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.
Black Eye Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always always fuss and fighting with her man
Than I heard miss Nacy say
Why do you treat your girl that way
I went down the alley other night
Nancy and her man just had a fight
He hit miss Nancy 'cross her head
You low-down alligator
Just watch me soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
You abuse me and you mistreat me
You dog around and beat me
'til I'm gonna hang around
Take all my money, blacken both of my eyes
Give it to another woman come home and tell me lies
You low-down alligator
Just watch me soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
I mean
Gonna catch you with your britches down
You low-down alligator
Just watch me soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
Ma Rainey's "Black Eye Blues" is a song about an abusive relationship between Miss Nancy Ann and her man. The lyrics describe how the two are always fighting, and how Nancy Ann gets physically abused. The chorus is about how she plans to catch her man with his pants down, or in other words, catch him in the act of cheating or doing something wrong. It's a warning that her man should watch his back because she's going to get revenge.
The lyrics highlight themes of domestic violence and infidelity. Nancy Ann is in a toxic relationship where she's constantly being mistreated and cheated on, but she's stuck in the cycle of abuse. She's angry and desperate for a way out, as evidenced by the chorus. The line "take all my money, blacken both of my eyes" signifies how Nancy Ann is being exploited by her man, who takes her money and beats her without remorse.
Ma Rainey's "Black Eye Blues" is a powerful blues tune that speaks to the experiences of many women who have been stuck in abusive relationships. The lyrics are raw and honest, revealing the pain and frustration that comes with being in such a scenario. It's a reminder that there are consequences for abusive behavior and that women deserve better.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in Hogan's Alley lives Miss Nancy Ann
There's a woman named Miss Nancy Ann living in Hogan's Alley
Always always fuss and fighting with her man
Nancy Ann's always arguing and fighting with her man
Than I heard miss Nacy say
Then I heard Miss Nancy say
Why do you treat your girl that way
Asking why her man treats her badly
I went down the alley other night
One night, I went down the alley
Nancy and her man just had a fight
Nancy and her man just had a fight
He hit miss Nancy 'cross her head
Her man hit Nancy across the head
Then she rose to her feet and she said
Then Nancy got up and said
You low-down alligator
Insulting her man by calling him a low-down alligator
Just watch me soon or later
Threatening to catch him in the act soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
Threatening to catch him in the act of cheating
You abuse me and you mistreat me
Accusing her man of abusing and mistreating her
You dog around and beat me
Accusing her man of cheating and beating her
'til I'm gonna hang around
Feeling stuck in the situation
Take all my money, blacken both of my eyes
Accusing her man of stealing her money and physically abusing her
Give it to another woman come home and tell me lies
Accusing her man of giving her money to another woman and lying about it
You low-down alligator
Repeating the insult to her man
Just watch me soon or later
Repeating the threat to catch him in the act soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
Repeating the threat to catch him in the act of cheating
I mean
Reemphasizing the statement
You low-down alligator
Repeating the insult to her man
Just watch me soon or later
Repeating the threat to catch him in the act soon or later
Gonna catch you with your britches down
Repeating the threat to catch him in the act of cheating
Writer(s): Thomas A. Dorsey
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ladyleesutter
Down in Hogan's Alley lived Miss Nancy Ann,
Always fussin', squabbling with her man;
Then I heard Miss Nancy say,
"Why do you treat your gal that way?"
I went down the alley, other night,
Nancy and her man had just had a fight;
He hit Miss Nancy 'cross the head,
When she rose to her feet, she said,
"You low down alligator, just watch me sooner or later,
Gonna catch you with your britches down.
You 'buse me and mistreats me, you dog me around and beat me,
Still I'm gonna hang around.
"Take all my money, blacken both of my eyes,
Give it to another woman, come home and tell me lies;
You low down alligator, just watch me sooner or later,
Gonna catch you with your britches down, I mean it,
Gonna catch you with your britches down."
@Gracenotesmusic
Today we celebrate Ma Rainey (4-26-1886) She was the earliest known professional blues singer & the first of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues. She mentored younger blues women, such as Bessie Smith! Since we have no videos from back then, thanks to Jazz onTheTube for this
@itoral
Per DAHR (ADP) this was composed by Rainey but recorded w steel guitar by Jimmie Tarlton in Atlanta on 12/4/1930 toward issue on Columbia 15651-D.
@ladyleesutter
Down in Hogan's Alley lived Miss Nancy Ann,
Always fussin', squabbling with her man;
Then I heard Miss Nancy say,
"Why do you treat your gal that way?"
I went down the alley, other night,
Nancy and her man had just had a fight;
He hit Miss Nancy 'cross the head,
When she rose to her feet, she said,
"You low down alligator, just watch me sooner or later,
Gonna catch you with your britches down.
You 'buse me and mistreats me, you dog me around and beat me,
Still I'm gonna hang around.
"Take all my money, blacken both of my eyes,
Give it to another woman, come home and tell me lies;
You low down alligator, just watch me sooner or later,
Gonna catch you with your britches down, I mean it,
Gonna catch you with your britches down."
@ladyleesutter
Especially pertinent now, nearly 90 years later, when women and those who care about them are rightfully ANGRY.
@fearfeasa1
This great recording was made in September 1928 !
@johninman7545
Kudos to the REAL EMPRESS OF THE BLUES,herd this on 'Miles Stone in 1970
@brianwings6908
Mother not empress. A greater title by far imo.
@SaphirSouenEstherG
Shared on Google+, April 26, 2018.
@downloadexists7292
Happy Birthday Ma Rainey.
@lhdollbaby
The best!