Black Eye Blues

Ma Rainey, the Mother of the Blues, did not shy away from the brutal realities of domestic life. Recorded in late 1928 with her pianist and musical director, Thomas A. Dorsey (who later became the father of Black Gospel), "Black Eye Blues" is a grimly comic tale of a woman plotting violent revenge against an abusive partner. Rainey delivered the lyrics with her majestic, booming contralto, projecting immense power and agency over Dorsey's rolling, theatrical piano accompaniment. It is a prime example of the classic blues era's ability to address dark, taboo subjects with a defiant, knowing wink.