Grateful Dead Family Discography: Me and My Chauffeur Blues

Me and My Chauffeur Blues

Composer: Lawlar / Memphis Minnie / Lester Melrose

Me and My Chauffeur Blues was played by Jerry Garcia when sitting in with Maria Muldaur during a show on October 12, 1974.

The song was also possibly played by Ratdog with Maria Muldaur in February 1998. Though on setlists the performed song is sometimes described as the Lightnin' Hopkins song Automobile Blues, which is also known as Chauffeur's Blues.

Me and My Chauffeur Blues was first recorded by Memphis Minnie in May 1941. It was next recorded as Me and My Chauffeur by Mabel Robinson in 1942. Subsequent recordings use either one of those two titles or just Chauffeur Blues.

The authorship of the song is uncertain. The original Memphis Minnie recording credits "Lawlar" as the composer. Memphis Minnie performed with and was married to Ernest Lawlar (aka Little Son Joe) so it is possible that the Lawlar credit reflects authorship by both of them or just by Memphis Minnie. Some subsequent recordings credit Memphis Minnie or E. Lawlar.

Jefferson Airplane recordings credit Lester Melrose as the songwriter. Melrose was a producer, talent scout and music publisher who played an important role in the early years of Chicago blues recording. Melrose recorded Memphis Minnie in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He was not a songwriter but often assigned writing credits to himself - a common practice in the early years of recording. This is probably how his name is sometimes linked to Me and My Chauffeur Blues.

Memphis Minnie recordings

no info Single (Me And My Chauffeur Blues / Can't Afford To Lose My Man), Memphis Minnie, 1941
no info Single (Broken Heart / Me And My Chauffeur), Memphis Minnie, 1953
no info Blues Classics By Memphis Minnie, 1964
no info The Blues Volume 5, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1965
no info The Story of the Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1970
no info Genesis: The Beginnings Of Rock EP, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1972
no info I Ain't No Bad Gal, Memphis Minnie, 1988
no info Bumble Bee: The Essential Recordings of Memphis Minnie, 1994
no info Let's Go To Town: The Blues Collection, Memphis Minnie, 1996
no info Essential Women In Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1997
no info The Essential Shoebox Full Of Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1999
no info Men Are Like Street Cars: Women Blues Singers 1928-1969, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1999
Folk, Gospel & Blues: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1999
Respect: A Century Of Women In Music, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1999
Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 1999
no info Moonshine, Memphis Minnie, 2000
no info Living The Blues: Ladies Sing The Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2000
no info The Great Race Record Labels Volume 3: Okeh, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2000
no info Roots of Rock, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2000
no info The Essential, Memphis Minnie, 2001
no info The Roots Of Chuck Berry, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2001
no info Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2001
no info Crazy Crying Blues, Memphis Minnie, 2002
no info Me And My Chauffeur, Memphis Minnie, 2003
no info Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2003
The Story of the Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2003
no info Simply Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2005
no info Wild Women Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2005
no info Granny Takes A Trip: Conversation's Dead, Man, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2006
no info The Rough Guide To The Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2007
no info Hoodoo Lady, Memphis Minnie, 2008
no info Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host Bob Dylan, Vol 1, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2008
no info Cross The Tracks: Essential Pioneer Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2011
no info The Okeh Blues Story, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2013
no info Lonesome Highway, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2015
no info Simply Memphis Blues, Various Artists (Memphis Minnie), 2015

Other recordings

no info Single (Me And My Chauffeur / I've Got Too Many Blues), Mabel Robinson With Sam Price's Blusicians, 1942
no info Trouble An' Blues, Sidney Maiden, 1951
no info Chris Barber's Blues Book Vol.1, Ottilie Patterson And Chris Barber's Jazz Band, 1961
no info Chris Barber's Blues Book Vol. 1, No.1 EP, Ottilie Patterson And Chris Barber's Jazz Band, 1961
no info Single (Before Day / Me And My Chauffeur), Big Mama Thornton, 1965
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, Jefferson Airplane, 1966
no info Single (Chauffeur Blues / Salty Dog), Diamond Roscoe’s Jubilee Quintet, 1968
no info Ramblin' On My Mind, Lucinda, 1979
no info The Lives Of Lhasa, Various Artists (Linda J. Albertano), 1984
no info Pottery Pie, Geoff and Maria Muldaur, 1987
no info Ramblin', Lucinda Williams, 1991
no info Young Girl Blues, Sue Foley, 1992
Jefferson Airplane Loves You (Box Set) , Jefferson Airplane, 1992
no info Country Negro Jam Session, Various Artists (Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas), 1993
no info Blues Jubilee, Mary Flower, 1994
no info High Risk, Jan Terri, 1994
no info Smoke And Mirrors, Martin Simpson, 1995
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (extended version), Jefferson Airplane, 1996
no info Chris Barbers’s Blues Book Volume One/Good Mornin’ Blues, Chris Barber, 1997
no info Secret Weapon, Sue Foley, 2000
no info Back To The Blues, Sue Foley, 2000
no info Richland Woman Blues, Maria Muldaur, 2001
Ignition, Jefferson Airplane, 2001
no info Sings the Blues, Clifton Chenier, 2004
30 Years Of Maria Muldaur: I'm A Woman, Maria Muldaur, 2004
no info In Europe (CD bonus track), Big Mama Thornton, 2005
no info Sweet East River, The East River String Band, 2006
no info Party Girl, Christy Howard, 2006
no info Joe's Basement, Alice Spencer And Her Monkey Butlers, 2006
no info Comin' A Time, Eleanor Ellis, 2007
no info A Sure Cure For The Blues, Miranda Louise, 2008
no info Do It, Jo Ann Kelly, 2008
no info Stubble, Blue Blokes 3, 2008
Original Album Classics, Jefferson Airplane, 2008
Live at The Fillmore Auditorium 10/15/66: Late Shows: Signe's Farewell, Jefferson Airplane, 2010
no info KUT Live Vol. 8, Various Artists (Rosie Flores), 2010
no info Original Album Classics, Jefferson Airplance, 2013
Way Past Midnight, Maria Muldaur, 2014
no info The CD Vinyl Replica Collection, Jefferson Airplance, 2015
no info Single (Me & My Chauffeur Blues / Whistle Blower Blues), Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns, 2016