Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, Apr… Read Full Bio ↴Gertrude Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (Columbus, Georgia, April 26, 1886 – Columbus, Georgia, December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. She did much to develop and popularize the form and was an important influence on younger blues women, such as Bessie Smith, and their careers.

She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. She then joined a traveling vaudeville troupe, the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. After hearing a blues song at a theater in St. Louis sung by a local girl in 1902, she started performing in a blues style. She claimed at that time that she was the one who coined the name "blues" for the style that she specialized in. Musicians and singers who had sang and played in the style said there were no such origins and that the blues had always been. A pioneer in the style, Bunk Johnson said that in the 1880s the blues had already been developed.

She married fellow vaudeville singer William 'Pa' Rainey in 1904, changing her name to Ma Rainey. The pair toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels as Rainey & Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues, singing a mix of blues and popular songs. In 1912, she took the young Bessie Smith into the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, trained her, and worked with her until Smith left in 1915.

Also known, though less discussed, is the fact that she was bisexual. Rainey never shied away from her feelings in her music, as is apparent in the lyrics of "Prove It On Me":

"Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man
'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me."

Rainey was outspoken on women's issues and a role model for future women entertainers who took control of their own careers.

Ma Rainey was already a veteran performer with decades of touring with African-American shows in the U.S. Southern States when she made her first recordings in 1923. Rainey signed with Paramount Records and, between 1923 and 1928, she recorded 100 songs, sometimes accompanied such jazz notables as Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Fletcher Henderson and others. Rainey was extremely popular among southern blacks in the 1920s, but the Great Depression and changing tastes ended her career by 1933, when she retired.

Rainey died of a heart attack in 1939.

The 1982 August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was based on her.

Big Feeling Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ma:
"All these many years I've been pleadin' for a man
How come I can't get me a real
Monkey man
I'm not no triflin'
Woman
I've been lookin' for a man I can call my own
Been married many times but they left my home

Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I ever had
I've got the big feelin' blues I mean I've got them bad"
Charlie
"If you're lookin' for a brown, come get this chocolate cream
I'm a big kid-man - just out of my teens"
Ma:
"Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I ever had
I've got them big feelin' blues, I mean I've got them bad"
"Unlucky with my
Yellow
, unlucky with my brown,
The black bitches keep on throwin' me down'
"Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I've ever had
I've got the big feelin' blues, I mean I've got them bad"
Charlie:
"If you need a good man why don't you try me?
I sure can put you out of your misery"
Ma:
"Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I've ever had
I've got the big feelin' blues, I mean I've got them bad
There's a whole lot left, what's left is good
Give me a chance, honey, I'll make you change your neighbourhood

Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I've ever had,
I've got the big feelin' blues, I mean I've got them bad"

Overall Meaning

In Ma Rainey's song Big Feeling Blues, she expresses her frustration and disappointment in her search for a devoted partner. She has been married multiple times but all her husbands have left her. She longs for a man that she can call her own, someone who will be loyal to her. Ma sings about her desire for a "real monkey man," emphasizing her need for a man who is strong and powerful. In her search, she has been unlucky with men of different races and skin colors, as they have all disappointed her. Her big feeling blues, as she calls them, are the worst she has ever had.

In response to Ma's frustrations, Charlie offers himself as a potential partner. He claims he is young, just out of his teens, and will be able to satisfy Ma's needs. However, Ma remains skeptical and reiterates her desperation for a real, loyal partner. She admits that what she's looking for may be hard to find, but she is willing to keep searching. In the end, Ma suggests that if given a chance, she could make a good partner and change someone's life for the better.

Overall, the song is a commentary on the difficulties of finding and maintaining a committed relationship. Despite her many attempts, Ma has yet to find a man who meets her standards, leaving her feeling frustrated and alone.

Line by Line Meaning

All these many years I've been pleadin' for a man
I've been searching for a man to call my own for a long time

How come I can't get me a real Monkey man
Why can't I find a man strong and dependable like a monkey?

I'm not no triflin' Woman
I'm not a woman who plays around or wastes time

I've been lookin' for a man I can call my own
I've been searching for a man to love and be with exclusively

Been married many times but they left my home
I've been married multiple times, but those relationships didn't last

Ah, big feelin' blues, worst I ever had
I'm feeling extremely sad and depressed about my situation

I've got the big feelin' blues I mean I've got them bad
My sadness is intense and hard to cope with

If you're lookin' for a brown, come get this chocolate cream
If you want a man with dark chocolate skin, I'm your guy

I'm a big kid-man - just out of my teens
I'm a young man, full of energy and enthusiasm

Unlucky with my Yellow, unlucky with my brown, The black bitches keep on throwin' me down'
I've had bad luck with women of different races and sometimes experience rejection and discrimination

If you need a good man why don't you try me?
I think I could be the kind of man you're looking for

I sure can put you out of your misery
I can make you happy and fulfill your desires

There's a whole lot left, what's left is good
There are still good men out there, and I am one of them

Give me a chance, honey, I'll make you change your neighbourhood
If you give me a chance, I can turn your life around for the better

Contributed by Isaac N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS