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.
Ma Raineys' Black Bottom
Ma Rainey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you the best
Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom
Way down south in Alabamy
I got a friend, they call dancin' Sammy
Who's crazy about all the latest dances
Black bottom stomps and the Jew baby prances
The other night at a swell affair
Soon as the boys found out that I was there
They said, "Come on, Ma let's go to the cabaret"
Where that band you ought to hear me say"
I want to see that dance you call the black bottom
I wanna learn that dance
Don't you see the dance you call your big black bottom
That'll put you in a trance
All the boys in the neighborhood
They say your black bottom is really good
Come on and show me your black bottom
I want to learn that dance
I want to see the dance you call the black bottom
I want to learn that dance
Come on and show that dance you call your big black bottom
It puts you in a trance
Early last morning 'bout the break of day
Grandpa told my grandma, I heard him say
Get up and show your old man your black bottom
I want to learn that dance
Now I'm gonna show y'all my black bottom
They stay to see that dance
Wait until you see me do my big black bottom
I'll put you in a trance
Ah, do it ma, do it, honey
Look it now Ma, you gettin' kinda rough here
You gotta be yourself now, careful now
Not too strong, not too strong, Ma
I done shown y'all my black bottom
You ought to learn that dance
In “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Ma Rainey proudly shows off her dancing abilities to her audience. She boasts that her black bottom dance is the best and encourages others to learn it. The first verse addresses her audience and promises to impress them with her performance. In the second verse, Ma Rainey introduces her friend Dancin’ Sammy, who loves to perform all the latest dance styles. She mentions the black bottom and the Jew baby prances as popular dances at that time. In the third verse, Ma Rainey shares a story of attending a party where the boys asked her to come to the cabaret to hear the band's music. They also requested her to perform the black bottom dance. The fourth verse describes how Ma Rainey's grandma and grandpa dance the black bottom and encourages all her audience to learn the dance too. Finally, in the last verse, Ma Rainey performs the black bottom dance and suggests that everyone should follow her lead and learn the dance.
The song is an upbeat, danceable song that celebrates African American culture and traditions. It demonstrates how Ma Rainey and her community loved to dance, especially the black bottom style. The song also shows how dance was an essential part of African American life, where people gathered at parties, clubs and other social functions to celebrate and enjoy themselves. In conclusion, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a lively song that celebrates the joy and freedom of African American culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, you heard the rest
You've heard other songs, but get ready for the best one yet.
Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you the best
I'm confident that my song is the best, and I'm excited to perform it for you all.
Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom
I'm going to sing about the black bottom dance and show you all how it's done.
Way down south in Alabamy
This story takes place in the southern state of Alabama.
I got a friend, they call dancin' Sammy
I know someone named Sammy who loves to dance.
Who's crazy about all the latest dances
Sammy is really into all the newest and most popular dances.
Black bottom stomps and the Jew baby prances
Sammy is particularly fond of the black bottom and the Jew baby dance.
The other night at a swell affair
Recently, I went to a great party.
Soon as the boys found out that I was there
When the guys realized I was at the party, they became interested in me.
They said, "Come on, Ma let's go to the cabaret"
They invited me to go to the cabaret with them.
Where that band you ought to hear me say"
There's a band at the cabaret that they really want to see/hear.
I want to see that dance you call the black bottom
I'm interested in seeing the black bottom dance.
I wanna learn that dance
I want to learn how to do the black bottom dance.
Don't you see the dance you call your big black bottom
You should see how good I am at doing the black bottom dance.
That'll put you in a trance
It's an amazing dance that will captivate you and make you want to dance too.
All the boys in the neighborhood
The guys in my community are all talking about my dance skills.
They say your black bottom is really good
They all agree that I'm great at doing the black bottom dance.
Come on and show me your black bottom
They want me to demonstrate the black bottom dance for them.
I want to learn that dance
They want to learn how to do it themselves.
Early last morning 'bout the break of day
This happened very early in the morning, just around dawn.
Grandpa told my grandma, I heard him say
My grandfather said something to my grandmother that I overheard.
Get up and show your old man your black bottom
He wanted my grandmother to show him the black bottom dance.
I want to learn that dance
He too, wanted to learn the black bottom dance.
Now I'm gonna show y'all my black bottom
Now, I'm going to perform the black bottom dance for you all.
They stay to see that dance
Everyone is excited to see my performance.
Wait until you see me do my big black bottom
I'm really good at doing the black bottom dance and you all will be impressed when you see me do it.
I'll put you in a trance
My dance skills are so captivating that you'll get lost watching me perform.
Ah, do it ma, do it, honey
People are encouraging me to continue doing the black bottom dance.
Look it now Ma, you gettin' kinda rough here
Someone is cautioning me to be careful because I'm getting too carried away with my dance moves.
You gotta be yourself now, careful now
I need to be true to who I am and mindful of my actions while dancing.
Not too strong, not too strong, Ma
I need to be careful not to overdo it while dancing.
I done shown y'all my black bottom
I have now performed the black bottom dance for you all to see.
You ought to learn that dance
I highly recommend that you all learn how to do the black bottom dance too.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MA RAINEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Untitled Studio
Now, you heard the rest
Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you the best
Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom
Way down south in Alabamy
I got a friend, they call dancin' Sammy
Who's crazy about all the latest dances
Black bottom stomps and the Jew baby prances
The other night at a swell affair
Soon as the boys found out that I was there
They said, "Come on, Ma let's go to the cabaret"
Where that band you ought to hear me say"
I want to see that dance you call the black bottom
I wanna learn that dance
Don't you see the dance you call your big black bottom
That'll put you in a trance
All the boys in the neighborhood
They say your black bottom is really good
Come on and show me your black bottom
I want to learn that dance
I want to see the dance you call the black bottom
I want to learn that dance
Come on and show that dance you call your big black bottom
It puts you in a trance
Early last morning 'bout the break of day
Grandpa told my grandma, I heard him say
Get up and show your old man your black bottom
I want to learn that dance
Now I'm gonna show y'all my black bottom
They stay to see that dance
Wait until you see me do my big black bottom
I'll put you in a trance
Ah, do it ma, do it, honey
Look it now Ma, you gettin' kinda rough here
You gotta be yourself now, careful now
Not too strong, not too strong, Ma
I done shown y'all my black bottom
You ought to learn that dance
NM G
Thank God for Ma Rainey’s toughness and perseverance or we wouldn’t have these authentic historical recordings at all
Sammy
This voice and the blues in general, bessie smith, ma rainey etc. Give me chills
boobe77
I live and was raised in Columbus, GA and I'm so proud of Ma Rainey and for Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman making the Black Bottom play into a movie.
gina8594inga
Same here this amazing young lady is From my hometown of Columbus Georgia ☺️
LynniePooh
What a talent before my time. However if the music is vibin and flowing you don't feel so alone 🎶 music heals souls
Est lhm
Great to see history captured and not forgotten
Melisa Ramirez
She is the mother of the blues
MusiqTruth
The MOTHER. Paved the way for MANY.
jaycex skibdi multiverse
Whattt???? Historical yes but the mother no ell nah
jaycex skibdi multiverse
@Nadie Absolutamente Nadie say lmaooooooo show out now!!!