Prove It On Me Blues. [10], In 1935, Rainey returned to her home town, Columbus, Georgia, where she was the proprietor[37] of three theatres, the Lyric, the Airdome, and the Liberty,[38] until her death. Ma Rainey also alluded to her bisexuality in her lyrics, most notably with "Prove it on Me Blues," which referenced a lesbian orgy she hosted that got her arrested, according to PBS. Factory: 2:41 : 2005 : Ma Rainey. Check out Prove It On Me Blues by Ma Rainey on Amazon Music. [17] In 1920, Mamie Smith was the first black woman to be recorded. Ma Rainey Prove It On Me lyrics & video : Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. Went out last night, had a great big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. [8][9] She was the second of five children of Thomas and Ella (née Allen) Pridgett, from Alabama. Where They toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and later formed their own group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. I went out last night with a crowd of my friends They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men The most famous example, "Prove It on Me Blues" (1928) was recorded near the end of her contract with Paramount, and contains the lyrics: Where she went, I … Usual Paramount grainy pressing for this period. [5], Gertrude Pridgett began performing as a teenager and became known as "Ma" Rainey after her marriage to Will "Pa" Rainey in 1904. “ Gertrude Ma” Rainey, as a queer woman of color, used her songs such as “Prove it on Me” to express a sexuality that both the white patriarchy and heteronormativity tried to erase. She helped to pioneer a genre that appealed to North and South, rural and urban audiences. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett, April 26, 1886 – December 22, … [Verse 1] But She Broke More Than Musical Barriers", "Who Is Ma Rainey? They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men. Where she [44], Rainey was also a fashion icon who pioneered flashy, expensive costuming in her performances, wearing ostrich plumes, satin gowns, sequins, gold necklaces, diamond tiaras, and gold teeth. [35] It is unclear if she maintained the royalties to her songs after she was fired from Paramount. 'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me [32], Toward the end of the 1920s, live vaudeville went into decline, being replaced by radio and recordings. Nicknamed the “Mother of the Blues,” she recorded more than 100 singles, including the hits “Prove it on Me Blues,” “See See Rider Blues,” and “Don’t Fish in My Sea.” Rainey was known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a "moaning" style of singing. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on … They became so close that rumors circulated that their relationship was possibly also romantic in nature. When I last night, Hade a bad big fight Everything seemed to go on wrong I looked up, to my surprise The gal I was with was gone. [2] Pridgett claimed to have been born on April 26, 1886 (beginning with the 1910 census, taken April 25, 1910), in Columbus, Georgia. From the Album 1923-1928 June 14, 2006 Listen Now Buy song $0.99. Sure got to prove it on me. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, "The True Story Of Ma Rainey From Netflix's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, "Overlooked No More: Ma Rainey, the 'Mother of the Blues, "Ma Rainey's Lesbian Lyrics: 5 Times She Expressed Her Queerness in Song", "Ma Rainey Is Best Known as a Pioneer of the Blues. .. PlaysV++ almost as good as my E shelf copy. [52], Mo'Nique played Rainey in the 2015 television film Bessie about the life of Bessie Smith, for which she earned a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She signed a recording contract with Paramount, and in December she made her first eight recordings in Chicago,[19] including "Bad Luck Blues", "Bo-Weevil Blues" and "Moonshine Blues". I didn't know where she took it [1] [14] In 1910, she was described as "Mrs. Gertrude Rainey, our coon shouter". Song information for Prove It on Me Blues - Ma Rainey on AllMusic. [7] However, the 1900 census indicates that she was born in September 1882 in Alabama, and researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc suggest that her birthplace was in Russell County, Alabama. See all 9 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. 16 Oct. 2020 . [39][40][3], Ma Rainey created what is now known as "classic blues" while also portraying black life like never before. It is in the very house that she had built for her mother and later lived in until her death in 1935. Also a songwriter, her lyrics and melodies reflected her experiences as an independent, openly bisexual African-American woman. She had at least two brothers and a sister, Malissa Pridgett Nix. [51], Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, a 1982 play by August Wilson, is a fictionalized account of a recording of her song of the same title set in 1927. Rainey claimed she created the term "blues" when asked what kind of song she was singing. [26] Rainey's career was not immediately affected; she continued recording for Paramount and earned enough money from touring to buy a bus with her name on it. Born Gertrude Pridgett, she first performed in talent shows when she was about 13 years old . Stream songs including "Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues", "Log Camp Blues" and more. Ma Rainey. Don't you say I do it, ain't nobody caught me In 2004, "See See Rider Blues" (performed in 1924) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was added to the National Recording Registry by the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. Ma Rainey. As the popularity of blues music increased, she became well known. [10] She took on the stage name "Ma Rainey", which was "a play on her husband’s nickname, 'Pa'". December 14, 2019 January 23, 2020 ~ Megan DeJarnett ~ Leave a comment. Makes the wind blow all the while Ma Rainey. Sure got to prove it on me Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 1990 The Definitive Collection 1924 - 28 2019 Stormy 2018 Goodbye Daddy Blues … [14] She continued with the Rabbit's Foot Company after it was taken over by a new owner, F. S. Wolcott, in 1912. Prove It On Me. [31], Throughout the 1920s, Ma Rainey had a reputation for being one of the most dynamic performers in the United States due in large part to her songwriting, showmanship and voice. [34] Her style of blues was no longer considered fashionable by the label. Some sources indicate that she was born in 1882, while most sources assert that she was born on April 26, 1886. Rainey said she learned the lyrics of the song and added it to her performances. [45] In 1994, the U.S. Post Office issued a 29-cent commemorative postage stamp honoring her. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from Rainey, Ma (1886–1939) | Encyclopedia.com. Often called the Often called the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey was known for her deep-throated voice and mesmerizing stage presence that drew packed audiences and sold hit records in the early twentieth century. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett, April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939)[1][2][3] was an influential blues singer and early blues recording artist. [31], Ma Rainey and Pa Rainey adopted a son named Danny who later joined his parents' musical act. Where she went, I don't know Blues songs which are only partly of twelve-bar structure are classified as mixtures of blues and popular song forms. [15] Around this time, she met Bessie Smith, a young blues singer who was also making a name for herself. She toured until 1935, when she largely retired from performing and continued as a theater impresario in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, until her death four years later. [22] In the same year, she embarked on a tour of the Theater Owners Booking Association (TOBA) in the South and Midwest of the United States, singing for black and white audiences. Though there is still debate as to whether Ma Rainey was bisexual or lesbian, the lyrics of “Prove it on me” are a clear declaration of her queerness and preference for the company of women. "[30] At the time, an ad for the song embraced the genderbending outlined in the lyrics and featured Rainey in a three-piece suit, mingling with women while a police officer lurks nearby. Song information for Prove It on Me Blues - Ma Rainey on AllMusic AllMusic. It’s true I wear a collar and tie. [Chorus] "[42] The portrayals of black female sexuality, including those bucking heteronormative standards, fought ideas of what a woman should be and inspired Alice Walker in developing her characters for The Color Purple. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1928 Shellac release of "Prove It On Me Blues / Hear Me Talking To You" on Discogs. She died of a heart attack in 1939. 16. Your Amazon Music account is currently associated with a different marketplace. Prove It On Me Blues. "[41] In her songs, she and other black women sleep around for revenge, drink and party all night and generally live lives that "transgressed these ideas of white middle class female respectability. 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