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.
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.
Shave 'em Dry
Ma Rainey Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Shave 'em Dry' by these artists:
Asylum Street Spankers I got nipples on my titties, big as the end…
bogan lucille I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
Lucille Bogan I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
Lucille Bogan & Walter Roland I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
Lucille Bogan & Walter Roland [feat. Walter Roland] I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
Lucille Bogan and Walter Roland I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
Papa Charlie Jackson Now here's one thing, can't understand It's why a bow-legged…
Walter Roland I got nipples on my titties Big as the end of…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ma Rainey:
"Ma" Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Am I Blue Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to…
Bad Luck Blues Hey people, listen while I spread my news Hey people,…
Barrel House Blues Got the Barrel house Blues, feeling awfully dry Got th…
Bessemer Bound Blues Woke up this morning : looking for my darn old shoes Becaus…
Big Feeling Blues Ma: "All these many years I've been pleadin' for a…
Black Bottom Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Black Cat Hoot Owl Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Black Eye Blues Down in Hogan's Alley lives Miss Nancy Ann Always always fus…
Black Eyed Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
Blame It on the Blues I′m so sad and worried got no time to spread…
Blues of Blues I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Bo Weavil Blues Hey, hey, bo-weevil, don't sing them blues no more Hey, hey,…
Booze and Blues Went to bed last night and boy I was in…
Broken Hearted Blues Lord I wonder what is it worryin' me Lord I wonder…
C C Rider Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Cell Bound Blues Met my man this morning Standing in the door When I got…
Chain Gang Blues The judge found me guilty, the clerk he wrote it…
Countin Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to…
Daddy Goodbye Blues Met my man this morning Standing in the door When I got…
Dead Drunk Blues "Spoken": My man is freakish drunk This mornin'. Daddy say, …
Deep Moaning Blues Mmmn, mmmn Mmmn, mmmn My bell rang this morning, didn't …
Don't Fish in My Sea My daddy come home this mornin', drunk as he could…
Down in the Basement I'm wild about my daddy. I want him all the…
Farewell Daddy Blues 1. I'm wild about my daddy. I want him all…
Hear Me Talking To You Ramblin' man makes no change in me I'm gonna ramble back…
Hustlin' Blues It's rainin' out here and tricks ain't walkin' tonight, (2) …
In My Girlish Days Late hours at night, trying to play my hand Through…
Jealous Hearted Blues You can have my money, baby, everything I own But for…
Jelly Bean Blues If you ever wake up with your good man on…
Last Minute Blues Minutes seem like hours, hours seem like days Minutes seem…
Lawd Send Me a Man Blues Who gonna pay my board bill now? Had a good man,…
Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues Going to the Louisiana bottom to get me a hoodoo…
Low Rider s Blues see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Ma and Pa Poorhouse Blues Ma: Hello there, Charlie Charlie: Hello, Ma Ma: Charlie, whe…
Ma Rainey Now, you heard the rest Ah, boys, I'm gonna show you…
Misery Blues I love my brownskin 'deed I do Folks I know you…
Moonshine Blue I've got to leave this town, I've got to go…
Oh My Babe Blues Some of these days I'm going to leave my home,…
Oh Papa Blues Just like a rainbow I have faded away My daddy leaves…
OhPapa Blues Loca (Loca) Loca Dance or die Loca (Loca) She′s playin' dum…
Prove It On Me Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seeme…
Rough And Tumble Blues I'm going to the Western Union, type the news all…
Runaway Blues I'll run away tomorrow They don't mean me no good I'll run…
Screech Owl Blues Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my windowsill Black…
See See Rider see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord Made me love…
Shave 'Em Dry Blues There′s one thing I don't understand Why a good-Iookin′ woma…
Sissy Blues I dreamed last night I was far from harm Woke…
Slave To The Blues Ain't robbed no train : ain't done no hanging crime It's th…
Sleep Talking Blues You got a bad habit, daddy, talkin' in your sleep You…
Sleepy My Blues Won't you be my chauffeur Won't you be my…
South Bound Blues Yes, I′m mad, my heart's sad The man I loved treated…
Southern Blues House catch on fire and ain't no water 'round If…
Stormy Sea Blues Rainin′ on the ocean, it's stormin′ on the sea Rainin' on…
Sweet Rough Man I woke up this mornin', my head was sore as…
Titanic Man Blues Everybody fall in line Gonna tell you 'bout that man o'…
Tough Luck Blues When a black cat crosses you, bad luck I heard…
Traveling Blues Train′s at the station, I heard the whistle blow The train's…
Travelling Blues Train's at the station, I heard the whistle blow The tr…
Walking Blues Woke up this morning, up this morning With my head…
Wringing And Twisting Blues I had my fortune told, and the gypsy took my…
Yonder Come The Blues I worry all day, I worry all night Every time my…
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Elizabeth
[Verse 1]
There's one thing I don't understand
Why a good-lookin' woman likes a workin' man
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 2]
Going away to wear you off my mind
You keep me hungry and broke, daddy, all the time
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 3]
Don't see how them hungry women can sleep
They shimmies all day without a bite to eat
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 4]
Going downtown to spread the news
State Street women wearin' broke in shoes
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 5]
If it wasn't for their powder and their store-bought hair
State Street gals couldn't go nowhere
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 6]
There's one thing I can't understand
Some women get pleasure pleasin' like a man
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 7]
Went to the show the other night
Everybody on State Street was tryin' to fight
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 8]
Ain't crazy 'bout my yellow, I ain't wild about my brown
You can't tell the difference when the sun goes down
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 9]
When you see two women runnin' hand to hand
Bet your life one's got the other's man
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
[Verse 10]
Run here, daddy, lay in my arms
When your wife comes, tell her I don't mean no harm
Hey, hey, hey, daddy, let me shave 'em dry
Midnight-Blue766
You can really hear the blues and jazz roots of rock music in this song.
Da Xman
Midnight-Blue766 - Assuming the little I've read is true, women singers were more dominant in the popular blues 'industry' of the day. Their various types of early blues performances initially gained more and more 'commercial' value via traveling circus/carnival sideshows, local roadhouses, bars and parties and then began evolving into what would eventually become known as 'popular music.' If memory effectively serves, the 'recording industry' then started sometime around 1920 and it wasn't until the mid to late '20s and into the '30s that men performing blues came into a more commercial vogue. As far as blues music itself goes, at this late date, without an accurate context of historic social details, it might seem difficult to understand how or why either men or women would be the more 'dominant' influence or purveyor of such humanly heartfelt musical expression. That said, once in that accuracy of historic social context, it would probably be fairly obvious though.
loversarelunatics
this is so great. her voice is so full of... i dont even know the word but its just a voice you dont want to forget
adcockbob
Great! She was a big influence on Bessie Smith and Janice Joplin (among others)! Thanks for posting a unique tune!
The Triumph of the Thrill
One of my favorite Blues tracks. The vocals, guitar, melody and vintage sound make this one of the most stirring and compelling tunes from the Jazz Age that still holds up well now.
yoncalla44
No worries about the sound quality - this was before the advent of electric recording, and Paramount records always did have a substandard sound as it was. -Tony Arioli
Ninja Kitty
Blues don’t sound good unless it’s scratchy
Deezle Berbingson
If Peter fucking Jackson can restore the Beatles from a shitty mono recording, he can restore Ma Rainey's whole catalog.
Garret Fitzgerald
there is a rawness to this music, an authenticity you have to love...
Karen Em
Ma Rainey was the best! Thanks so much for posting this.