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by
Memphis Minnie
recording of 19
from
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1930-1931) (Document DOCD-5029)
&
With Kansas Joe (Blues Classics 13)
& Blues Classics 13 - Memphis Minnie Vol. 2: Early Recordings with "Kansas" Joe McCoy (),
Hmmmm, the meningitis
killin' me
Hmmmm, the meningitis killin' me
I'm bending, I'm bending, baby, my head is nearly down to my knees
I comin' home one Saturday night, pull off my clothes and I lie down
I comin' home one Saturday night, pull off my clothes and I lie down
And next morning just about day, the meningitis began to creep around
My head and neck was paining me, feel like my back was break in two
My head and neck was paining me, feel like my back was break in two
Lord, I had such a mood that morning, I didn't know what in the world to do
My companion take me to the doctor, "Doctor please tell me my wife's complaint"
My companion take me to the doctor, "Doctor please tell me my wife's complaint"
The doctor looked down on me, shook his head, "I wouldn't mind telling you, son, but I can't"
"You take her 'round to the city hospital, jus' as quick, quick as you possibly can
You take her 'round to the city hospital, jus' as quick, quick as you possibly can
Because the condition she's in now, you will never go home live again"
He rode me 'round to the city hospital, the clock was strikin' ten
He rode me 'round to the city hospital, the clock was strikin' ten
I hear my companion say, "I won't see your smiling face again"
__________
Note 1: meningitis, a usually bacterial disease in which inflammation of the meninges (any of the three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord) occurs. Bacterial meningitis was usually fatal in the 1920's and 1930's, it had an epidemic tendency (there had been an outbreak of one type of meningitis in Detroit in 1929, a year before Minnie recorder her song), and the lower classes in ghettos were especially vulnerable. This song of Minnie is a moving blues about the dangerous meningitis, which she "personalized" into "Minnie-Jitis".
