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.
Countin' The Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to the wall
Trying to count these blues so I could sing 'em all
Memphis, Ramport, Beale Street set 'em, free
Memphis, Ramport, Beale Street set 'em, free
Graveyard, 'Bama Bound, Lord, Lord, come from Stingaree
Lord sittin' on the Southern gonna ride all night long
Downhearted, Gulf Coast--they was all good songs
Lord, 'rested at midnight; jailhouse made me loose my mind
Lord, 'rested at midnight; jailhouse made me loose my mind
Bad Luck 'n' Boll-Weevil made me think of old Moonshine
Lord, goin' to sleep now for mama just got bad news
Lord, goin' to sleep now for mama just got bad news
To try to dream away my troubles, countin' these blues
In Ma Rainey's song "Countin' the Blues," the lyrics depict the struggle of a singer trying to capture the essence of the blues. The song begins with the singer laying in bed with their face turned to the wall, attempting to count the blues so they could sing them all. The lyrics suggest that the singer is trying to fully capture what the blues is all about and express it through song.
The second verse mentions Memphis, Ramport, and Beale Street, all significant locations in the development of blues music. The addition of the phrase "set 'em free" adds to the idea that the singer is trying to fully understand the blues and express it through their own music. Additionally, the mention of Graveyard and 'Bama Bound implies emotions of despair and confinement, adding to the known theme of blues music.
The third verse mentions the Lord sitting on the Southern, perhaps referencing the trains that would transport blues musicians across the country. The line "Gulf Coast--they was all good songs" highlights the significance and popularity of blues music in the Southern United States. The fourth verse mentions how the singer was in jail and how Bad Luck 'n' Boll-Weevil made them think of old Moonshine. These references to negative aspects of life add to the emotional depth of the song.
Finally, the last verse mentions how the singer is going to sleep, trying to dream away their troubles while countin' these blues. This suggests that the singer is finding solace in the music and using it to cope with their problems.
Overall, "Countin' the Blues" explores the depth and complexity of the blues as a genre and its potential for expressing the struggles and experiences of African Americans.
Line by Line Meaning
Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to the wall
I woke up feeling defeated and downtrodden
Trying to count these blues so I could sing 'em all
I'm trying to put all these negative feelings into a song
Memphis, Ramport, Beale Street set 'em, free
The cities and streets I've been to have given me inspiration for my music
Graveyard, 'Bama Bound, Lord, Lord, come from Stingaree
The tough times and struggles I've faced have influenced my music as well
Lord sittin' on the Southern gonna ride all night long
I have faith that there's a greater power looking over me as I continue on this musical journey
Downhearted, Gulf Coast--they was all good songs
My songs may be sad and depressing, but they still have meaning and value
Lord, 'rested at midnight; jailhouse made me loose my mind
My time spent in jail was a low point in my life and affected me deeply
Bad Luck 'n' Boll-Weevil made me think of old Moonshine
Some of my past experiences with bad luck and hardship remind me of darker times involving illegal activity
Lord, goin' to sleep now for mama just got bad news
I'm going to try to escape my troubles through sleep, but in reality, they'll still be there when I wake up
To try to dream away my troubles, countin' these blues
I'm using my music as a way to cope and alleviate some of the pain and hardship in my life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: J. MAYO WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind