Society’s “ideological prohibitions required women either to be silent of to engage in a ‘proper’ way of speaking about [sex]” (Davis, 45) but ‘Ma’ Rainy challenges this in her song “Black Eye Blues”. Throughout her song ‘Ma’ Rainy sings of vengeance on a man who abuses her. She acknowledges man’s power over women in society without disputing it, but also characterizes herself as an independent woman.

            I found that the song contains the form A, A, B , A and the B line is used to catch the listener’s attention. Important words to the plot of the song such as “beat, mistreat, and low down alligator” can be found in the B lines. Her ultimate point can also be found in the final B line when she threatens her subject that she will take vengeance upon him “sooner or later” and during this point there is also an influx in her voice and her pitch changes. This change reinforces her message and the instrumentals used in the piece change with her. The instrumentals also stop at a certain point to emphasize that the man’s wrong doings and bring attention to the fact that he “[took] all [her] money, [blackened] both of [her] eyes, [gave] it to another woman, [came] home and [told her] lies”. This empty air leaves room for the listener to hear ‘Ma’ Rainy’s lyrics describing her troubles as a woman in the late 19^th century.

Sarah Cohen