all was passing by
Well, I cried so much, Lord, I didn't have no tears to dry
My brother, he's in trouble, my dad he just broke jail
My man, he's in trouble, and the law is on his trail
It's a cold, cold morning, and I'm out in the rain and snow
Yes, in a world of trouble, I had no place to go
The lyrics to Memphis Minnie's "World of Trouble" paint a vivid picture of a desperate situation. The singer finds themselves out in the cold rain and snow, overwhelmed by the troubles of the world. They are lost and without direction, unable to find a way out of their predicament. The weather seems to mirror the turmoil they feel inside, with the wind blowing and rain freezing. The singer's friends pass by, but they are too consumed by their own emotions to process their presence.
The song speaks to the universality of struggle and pain. It is a reminder that everyone goes through difficult times, that life is not always easy. It is also a testament to the power of music in expressing the sorrows and heartaches of life. Memphis Minnie's blues guitar and haunting vocals provide a fitting soundtrack for the bleak landscape she describes.
In many ways, "World of Trouble" serves as a warning against the dangers of the world. It suggests that one can never let their guard down, that trouble is always around the corner. But it also suggests that there is hope to be found, even in the darkest of times. The singer's plea for mercy serves as a reminder that there is something beyond oneself, something that can provide comfort and solace in times of trouble.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a cold, cold morning, I was out in the rain and snow
I woke up, and it was bitterly cold outside. I had to go out, and it was raining and snowing at the same time.
Yes, in a world of trouble, I couldn't find no place to go
I'm struggling in life, and I don't know what to do to make things better.
The wind was blowing and the rain began to freeze
The wind was blowing so hard that it started to freeze the raindrops before they hit the ground.
So much of trouble, Lord, have mercy on me
I'm in such a difficult situation that I need divine intervention to help me through it.
Standing on the corner, my friends all was passing by
I was standing on the sidewalk as people I knew walked by.
Well, I cried so much, Lord, I didn't have no tears to dry
I was so upset that I cried all my tears and didn't have any left to wipe away.
My brother, he's in trouble, my dad he just broke jail
My brother is facing problems, and my father is in legal trouble after breaking out of jail.
My man, he's in trouble, and the law is on his trail
My significant other is having difficulties, and the authorities are pursuing them.
It's a cold, cold morning, and I'm out in the rain and snow
It's a frigid morning, and I have to be outside in the freezing precipitation.
Yes, in a world of trouble, I had no place to go
I'm dealing with so many issues that I don't have any idea where to find help or refuge.
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@hilmarwensorra1215
In very loving memory of the legendary, the ONE & ONLY Mrs. Memphis Minnie (1897 - 1973 R.I.P. Gone but NOT forgotten).
@BluesGuyVinyl
Hi Zach. Absolutely wonderful. Minnie was so great. Thanks for sharing this. Cheers!