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.
OhPapa Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loca
Dance or die
Loca (Loca)
She′s playin' dumb all the time, just to keep it fun
To get you on like, "Ah!" Be careful, amigo
She′s talking and walking just to wake you up
Yo sigo tranquila, like I′m on a beach in Anguilla
Sippin′ my Corona like it's nothin′ goin' on
I ain′t leavin' you alone, what is meant for me
No other girl is gonna take it, so give him up
And I′m crazy, but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
You like that it ain't easy, Loca, Loca, Loca
And I'm crazy but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
Crazy but you like it
That girl is a nutter
Hot girl, I heat up when I touch her
Chica Caliente, got me rapping to merengue
I feel so el presidente
I′m runnin′ shit and I'm lovin′ it
She's got a mean lil′ bopper, you should see what she does with it
She keeps it down low (down low, down low)
I can never get enough, oh no, oh no
She gives me the runaround, but I stay chasin'
But I mean, yo, I′m in love with a crazy girl
But it's all good, and it's fine by me
Just as long as I hear her say, "Ay, papi"
And I′m crazy, but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
You like that it ain′t easy, Loca, Loca, Loca
I'm crazy but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
And I′m crazy but you like it
You're the one for me, and for her no more
Though you think she got it all, I got my kiki
You′re the one for me, and for her no more
Though you think she got it all, I got my kiki
I guess she doesn't know the things that I′d do to please you
I take you to the malecón por el caminito
They saw your girlfriend looking for me with a rifle
'Cause, we're dancin′ Mambo, oh, what she don′t allow it?
I really can't help it if I make the lady Loca
I don′t want no trouble, I just wanna hit the— ooh!
And I'm crazy, but you like it
′Cause the kinda girl like me, they're running out of in the market (shh)
And I′m crazy, but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
And you like that it ain't easy, Loca, Loca, Loca
And I'm crazy but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
And I′m crazy, but you like it
¡Dios mío!
That girl is a (Loca)
That girl is a (Loca)
That girl is a (Loca) (it′s a madness)
Pure madness
Loca
That girl is a (Loca)
That girl is a (Loca)
You're the one for me, and for her no more
Though you think she got it all, I got my kiki
And I′m crazy, but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
And you like that it ain't easy, Loca, Loca, Loca
Loca (Loca)
Loca (Loca)
The song "Loca" by Shakira featuring Dizzee Rascal talks about a girl who plays dumb to entertain and impress men. She is aware of the fact that she is desired by the men around her and she uses it to her advantage. She is possessive and obsessive about her love interest and does not want any other girl to take his attention away from her. She is described as a nutter, but the man still enjoys being around her and their madness. The song is a celebration of their unconventional love and their willingness to embrace each other's crazy side.
The lyrics of the song are catchy and fun, and the beats are lively and upbeat. The song has a mix of pop, hip-hop, and Latin music. It was a commercial success and topped the charts in over 20 countries. The music video of the song has Shakira roaming around the streets of Barcelona and performing in a bar. The video was shot without any permits, and Shakira was charged with disrespecting public property. The video was eventually released with added footage of Shakira paying off her debts to the city.
Line by Line Meaning
She's playin' dumb all the time, just to keep it fun
She pretends to be ignorant to amuse people
To get you on like, "Ah!" Be careful, amigo
She manipulates people to get their attention
She's talking and walking just to wake you up
She engages in conversation and movement to arouse others
She'd die for your love, but your love's only mine, boy
She claims to love someone, but admits their affection is one-sided
Yo sigo tranquila, like I'm on a beach in Anguilla
She remains calm and relaxed, as if on a Caribbean vacation
Sippin' my Corona like it's nothin' goin' on
She enjoys a beer without a care in the world
I ain't leavin' you alone, what is meant for me
She will not abandon someone who is destined to be with her
No other girl is gonna take it, so give him up
She warns others not to pursue her love interest
And I'm crazy, but you like it, Loca, Loca, Loca
She acknowledges her unpredictable behavior, which others seem to enjoy
You like that it ain't easy, Loca, Loca, Loca
She believes others are attracted to her because she is a challenge
That girl is a nutter
She acknowledges that she is crazy
Hot girl, I heat up when I touch her
She is physically attractive and arouses others
Chica Caliente, got me rapping to merengue
She is a hot girl who inspires him to dance to Latin music
I feel so el presidente
She feels like she is in charge and powerful
She's got a mean lil' bopper, you should see what she does with it
She has a seductive dancing style that is impressive
She keeps it down low (down low, down low)
She keeps her relationship secret
I can never get enough, oh no, oh no
He is addicted to her and cannot get enough
But I mean, yo, I'm in love with a crazy girl
He admits to being in love with a crazy person
But it's all good, and it's fine by me
He is okay with her craziness
Just as long as I hear her say, "Ay, papi"
He is happy as long as she calls him "daddy"
You're the one for me, and for her no more
He chooses her over someone else
Though you think she got it all, I got my kiki
He has someone else who satisfies him (a sexual partner)
I guess she doesn't know the things that I'd do to please you
He thinks a rival does not understand the extent of his effort to please his partner
I take you to the malecon por el caminito
He wants to take her for a romantic walk by the ocean
They saw your girlfriend looking for me with a rifle
He suggests that a rival is so jealous that they would resort to violence
'Cause, we're dancin' Mambo, oh, what she don't allow it?
He questions why a rival does not approve of them dancing together
I really can't help it if I make the lady Loca
He cannot control her craziness
I don't want no trouble, I just wanna hit the— ooh!
He wants to avoid complications but still desires her sexually
'Cause the kinda girl like me, they're running out of in the market (shh)
She believes there are not many women like her
Pure madness
A summary of the song's theme
Writer(s): Edward Bello, Armando Christian Perez, Shakira Mebarak, Carlos Daniel Crespo-planes, Dylan Mills
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jean-pierre SULTANA
Fantastique "Mère du Blues" qui a inflencé la grande Bessie Smith
Richard Neville
You looking for 'Roots'?? Here it is!